Acts 16:2-15

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

³Paul wanted Timothy to travel with him, so he circumcised him because the Jews in the area all knew that Timothy's father was Greek.

⁴As they went through the different towns they gave them the requirements the apostles and elders in Jerusalem had said should be observed.

⁵The churches were strengthened in their trust in the Lord and every day their numbers increased.

⁶They traveled through the districts of Phrygia and Galatia, since the Holy Spirit prevented them from going to the province of Asia to speak the word.

⁷When they arrived at the border of Mysia they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to enter.

⁸So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas.

⁹There Paul saw in vision during the night a man from Macedonia standing up, pleading with him, “Please come over to Macedonia and help us!”

¹⁰After Paul saw this vision, we immediately made arrangements to go to Macedonia, since we concluded that God had called us to share the good news with them.

¹¹We set sail from Troas and made straight for Samothrace. The next day we went on to Neapolis,

¹²and from there to Philippi, the most important town in Macedonia, and also a Roman colony. We stayed in this city for several days.

¹³On the Sabbath day we went out of the town gates down to the riverside where we thought people would come to pray. We sat down and talked with the women that had gathered there.

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!