Acts 16

Bible in Basic English (BBE)

1 Ref And he came to Derbe and Lystra: and there was a certain disciple there named Timothy, whose mother was one of the Jews of the faith, but his father was a Greek;

2 Ref Of whom the brothers at Lystra and Iconium had a high opinion.

3 Ref Paul had a desire for him to go with him, and he gave him circumcision because of the Jews who were in those parts: for they all had knowledge that his father was a Greek.

4 Ref And on their way through the towns, they gave them the rules which had been made by the Apostles and the rulers of the church at Jerusalem, so that they might keep them.

5 Ref So the churches were made strong in the faith and were increased in number every day.

6 Ref And after they had gone through the land of Phrygia and Galatia, the Holy Spirit did not let them take the word into Asia;

7 Ref And having come to Mysia, they made an attempt to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not let them;

8 Ref And going past Mysia, they came down to Troas.

9 Ref And Paul had a vision in the night; a man of Macedonia came, requesting him, and saying, Come over into Macedonia and give us help.

10 Ref And when he had seen the vision, straight away we made the decision to go into Macedonia, for it seemed certain to us that God had sent us to give the good news to them.

11 Ref So, from Troas we went straight by ship to Samothrace and the day after to Neapolis;

12 Ref And from there to Philippi, which is the most important town of Macedonia and a Roman colony: and we were there for some days.

13 Ref And on the Sabbath we went outside the town, by the river, where we had an idea that there would be a place of prayer; and, being seated, we had talk with the women who had come together.

14 Ref And a certain woman named Lydia, a trader in purple cloth of the town of Thyatira, and a God-fearing woman, gave ear to us: whose heart the Lord made open to give attention to the things which Paul was saying.

15 Ref And when she and her family had had baptism, she made a request to us, saying, If it seems to you that I am true to the Lord, come into my house and be my guests. And she made us come.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

40 Ref 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.

World English Bible (WEB)

1 Ref 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 Ref The brothers who were at Lystra and Iconium gave a good testimony about him.

3 Ref Paul wanted to have him go out with him, and he took and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those parts; for they all knew that his father was a Greek.

4 Ref As they went on their way through the cities, they delivered the decrees to them to keep which had been ordained by the apostles and elders who were at Jerusalem.

5 Ref So the assemblies were strengthened in the faith, and increased in number daily.

6 Ref When they had gone through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia.

7 Ref When they had come opposite Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit didn't allow them.

8 Ref Passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas.

9 Ref A vision appeared to Paul in the night. There was a man of Macedonia standing, begging him, and saying, "Come over into Macedonia and help us."

10 Ref When he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go out to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the Gospel to them.

11 Ref Setting sail therefore from Troas, we made a straight course to Samothrace, and the day following to Neapolis;

12 Ref and from there to Philippi, which is a city of Macedonia, the foremost of the district, a Roman colony. We were staying some days in this city.

13 Ref On the Sabbath day we went forth outside of the city by a riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down, and spoke to the women who had come together.

14 Ref A certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, one who worshiped God, heard us; whose heart the Lord opened to listen to the things which were spoken by Paul.

15 Ref When she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, "If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and stay." So she persuaded us.

16 Ref It happened, as we were going to prayer, that a certain girl having a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much gain by fortune telling.

17 Ref Following Paul and us, she cried out, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation!"

18 Ref She was doing this for many days. But Paul, becoming greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, "I charge you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!" It came out that very hour.

19 Ref But when her masters saw that the hope of their gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas, and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers.

20 Ref When they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, "These men, being Jews, are agitating our city,

21 Ref and set forth customs which it is not lawful for us to accept or to observe, being Romans."

22 Ref The multitude rose up together against them, and the magistrates tore their clothes off of them, and commanded them to be beaten with rods.

23 Ref When they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely,

24 Ref who, having received such a charge, threw them into the inner prison, and secured their feet in the stocks.

25 Ref But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.

26 Ref Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's bonds were loosened.

27 Ref The jailer, being roused out of sleep and seeing the prison doors open, drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped.

28 Ref But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, "Don't harm yourself, for we are all here!"

29 Ref He called for lights and sprang in, and, fell down trembling before Paul and Silas,

30 Ref and brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"

31 Ref They said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household."

32 Ref They spoke the word of the Lord to him, and to all who were in his house.

33 Ref He took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes, and was immediately baptized, he and all his household.

34 Ref He brought them up into his house, and set food before them, and rejoiced greatly, with all his household, having believed in God.

35 Ref But when it was day, the magistrates sent the sergeants, saying, "Let those men go."

36 Ref The jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, "The magistrates have sent to let you go; now therefore come out, and go in peace."

37 Ref But Paul said to them, "They have beaten us publicly, without a trial, men who are Romans, and have cast us into prison! Do they now release us secretly? No, most assuredly, but let them come themselves and bring us out!"

38 Ref The sergeants reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Romans,

39 Ref and they came and begged them. When they had brought them out, they asked them to depart from the city.

40 Ref They went out of the prison, and entered into Lydia's house. When they had seen the brothers, they encouraged them, and departed.

King James Version (KJV)

1 Ref 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 Ref Which was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium.

3 Ref 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 Ref 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 Ref And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily.

6 Ref 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 Ref After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not.

8 Ref And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas.

9 Ref 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 Ref 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 Ref Therefore loosing from Troas, we came with a straight course to Samothracia, and the next day to Neapolis;

12 Ref 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 Ref 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 Ref 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 Ref 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 Ref 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 Ref 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 Ref 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 Ref 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 Ref And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city,

21 Ref And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans.

22 Ref And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them.

23 Ref And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely:

24 Ref Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.

25 Ref And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.

26 Ref 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 Ref 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 Ref But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.

29 Ref Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas,

30 Ref And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

31 Ref And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

32 Ref And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.

33 Ref And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.

34 Ref And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.

35 Ref And when it was day, the magistrates sent the serjeants, saying, Let those men go.

36 Ref 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 Ref 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 Ref And the serjeants told these words unto the magistrates: and they feared, when they heard that they were Romans.

39 Ref And they came and besought them, and brought them out, and desired them to depart out of the city.

40 Ref 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.

Chapter 16 of 28

Begin Your Journey of Faith

We all start at different points in our walk with Christ. No matter where you are, we're here to support you as you grow in faith.

Accept Jesus Christ as Your Savior

If you haven’t made the decision to follow Jesus yet, we want to walk with you as you discover the new life He offers.

Read "A Truly Free Gift"

What Guides Our Walk With Christ

Discover the biblical truths and core beliefs that shape how we live, serve, and walk faithfully with Christ each day.

Explore Our Beliefs

Join a Community of Believers

Don’t walk through life alone. Find others to connect with, whether in person or online, and grow together in Christ.

Discover Where We Meet