The Macedonian Call

⁶ And ^(A)they 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 ^(B)the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. ⁸ So, passing by Mysia, they went down ^(C)to 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^[a] had seen the vision, immediately ^(D)we 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 ^(E)made a direct voyage to Samothrace, and the following day to Neapolis, ¹² and from there to ^(F)Philippi, which is a leading city of the^[b] district of Macedonia and ^(G)a Roman colony. We remained in this city some days. ¹³ And ^(H)on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate ^(I)to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we ^(J)sat 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, ^(K)who was a worshiper of God. The Lord ^(L)opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. ¹⁵ And after she was baptized, ^(M)and 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 ^(N)prevailed upon us.

Paul and Silas in Prison

¹⁶ As we were going to ^(O)the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had ^(P)a spirit of ^(Q)divination and ^(R)brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling. ¹⁷ She followed Paul and us, ^(S)crying out, “These men are ^(T)servants of ^(U)the Most High God, who proclaim to you ^(V)the way of salvation.” ¹⁸ And this she kept doing for many days. Paul, having become greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, ^(W)“I command you ^(X)in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And ^(Y)it came out that very hour.

¹⁹ But ^(Z)when her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and ^(AA)dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers. ²⁰ And when they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, “These men are Jews, and they are disturbing our city. ²¹ They ^(AB)advocate customs that are not lawful for us ^(AC)as Romans to accept or practice.” ²² The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders ^(AD)to beat them with rods. ²³ And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely. ²⁴ Having received this order, he put them into the inner ^(AE)prison and fastened their feet in ^(AF)the stocks.

The Philippian Jailer Converted

^25 (AG)About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, ²⁶ and suddenly ^(AH)there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately ^(AI)all the doors were opened, and ^(AJ)everyone's bonds were unfastened. ²⁷ When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and ^(AK)was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. ²⁸ But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” ²⁹ And the jailer^[c] called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he ^(AL)fell down before Paul and Silas. ³⁰ Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, ^(AM)what must I do to be ^(AN)saved?” ³¹ And they said, ^(AO)“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you ^(AP)and your household.” ³² And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. ³³ And he took them ^(AQ)the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he ^(AR)was baptized at once, he and all his family. ³⁴ Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he ^(AS)rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God.

³⁵ But when it was day, the magistrates sent the police, saying, “Let those men go.” ³⁶ And the jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, “The magistrates have sent to let you go. Therefore come out now and go in peace.” ³⁷ But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us publicly, ^(AT)uncondemned, men who are Roman citizens, and have thrown us into prison; and do they now throw us out secretly? No! Let them come themselves and take us out.” ³⁸ The police reported these words to the magistrates, and ^(AU)they were afraid when they heard that they were Roman citizens. ³⁹ So they came and apologized to them. And they took them out and ^(AV)asked them to leave the city. ⁴⁰ So they went out of the prison and visited ^(AW)Lydia. And when they had seen ^(AX)the brothers, they encouraged them and departed.