Acts:16

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* Paul arrived at Derbe and Lystra where he saw a disciple named Timothy . He was the son of a Jewish woman , and his father was a Greek . * The brothers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him . * Paul wanted to have him travel with him . So he had him circumcised because of the Jews who were in the area . For they knew that his father was a Greek . * They went through the towns and delivered to the believers the rules decided upon by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem . They told them to obey those rules . * The congregations were made stronger in the faith and grew in numbers every day . * The Holy Spirit did not let them preach the message in the province of Asia . So they traveled through the region of Phrygia and Galatia . * When they reached the border of Mysia , they tried to go into the province of Bithynia , but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them . * They traveled through Mysia and went to Troas . * Paul had a vision that night . In it he saw a Macedonian standing and pleading with him , »Come over to Macedonia and help us !« * After Paul had this vision , we got ready to leave for Macedonia . We decided that God had called us to preach the good news to the people there . * We left by ship from Troas and sailed to Samothrace , and the next day to Neapolis . * From there we went inland to Philippi , a city of the first district of Macedonia . It is also a Roman colony . We spent several days there . * On the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to the river where we thought there was a place of prayer . We sat down and spoke to the women who gathered there . * A woman named Lydia who was a seller of purple came from Thyatira . She worshipped God because God opened her heart to listen to the things spoken by Paul . * When she and her household were baptized she came to us saying , »If you judge me to be faithful to God , come to my house , and stay there .« She absolutely insisted that we come . * A young woman who had a spirit of divination met us as we were going to the place of prayer . She brought her masters much gain by soothsaying . * She followed Paul and cried out : »These men are servants of the Most High God , who proclaim to you the way of salvation .« * She did this for many days . This troubled Paul . So he turned and said to the spirit , »I charge you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her !« And it came out that very hour . * When her masters saw that the hope of their gain was gone , they grabbed Paul and Silas , and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers . * They took them to the magistrates and said : »These men , being Jews , cause great trouble in our city . * »They offer customs that it is not lawful for us to receive , or to observe , being Romans .« * The crowd rose up against them . The magistrates ripped their garments off them , and commanded to beat them with rods . * After they were severely beaten , they threw them into prison , charging the jailor to keep them safe . * Receiving this command he threw them into the inner prison , and fastened their feet in the stocks . * Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God at midnight . The prisoners were listening to them . * Suddenly there was a massive earthquake . It was so great the foundations of the prison-house were shaken . All the doors were opened and everyone ’s bands came off . * The jailor , who was roused out of sleep and saw the prison doors open , he drew his sword and was about to kill himself , supposing that the prisoners had escaped . * Paul cried with a loud voice : »Do not harm yourself for we are all here .« * The jailer called for lights . He rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas . * He brought them out and asked : »Sirs , what must I do to be saved ?« * They said : »Believe in the Lord Jesus , and you will be saved , you and your house .« * They spoke the Word of God to him and those in his house . * That very hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds . Then he and all his family were baptized . * He took them to his house and fed them . They rejoiced along with his entire house , having believed in God . * The next day the magistrates sent the officers saying : »Let those men go .« * The jailor reported the words to Paul , saying : »The magistrates have sent to let you go . Therefore go in peace .« * Paul said to them : »They have beaten us publicly uncondemned , men who are Romans , and have thrown us into prison . Do they now throw us out privately ? No I say , but let them come in person to bring us out .« * The officers reported these words to the magistrates . They feared when they heard that they were Romans . * They personally came to them and brought them out . They asked them to go away from the city . * They left the prison and entered the house of Lydia . When they saw the brothers they comforted them and then left .

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