Paul & Silas Are Put into Prison, but the Cell Doors Open as They Prayed |
Acts 16:1-40 The Acts of the Apostles [in Smaller Chunks] |
Then, [Paul] came to Derby & Lystra, & [saw] a certain disciple there, named Timotheus, [a.k.a. Timothy,] the son of a woman, [who] was a [Jew,] & believed. But his father was a Greek, [a.k.a. Gentile, who] was well [spoken] of, by the brethren, [a.k.a. fellow-believers, who] were at Lystra & Iconium. |
Paul [wanted] to have [Timothy] go [out] with him. [Since,] the Jews, [who] were in those quarters, all knew that [Timothy's] father was a Greek, [Paul] took & [had] [Timothy] circumcised. |
And as they went through the cities, they delivered decrees for them, to keep, that were ordained, [a.k.a. established, by] the apostles, & elders, [who] were in Jerusalem. [Acts 15:28-29 For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, [a.k.a. Holy Spirit,] to lay no greater burden upon you, than these necessary things: That you abstain, [a.k.a. avoid:] meat offered to idols; from blood; from strangled [meats;] and from fornication, [a.k.a. adultery.] If you keep yourselves from [these,] you shall do well. [Farewell.] |
And [like this,] the churches [were] established, in the faith, & daily increased in number. Now, when they had gone throughout Phrygia & the region of Galatia, [they] were forbidden [by] the Holy Ghost, [a.k.a. Holy Spirit,] to preach the Word [of God] in Asia. [Acts 18:23 And after [Paul] had spent some time there, he departed & went over all the country of Galatia & Phrygia, in order [to] [strengthen] all the disciples.] |
After they [had] come to Mysia, they [tried] to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit [didn't permit] them. And passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas. And [at night,] a vision appeared to Paul. A man [from] Macedonia stood there, & prayed, [a.k.a. pleaded with Paul,] saying, Come over into Macedonia, & help us. |
And after [Paul] had seen the vision, we immediately [attempted] to go into Macedonia, [deciding] that [certainly] the Lord had called us to preach the Gospel to them. Therefore, [set sail] from Troas, & we [followed] with a straight course to Samothracia. And the next day, to Neapolis. |
And from [there,] [we went] to Philippi, which is the [major] city of that part of Macedonia, & a [Roman] colony. And we [stayed] in that city [a period of] days. And on the Sabbath, we went out of the city, by [the] riverside, where prayer was [customarily] made. And we sat down & [spoke] to the women, [who met there.] |
And a woman named Lydia, [from] the city of Thyatira, [who sold] purple, & worshiped God, heard us. The Lord opened [Lydia's] heart, [so] that she [paid attention] to the things Paul [spoke.] |
And when [Lydia] & her household [were] baptized, she [urged] us, saying, If you have [determined I am] faithful to the Lord, come to my house, & [stay] there. And [Lydia compelled] us. |
And it [happened,] as we went to [pray,] [we were] met [by] a certain damsel, [a.k.a. young lady,] possessed with a spirit of divination, who brought her masters much [financial] gain by [her] soothsaying, [a.k.a. fortune telling.] [Leviticus 19:31 [Don't] regard [those, who] have familiar spirits, & neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them. I am the Lord your God.] |
The same [young lady] followed Paul & us, & cried [out] saying, These men are the servants of the Most High God, [who declare] to us the way, [a.k.a. path] of Salvation. |
And she did this many days. But being grieved, Paul turned & said to the spirit, I command you in the Name of Jesus Christ, come out of her. And he came out the same hour. And when her masters saw the hope for their [financial] gain was gone, they [seized] Paul & Silas, & [pulled] them into the marketplace, to the rulers. |
And [they] brought them to the magistrates, [a.k.a. judges,] saying, Being Jews, these men exceedingly trouble our city, & teach customs, [that] aren't lawful for us, Romans, to receive, [a.k.a. accept, nor] observe. |
And the multitude rose up together against them, & the magistrates [tore] off [Paul's & Silas'] clothes & commanded them to [be] [beaten.] And when they had laid many stripes, [a.k.a. whip marks,] upon them, they [threw] them into prison, [demanding] the jailor keep them [securely.] |
[The jailors,] having received such a [responsibility,] thrust them into the inner prison, & [fastened] their feet in the stocks. And at midnight, Paul & Silas prayed, & sang praises to God, & the prisoners heard them. |
And suddenly there was a [large] earthquake, so that the prison foundations were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, & everyone's bands were [loosened.] And the prison [guard awakened] out of his sleep, & seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, & would've killed himself, [thinking] the prisoners had fled. But Paul cried [out] with a loud voice, saying, Don't harm yourself: for we are all here. |
Then, [the guard] called for a light, & [ran] in, trembling, & fell down [in front of] Paul & Silas. And [the guard,] brought them out, & said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe [in] the Lord Jesus Christ, & you & your [household] shall be saved. [Acts 2:21 And it shall [happen,] that [whoever] shall call on the Name of the Lord shall be saved.] |
And they [spoke] the Word of the Lord to [the guard,] & to all, [who] were in his house. [2 Corinthians 5:15 And [Christ] died for all, [so] that [those, who] live, [from now on,] shouldn't live unto themselves, but to Him, [Who] died for them, & rose again.] |
The same hour of the night, [the guard] took them & washed their stripes, [a.k.a. whip marks,] & he & all his [household] [were] baptized, [rightaway.] And when [the guard] brought them into his house, he [put] meat [in front of] them, & rejoiced, with all his [household,] believing in God. |
And when it was day, the magistrates sent the [sergeants,] saying, Let those men go. And the prison [guard, said] this to Paul, The magistrates have sent to let you go. Therefore, now, depart, & go in peace. |
But Paul said to them, They have openly, [a.k.a. publicly,] beaten us, being uncondemned Romans, & have [thrown] us into prison. And do they now [throw] us out, [secretly?] [Surely not.] But let them come themselves & [get] us out. |
And the [sergeants] told these words to the magistrates: & they [were fearful,] when they heard that they were Romans. And they came & [urged] them, & brought them out, & desired them to [leave] out of the city. |
And they went out of the prison, & entered into [Lydia's] house. And when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them, & departed. |