16 And when we were going to the place of prayer, we came across a girl with a spirit which gave knowledge of the future, whose masters made great profit from her power.

17 She came after Paul and us, crying out and saying, These men are the servants of the Most High God, who are giving you news of the way of salvation.

18 And this she did on a number of days. But Paul was greatly troubled and, turning, said to the spirit, I give you orders in the name of Jesus Christ, to come out of her. And it came out that very hour.

19 But when her masters saw that their hope of profit was gone, they took Paul and Silas, pulling them into the market-place before the rulers;

20 And when they had taken them before the authorities, they said, These men, who are Jews, are greatly troubling our town;

21 Teaching rules of living which it is not right for us to have or to keep, being Romans.

22 And the people made an attack on them all together: and the authorities took their clothing off them, and gave orders for them to be whipped.

23 And when they had given them a great number of blows, they put them in prison, giving orders to the keeper of the prison to keep them safely:

24 And he, having such orders, put them into the inner prison with chains on their feet.

25 But about the middle of the night, Paul and Silas were making prayers and songs to God in the hearing of the prisoners;

26 And suddenly there was an earth-shock, so that the base of the prison was moved: and all the doors came open, and everyone's chains came off.

27 And the keeper, coming out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, took his sword and was about to put himself to death, fearing that the prisoners had got away.

28 But Paul said in a loud voice, Do yourself no damage, for we are all here.

29 And he sent for lights and came rushing in and, shaking with fear, went down on his face before Paul and Silas,

30 And took them out and said, Sirs, what have I to do to get salvation?

31 And they said, Have faith in the Lord Jesus, and you and your family will have salvation.

32 And they gave the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house.

33 And that same hour of the night, he took them, and when he had given attention to their wounds, he and all his family had baptism straight away.

34 And he took them into his house and gave them food, and he was full of joy, having faith in God with all his family.

35 But when it was day, the authorities sent the police, saying, Let these men go.

36 And the keeper said to Paul, The authorities have given orders to let you go: come out now, and go in peace.

37 But Paul said to them, They have given us who are Romans a public whipping without judging us, and have put us in prison. Will they now send us out secretly? no, truly, let them come themselves and take us out.

38 And the police gave an account of these words to the authorities, and they were full of fear on hearing that they were Romans;

39 Then they came and made prayers to them, requesting them, when they had taken them out, to go away from the town.

40 And they came out of the prison and went to the house of Lydia: and when they had seen the brothers they gave them comfort and went away.

16 有一次， 我们到祈祷的地方去的时候， 一个被巫鬼附着的婢女迎面而来； 她行占卜使主人们发了大财。

17 她跟着保罗和我们， 喊叫说： "这些人是至高 神的仆人， 向你们传讲得救的道路。"

18 她一连多日这样喊叫， 保罗觉得厌烦， 就转身对那鬼说： "我奉耶稣基督的名， 命令你从她身上出来！ "那鬼就立刻出来了。

19 她的主人们看见发财的希望完了， 就揪住保罗和西拉， 拉到市中心去见官长，

20 又带到裁判官面前， 说： "这些人是犹太人， 扰乱我们的城市，

21 传我们罗马人不准接受、不准实行的规例。"

22 群众一齐起来攻击他们， 裁判官就剥去他们的衣服， 下令用棍子打他们。

23 打了很多棍， 就把他们放在监牢里， 吩咐狱吏严密看守。

24 狱吏领了命令， 就把他们押入内监， 两脚拴了木狗。

25 约在半夜， 保罗和西拉祈祷歌颂 神， 囚犯们都侧耳听着。

26 忽然发生了大地震， 以致监牢的地基都摇动起来， 所有的监门立刻开了， 囚犯的锁链都松了。

27 狱吏醒过来， 看见监门全开， 以为囚犯都已经逃脱了， 就拔出刀来想要自刎。

28 保罗大声呼叫说： "不要伤害自己， 我们都在这里！ "

29 狱吏叫人拿了灯来， 就冲进去， 战战兢兢地俯伏在保罗和西拉面前，

30 随后领他们出来， 说： "先生， 我应该作什么才可以得救？"

31 他们说： "当信主耶稣， 你和你一家人都必定得救。"

32 他们就把主的道， 讲给他和他全家的人听。

33 就在当夜的那个时候， 狱吏领他们去洗伤， 狱吏和他家人都受了洗，

34 就带他们到家里， 摆上饭食， 他和全家因信了 神就大大喜乐。

35 到了天亮， 裁判官派法警来， 说： "放了这些人！ "

36 狱吏就把这话告诉保罗， 说： "裁判官派人来释放你们， 现在可以出来， 平平安安地去吧！ "

37 保罗对他们说： "我们是罗马人， 还没有定罪， 他们就公开打我们， 又放在监里； 现在要私下赶我们出去吗？不行！ 他们应当亲自来， 领我们出去！ "

38 法警把这番话回报裁判官， 裁判官听说他们是罗马人， 就害怕起来，

39 于是来请求他们， 领他们出监之后， 就请他们离开那城。

40 两人出了监， 就到吕底亚的家里去， 见了弟兄们， 劝勉他们一番， 就离开了。