1 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.

2 The brothers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him.

3 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.

4 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.

5 The congregations were made stronger in the faith and grew in numbers every day.

6 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.

7 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.

8 They traveled through Mysia and went to Troas.

9 Paul had a vision that night. In it he saw a Macedonian standing and pleading with him, »Come over to Macedonia and help us!«

10 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.

11 We left by ship from Troas and sailed to Samothrace, and the next day to Neapolis.

12 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.

13 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.

14 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.

15 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.

16 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.

17 She followed Paul and cried out: »These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.«

18 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.

19 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.

20 They took them to the magistrates and said: »These men, being Jews, cause great trouble in our city.

21 »They offer customs that it is not lawful for us to receive, or to observe, being Romans.«

22 The crowd rose up against them. The magistrates ripped their garments off them, and commanded to beat them with rods.

23 After they were severely beaten, they threw them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safe.

24 Receiving this command he threw them into the inner prison, and fastened their feet in the stocks.

25 Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God at midnight. The prisoners were listening to them.

26 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.

27 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.

28 Paul cried with a loud voice: »Do not harm yourself for we are all here.«

29 The jailer called for lights. He rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas.

30 He brought them out and asked: »Sirs, what must I do to be saved?«

31 They said: »Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your house.«

32 They spoke the Word of God to him and those in his house.

33 That very hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds. Then he and all his family were baptized.

34 He took them to his house and fed them. They rejoiced along with his entire house, having believed in God.

35 The next day the magistrates sent the officers saying: »Let those men go.«

36 The jailor reported the words to Paul, saying: »The magistrates have sent to let you go. Therefore go in peace.«

37 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.«

38 The officers reported these words to the magistrates. They feared when they heard that they were Romans.

39 They personally came to them and brought them out. They asked them to go away from the city.

40 They left the prison and entered the house of Lydia. When they saw the brothers they comforted them and then left.