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Free Bible Version - Acts - Acts 16

Acts 16:14-37

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14One of them was called Lydia, who sold purple cloth from the town of Thyatira. She worshiped God, and she listened to us. The Lord opened her mind to what Paul was saying, and she accepted what he told her.
15After she and all her household were baptized, she pleaded with us, “If you really think that I'm truly committed to the Lord, then come and stay at my house.” She kept on insisting until we agreed!
16One day when we were going down to the place of prayer we met a slave girl possessed by an evil spirit. She earned her masters a great deal of money by fortune-telling.
17This girl followed Paul and the rest of us around, shouting, “These men are the servants of Almighty God. They are telling you how to be saved!”
18She went on doing this for several days. This bothered Paul so he turned around and told the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to leave her!” The spirit immediately left her.
19But when her masters saw they had lost their means of making money, they grabbed hold of Paul and Silas and dragged them before the authorities at the marketplace.
20They brought them in front of the magistrates, and accused them: “These Jewish men are causing a great disturbance in our town,” they said.
21“They're advocating things that are illegal for us as Romans to accept or to practice.”
22The crowd joined together in an attack on them. The magistrates tore off Paul and Silas' clothes, and ordered them beaten with rods.
23After giving them a severe beating, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them locked up.
24The jailer followed his orders. He threw Paul and Silas into the inner cell and shackled their feet in the stocks.
25Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing praises to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.
26Suddenly a tremendous earthquake shook the foundations of the prison. Immediately all the doors flew open and everyone's chains fell off.
27The jailer woke up and saw the doors of the prison wide open. He drew his sword and was about to kill himself, thinking that the prisoners had escaped.
28But Paul shouted out, “Don't hurt yourself—we're all still here!”
29The jailer asked for lights to be brought and rushed in. Shaking with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas.
30He escorted them out and asked them, “Sirs, what do I have to do so I can be saved?”
31“Trust in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your whole household,” they replied.
32Then they shared the word of the Lord with him and everyone who lived in his house.
33Even though it was late at night he bathed their wounds, and he was baptized right away, along with all his family.
34He took them home and had a meal prepared for them. The jailer and his whole family were full of joy because they trusted in God.
35Early the next day the magistrate sent officials to the jailer, telling him, “Release those men.”
36The jailer told Paul, “The magistrates have sent word to release you. So you can leave, and go in peace.”
37But Paul told them, “They publicly beat us without a trial—and yet we're Roman citizens! Then they threw us in prison. Now they want to quietly let us go? No, they should come themselves and release us!”

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