Acts 16

1 Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek: 2 Which was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium. 3 Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and took and circumcised him because of the Jews which were in those quarters: for they knew all that his father was a Greek. 4 And as they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem. 5 And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily. 6 Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, 7 After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not. 8 And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas. 9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us. 10 And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them. 11 Therefore loosing from Troas, we came with a straight course to Samothracia, and the next day to Neapolis; 12 And from thence to Philippi, which is the chief city of that part of Macedonia, and a colony: and we were in that city abiding certain days. 13 And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither.

14 And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul. 15 And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us.

16 And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying: 17 The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation. 18 And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.

19 And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers, 20 And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city, 21 And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans. 22 And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them. 23 And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely: 24 Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.

25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. 26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed. 27 And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. 28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. 29 Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, 30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? 31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. 32 And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. 33 And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway. 34 And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house. 35 And when it was day, the magistrates sent the serjeants, saying, Let those men go. 36 And the keeper of the prison told this saying to Paul, The magistrates have sent to let you go: now therefore depart, and go in peace. 37 But Paul said unto them, They have beaten us openly uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast us into prison; and now do they thrust us out privily? nay verily; but let them come themselves and fetch us out. 38 And the serjeants told these words unto the magistrates: and they feared, when they heard that they were Romans. 39 And they came and besought them, and brought them out, and desired them to depart out of the city. 40 And they went out of the prison, and entered into the house of Lydia: and when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them, and departed.

保罗带提摩太同行

1 保罗来到了特庇，又到了路司得。在那里有一个门徒，名叫提摩太，是一个信主的犹太妇人的儿子，父亲却是希腊人。2 路司得和以哥念的弟兄们都称赞他。3 保罗有意要他一同出去，但为了那些地方的犹太人，就给他行了割礼，因为他们都知道他父亲是希腊人。4 他们经过各城，把耶路撒冷的使徒和长老所定的规条，交给门徒遵守。5 于是众教会信心越发坚固，人数天天增加。

保罗见异象往马其顿去

6 圣灵既然禁止他们在亚西亚传道，他们就走遍弗吕家、加拉太地区。7 他们来到每西亚边境，想要去庇推尼，耶稣的灵也不许。8 他们经过每西亚，下到特罗亚。9 夜间有一个异象向保罗显现：有一个马其顿人站着求他说："请你到马其顿来，帮助我们！"10 保罗见了这异象，我们就认定是　神呼召我们去传福音给他们，于是立刻设法前往马其顿。

吕底亚信主

11 我们从特罗亚开船，直航撒摩特拉，第二天到达尼亚波利，12 从那里来到腓立比，就是马其顿地区的首要城市，是罗马的殖民地。我们在这城里住了几天。13 安息日我们出了城门，来到河边，以为那里是个祈祷的地方。我们坐下，对聚集的妇女讲论。14 有一位敬畏　神的妇女，名叫吕底亚，是推雅推拉城卖紫色布的商人，她一直在听，主开启她的心，使她留心听保罗所讲的。15 她和她一家受了洗以后，就请求说："你们若认为我是对主忠实的，就请到我家来住。"于是她强留我们。

在腓立比被囚

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。

保罗领狱吏全家信主

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，囚犯的锁炼都松了。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，我应该作甚么才可以得救？"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，讲给他和所有在他家里的人听。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。