Acts 16:4-18

⁴As they went on their way through the cities, they delivered to the churches the instructions for them to obey, the instructions that had been written by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem.

⁵So the churches were strengthened in the faith and increased in number daily.

⁶Paul and his companions went through the regions of Phrygia and Galatia, since they had been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to proclaim the word in the province of Asia.

⁷When they came near Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus prevented them.

⁸So passing by Mysia, they came down to the city of Troas.

⁹A vision appeared to Paul in the night: A man of Macedonia was standing there, calling him and saying, “Come over into Macedonia and help us.”

¹⁰When Paul had seen the vision, immediately we set out to go to Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to proclaim the gospel to them.

¹¹Setting sail therefore from Troas, we made a straight course to Samothrace, and the next day we came to Neapolis.

¹²From there we went to Philippi, which is a city of Macedonia, the most important city in the district and a Roman colony, and we stayed in this city for several days.

¹³On the Sabbath day we went outside the gate by the river, where we thought there would be a place of prayer. We sat down and spoke to the women who had come together.

¹⁴A certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God, listened to us. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul.

¹⁵When she and her house were baptized, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come and stay in house.” And she persuaded us.

¹⁶It came about that, as we were going to the place of prayer, a certain young woman who had a spirit of divination encountered us. She brought her masters much gain by fortunetelling.

¹⁷This woman followed after Paul and us and shouted, saying, “These men are servants of the Most High God. They proclaim to you the way of salvation.”

¹⁸She did this for many days. But Paul, being greatly annoyed by her, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And it came out right away.