Acts 16 - Living Bible (TLB)

16 Paul and Silas went first to Derbe and then on to Lystra where they met Timothy, a believer whose mother was a Christian Jewess, but his father a Greek. 2 Timothy was well thought of by the brothers in Lystra and Iconium, 3 so Paul asked him to join them on their journey. In deference to the Jews of the area, he circumcised Timothy before they left, for everyone knew that his father was a Greek and hadn’t permitted this before.[a] 4 Then they went from city to city, making known the decision concerning the Gentiles, as decided by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem. 5 So the church grew daily in faith and numbers.

6 Next they traveled through Phrygia and Galatia because the Holy Spirit had told them not to go into the Turkish province of Asia Minor at that time. 7 Then going along the borders of Mysia they headed north for the province of Bithynia, but again the Spirit of Jesus said no. 8 So instead they went on through Mysia province to the city of Troas.

9 That night[b] Paul had a vision. In his dream he saw a man over in Macedonia, Greece, pleading with him, “Come over here and help us.” 10 Well, that settled it. We[c] would go to Macedonia, for we could only conclude that God was sending us to preach the Good News there.

11 We went aboard a boat at Troas, and sailed straight across to Samothrace, and the next day on to Neapolis, 12 and finally reached Philippi, a Roman[d] colony just inside the Macedonian border, and stayed there several days.

13 On the Sabbath we went a little way outside the city to a riverbank where we understood some people met for prayer; and we taught the Scriptures to some women who came. 14 One of them was Lydia, a saleswoman from Thyatira, a merchant of purple cloth. She was already a worshiper of God and as she listened to us, the Lord opened her heart and she accepted all that Paul was saying. 15 She was baptized along with all her household and asked us to be her guests. “If you agree that I am faithful to the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my home.” And she urged us until we did.

16 One day as we were going down to the place of prayer beside the river, we met a demon-possessed slave girl, who was a fortune-teller and earned much money for her masters. 17 She followed along behind us shouting, “These men are servants of God, and they have come to tell you how to have your sins forgiven.”

18 This went on day after day until Paul, in great distress, turned and spoke to the demon within her. “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her,” he said. And instantly it left her.

19 Her masters’ hopes of wealth were now shattered; they grabbed Paul and Silas and dragged them before the judges at the marketplace.

20-21 “These Jews are corrupting our city,” they shouted. “They are teaching the people to do things that are against the Roman laws.”

22 A mob was quickly formed against Paul and Silas, and the judges ordered them stripped and beaten with wooden whips. 23 Again and again the rods slashed down across their bared backs; and afterwards they were thrown into prison. The jailer was threatened with death if they escaped,[e] 24 so he took no chances, but put them into the inner dungeon and clamped their feet into the stocks.

25 Around midnight, as Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to the Lord—and the other prisoners were listening— 26 suddenly there was a great earthquake; the prison was shaken to its foundations, all the doors flew open—and the chains of every prisoner fell off! 27 The jailer wakened to see the prison doors wide open, and assuming the prisoners had escaped, he drew his sword to kill himself.

28 But Paul yelled to him, “Don’t do it! We are all here!”

29 Trembling with fear, the jailer called for lights and ran to the dungeon and fell down before Paul and Silas. 30 He brought them out and begged them, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

31 They replied, “Believe on the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, and your entire household.”

32 Then they told him and all his household the Good News from the Lord. 33 That same hour he washed their stripes, and he and all his family were baptized. 34 Then he brought them up into his house and set a meal before them. How he and his household rejoiced because all were now believers! 35 The next morning the judges sent police officers over to tell the jailer, “Let those men go!” 36 So the jailer told Paul they were free to leave.

37 But Paul replied, “Oh no they don’t! They have publicly beaten us without trial and jailed us—and we are Roman citizens! So now they want us to leave secretly? Never! Let them come themselves and release us!”

38 The police officers reported to the judges, who feared for their lives when they heard Paul and Silas were Roman citizens. 39 So they came to the jail and begged them to go, and brought them out and pled with them to leave the city. 40 Paul and Silas then returned to the home of Lydia, where they met with the believers and preached to them once more before leaving town.

Footnotes

  1. Acts 16:3 and hadn’t permitted this before, implied.
  2. Acts 16:9 That night, literally, “In the night.”
  3. Acts 16:10 We. Luke, the writer of this book, now joined Paul and accompanied him on his journey.
  4. Acts 16:12 Roman, implied.
  5. Acts 16:23 if they escaped, implied.

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Acts 16 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

16 And he came to Derbe and Lystra, and lo, a certain disciple was there, by name Timotheus son of a certain woman, a believing Jewess, but of a father, a Greek, 2 who was well testified to by the brethren in Lystra and Iconium; 3 this one did Paul wish to go forth with him, and having taken [him], ...
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Acts 16 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

16 And he came into Derbe and Lystra. And lo! a disciple was there, by name Timothy, the son of a Jewess christian[a], and of the father heathen. 2 And brethren that were in Lystra and Iconium [The brethren that were in Lystra and Iconium], yielded good witnessing to him. 3 And Paul would that thi...
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Acts 16 - Worldwide English (New Testament) (WE)

16 Then he came to Derbe and Lystra. A disciple named Timothy was there. His mother was a Jew, a believer, and his father was a Greek. 2 The Christian brothers at Lystra and Iconium spoke very well of Timothy. 3 Paul wanted him to go with him. He circumcised him because all the Jews in those places ...
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Acts 16 - World English Bible (WEB)

16 He came to Derbe and Lystra: and behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewess who believed; but his father was a Greek. 2 The brothers who were at Lystra and Iconium gave a good testimony about him. 3 Paul wanted to have him go out with him, and he took and circumcis...
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Acts 16 - The Voice (VOICE)

16 1-3 When Paul reached Derbe and Lystra, he invited a disciple named Timothy to join him and Silas. Timothy had a good reputation among the believers in Lystra and Iconium, but there was a problem: although Timothy’s mother was a believing Jew, his father was Greek, which meant Timothy was uncircu...
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Acts 16 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

16 Now Paul came to Derbe and Lystra. There was a disciple there named Timothy, son of a woman who was a Jewish believer and a Greek father, 2 who was well-spoken of by the brothers at Lystra and Iconium. 3 Paul wanted this man to accompany him, and he took him and circumcised him for the sake of ...
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Acts 16 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

Timothy Joins Paul and Silas16 And he came also to Derbe and to Lystra. A disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer; but his father was a Greek. 2 He was well spoken of by the brethren at Lystra and Ico′nium. 3 Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him; and he took...
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Acts 16 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Timothy Joins Paul and Silas16 And he came also to Derbe and to Lystra. A disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer; but his father was a Greek. 2 He was well spoken of by the brethren at Lystra and Ico′nium. 3 Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him; and he took...
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Acts 16 - Revised Geneva Translation (RGT)

16 Then he came to Derbe and Lystra. And behold, a certain disciple was there named Timothy - the son of a believing Jewish woman, but whose father was Greek 2 of whom the brothers at Lystra and Iconium reported well. 3 Paul wanted him to go forth with him. So, he took and circumcised him, because o...
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Acts 16 - New Testament for Everyone (NTE)

Timothy – and New Developments16 Paul went on further, to Derbe and then Lystra. There was a disciple there by the name of Timothy, the son of a believing Jewish woman, but with a Greek father. 2 The Christians in Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him. 3 Paul wanted Timothy to go with them, so he t...
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Acts 16 - New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

Timothy Joins Paul and Silas16 Paul[a] went on also to Derbe and to Lystra, where there was a disciple named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer; but his father was a Greek. 2 He was well spoken of by the believers[b] in Lystra and Iconium. 3 Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him;...
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Acts 16 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

Timothy Joins Paul and Silas16 Paul[a] went on also to Derbe and to Lystra, where there was a disciple named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer; but his father was a Greek. 2 He was well spoken of by the believers[b] in Lystra and Iconium. 3 Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him;...
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Acts 16 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Timothy Joins Paul and Silas16 Paul[a] went on also to Derbe and to Lystra, where there was a disciple named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek.(A)2 He was well spoken of by the brothers and sisters in Lystra and Iconium. 3 Paul wanted Timothy to accomp...
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Acts 16 - New Matthew Bible (NMB)

Timothy is circumcised. Paul preaches at Phillipi, and there he is put in prison. 16 Then Paul went to Derbe and to Lystra. And a certain disciple was there named Timothy, the son of a woman who was a Jewess and believed, but his father was a Greek. 2 The brethren of Lystra and of Iconium spoke wel...
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Acts 16 - New Living Translation (NLT)

Paul’s Second Missionary Journey16 Paul went first to Derbe and then to Lystra, where there was a young disciple named Timothy. His mother was a Jewish believer, but his father was a Greek. 2 Timothy was well thought of by the believers[a] in Lystra and Iconium, 3 so Paul wanted him to join them on ...
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Acts 16 - New Life Version (NLV)

Timothy Starts to Work with Paul16 Paul went down to the cities of Derbe and Lystra. There was a follower there named Timothy. His mother was a Jewish Christian and his father was a Greek. 2 The Christians in the city of Lystra and Iconium respected Timothy. 3 Paul wanted Timothy to go with him as...
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Acts 16 - New King James Version (NKJV)

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