v.1-5
Timothy Joins Paul and Silas
v.6-10
Paul's Vision of the Man of Macedonia
v.11-15
Lydia's Conversion in Philippi
v.16-22
Paul delivers a slave girl
v.23-26
Paul and Silas imprisoned
v.27-34
The Jailor Saved
v.35-40
Paul & Silas Released
v.1-5
Timothy Joins Paul and Silas:
START
OF PAUL'S SECOND MISSIONARY JOURNEY
v.1
Paul
came to Derbe and then to Lystra,
where a disciple named Timothy lived, whose mother was Jewish
and a believer but whose father was a Greek.
v.2
The
believers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him.
v.3
Paul
wanted to take him along on the journey, so he circumcised him
because of the Jews who lived in that area, for they all knew
that his father was a Greek.
v.4
As
they travelled from town to town, they delivered the decisions
reached by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people
to obey.
v.5
So
the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in
numbers.
[Passage
Synopsis: Returning
to the churches established in the first trip, they pick up Timothy,
and convey to the churches the new directions from the church
in Jerusalem
v.6-10
Paul's Vision of the Man of Macedonia
v.6
Paul
and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and
Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the
word in the province of Asia.
v.7
When
they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia,
but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to.
v.8
So
they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas.
v.9
During
the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and
begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.”
v.10
After
Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia,
concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.
[Passage
Synopsis: They
move on northwards but the Spirit stopped them at the border of
the northern province of Bithynia and so they went west to Troas
on the western coast of Asia Minor where Paul receives a vision
of a Macedonian calling them to cross the water to that country.]
v.11-15
Lydia's Conversion in Philippi
v.11
From
Troas we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, and
the next day we went on to Neapolis.
v.12
From
there we traveled to Philippi, a Roman colony
and the leading city of that district of Macedonia. And we stayed
there several days.
v.13
On
the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where
we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to
speak to the women who had gathered there.
v.14
One
of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named
Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The
Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul's message.
v.15
When
she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited
us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she
said, “come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.
[Passage
Synopsis: They
travel across the water and up to Philippi where they encounter
Lydia who comes to the Lord.]
v.16-22
Paul delivers a slave girl
v.16
Once
when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female
slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She
earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling.
v.17
She
followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants
of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.”
v.18
She
kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so annoyed that
he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus
Christ I command you to come out of her!” At that moment the spirit
left her.
v.19
When
her owners realized that their hope of making money was gone,
they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace
to face the authorities.
v.20,21
They
brought them before the magistrates and said, “These men are Jews,
and are throwing our city into an uproar by advocating customs
unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice.”
v.22
The
crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates
ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods.
[Passage
Synopsis: Still
just outside Philippi they are interrupted by a clairvoyant girl
who Paul delivers and which upsets her owners who drag the apostles
to the magistrates who order them to be beaten.]
v.23-26
Paul and Silas imprisoned
v.23
After
they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison,
and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully.
v.24
When
he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened
their feet in the stocks.
v.25
About
midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God,
and the other prisoners were listening to them.
v.26
Suddenly
there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the
prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and
everyone's chains came loose.
[Passage
Synopsis: They are
then thrown into prison where, while they singing at midnight
a violent earthquake throws open all the doors and everyone's
chains came loose.]
v.27-34
The Jailor Saved
v.27
The
jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew
his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the
prisoners had escaped.
v.28
But
Paul shouted, “Don't harm yourself! We are all here!”
v.29
The
jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before
Paul and Silas.
v.30
He
then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
v.31
They
replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you
and your household.”
v.32
Then
they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in
his house.
v.33
At
that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds;
then immediately he and all his household were baptized.
v.34
The
jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them;
he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he
and his whole household.
[Passage
Synopsis: The
jailor believing he had lost his prisoners was about to commit
suicide when Paul stops him and leads him to the Lord.]
v.35-40
Paul & Silas Released
v.35
When
it was daylight, the magistrates sent their officers to the jailer
with the order: “Release those men.”
v.36
The
jailer told Paul, “The magistrates have ordered that you and Silas
be released. Now you can leave. Go in peace.”
v.37
But
Paul said to the officers: “They beat us publicly without a trial,
even though we are Roman citizens, and threw us into prison. And
now do they want to get rid of us quietly? No! Let them come themselves
and escort us out.”
v.38
The
officers reported this to the magistrates, and when they heard
that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, they were alarmed.
v.39
They
came to appease them and escorted them from the prison, requesting
them to leave the city.
v.40
After
Paul and Silas came out of the prison, they went to Lydia's house,
where they met with the brothers and sisters and encouraged them.
Then they left.
[Passage
Synopsis: Next
morning the magistrates order them to be released but Paul refuses
saying he is a Roman citizen and requires a public apology. They
come and escort them out. After visiting Lydia they leave