Acts 16:2-40

²Of whom the brethren which were at Lystra and Iconium, reported well.

³Therefore Paul would that he should go forth with him, and tooke and circumcised him, because of ye Iewes, which were in those quarters: for they knewe all, that his father was a Grecian.

⁴And as they went through the cities, they deliuered them the decrees to keepe, ordeined of the Apostles and Elders, which were at Hierusalem.

⁵And so were the Churches stablished in the faith, and encreased in number daily.

⁶Nowe when they had gone throughout Phrygia, and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden of the holy Ghost to preache the worde in Asia.

⁷Then came they to Mysia, and sought to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not.

⁸Therefore they passed through Mysia, and came downe to Troas,

⁹Where a vision appeared to Paul in the night. There stoode a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come into Macedonia, and helpe vs.

¹⁰And after he had seene the vision, immediatly we prepared to goe into Macedonia, being assured that the Lord had called vs to preache the Gospel vnto them.

¹¹Then went we forth from Troas, and with a straight course came to Samothracia, and the next day to Neapolis,

¹²And from thence to Philippi, which is the chiefe citie in ye partes of Macedonia, and whose inhabitants came from Rome to dwell there, and we were in that citie abiding certaine dayes.

¹³And on the Sabbath day, we went out of the citie, besides a Riuer, where they were wont to pray: and we sate downe, and spake vnto the women, which were come together.

¹⁴And a certaine woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the citie of the Thyatirians, which worshipped God, heard vs: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended vnto the things, which Paul spake.

¹⁵And when she was baptized, and her houshold, she besought vs, saying, If ye haue iudged me to be faithfull to ye Lord, come into mine house, and abide there: and she constrained vs.

¹⁶And it came to passe that as we went to prayer, a certaine maide hauing a spirit of diuination, mette vs, which gate her masters much vantage with diuining.

¹⁷She followed Paul and vs, and cryed, saying, These men are the seruants of the most high God, which shewe vnto you the way of saluation.

¹⁸And this did she many dayes: but Paul being grieued, turned about, and said to the spirit, I commaund thee in the Name of Iesus Christ, that thou come out of her. And he came out the same houre.

¹⁹Nowe when her masters sawe that the hope of their gaine was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drewe them into the market place vnto the Magistrates,

²⁰And brought them to the gouernours, saying, These men which are Iewes, trouble our citie,

²¹And preache ordinances, which are not lawfull for vs to receiue, neither to obserue, seeing we are Romanes.

²²The people also rose vp together against them, and the gouernours rent their clothes, and commanded them to be beaten with roddes.

²³And when they had beaten them sore, they cast them into prison, commaunding the Iayler to keepe them surely.

²⁴Who hauing receiued such commandement, cast them into the inner prison, and made their feete fast in the stockes.

²⁵Nowe at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sung Psalmes vnto God: and the prisoners heard them.

²⁶And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundation of the prison was shaken: and by and by all the doores opened, and euery mans bands were loosed.

²⁷Then the keeper of the prison waked out of his sleepe, and when he sawe the prison doores open, he drewe out his sword and would haue killed himselfe, supposing the prisoners had bin fled.

²⁸But Paul cryed with a loude voyce, saying, Doe thy selfe no harme: for we are all here.

²⁹Then he called for a light, and leaped in, and came trembling, and fell downe before Paul and Silas,

³⁰And brought them out, and said, Syrs, what must I doe to be saued?

³¹And they saide, Beleeue in the Lord Iesus Christ, and thou shalt be saued, and thine houshold.

³²And they preached vnto him the worde of the Lord, and to all that were in the house.

³³Afterwarde he tooke them the same houre of the night, and washed their stripes, and was baptized with all that belonged vnto him, straigthway.

³⁴And when he had brought them into his house, he set meate before them, and reioyced that he with all his houshold beleeued in God.

³⁵And when it was day, the gouernours sent the sergeants, saying, Let those men goe.

³⁶Then the keeper of the prison tolde these woordes vnto Paul, saying, The gouerness haue sent to loose you: nowe therefore get you hence, and goe in peace.

³⁷Then sayde Paul vnto them, After that they haue beaten vs openly vncodemned, which are Romanes, they haue cast vs into prison, and nowe would they put vs out priuily? nay verely: but let them come and bring vs out.

³⁸And the sergeants tolde these woordes vnto the gouernours, who feared whe they heard that they were Romanes.

³⁹Then came they and praied them, and brought them out, and desired them to depart out of the citie.

⁴⁰And they went out of the prison, and entred into the house of Lydia: and when they had seene the brethren, they comforted them, and departed.