Acts 16:1-15

Timothy Joins Paul and Silas

1 Paul[a] came also to Derbe and to Lystra. A disciple was there, named 1Timothy, 2the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek.
2 He was well spoken of by 3the brothers[b] at Lystra and Iconium.
3 Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, and he 4took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was a Greek.
4 As they went on their way through the cities, they delivered to them for observance 5the decisions 6that had been reached by 7the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem.
5 8So the churches were strengthened in 9the faith, and they increased in numbers 10daily.

The Macedonian Call

6 And 11they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia.
7 And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but 12the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them.
8 So, passing by Mysia, they went down 13to Troas.
9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, "Come over to Macedonia and help us."
10 And when Paul[c] had seen the vision, immediately 14we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

The Conversion of Lydia

11 So, setting sail from Troas, we 15made a direct voyage to Samothrace, and the following day to Neapolis,
12 and from there to 16Philippi, which is a leading city of the[d] district of Macedonia and 17a Roman colony. We remained in this city some days.
13 And 18on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate 19to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we 20sat down and spoke to the women who had come together.
14 One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, 21who was a worshiper of God. The Lord 22opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul.
15 And after she was baptized, 23and her household as well, she urged us, saying, "If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay." And she 24prevailed upon us.

Cross References 24

  • 1. Acts 17:14; Acts 18:5; Acts 19:22; Acts 20:4; Romans 16:21; 1 Corinthians 4:17; Philippians 2:19; Colossians 1:1; 1 Thessalonians 3:2; 2 Thessalonians 1:1; 1 Timothy 1:2, 18; 2 Timothy 1:2
  • 2. 2 Timothy 1:5; 2 Timothy 3:15
  • 3. See John 21:23
  • 4. [Galatians 2:3]
  • 5. Acts 17:7
  • 6. Acts 15:28, 29
  • 7. See Acts 15:2
  • 8. [Acts 9:31]
  • 9. See Acts 6:7
  • 10. Acts 2:47
  • 11. Acts 18:23; [Galatians 4:13]
  • 12. Romans 8:9; Galatians 4:6; Philippians 1:19; 1 Peter 1:11; [ver. 6; Acts 8:29]
  • 13. Acts 20:5, 6; 2 Corinthians 2:12; 2 Timothy 4:13
  • 14. ver. 11-17; Acts 20:5-8, 13-15; Acts 21:1-18; Acts 27:1 - 28:16
  • 15. Acts 21:1
  • 16. Philippians 1:1; 1 Thessalonians 2:2
  • 17. [ver. 21]
  • 18. See Acts 13:14
  • 19. [Ezra 8:15, 21; Psalms 137:1]
  • 20. Matthew 5:1
  • 21. Acts 18:7
  • 22. See Luke 24:45
  • 23. See Acts 11:14
  • 24. Genesis 19:3; Luke 24:29

Footnotes 4

The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.