Acts 16 Berean Standard Bible
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 Paul came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where he found a disciple named Timothy, the son of a believing Jewish woman and a Greek father.
1 DESPUÉS llegó á Derbe, y á Listra: y he aquí, estaba allí un discípulo llamado Timoteo, hijo de una mujer Judía fiel, mas de padre Griego.
2 The brothers in Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him.
2 De éste daban buen testimonio los hermanos que estaban en Listra y en Iconio.
3 Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, so he took him and circumcised him on account of the Jews in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek.
3 Este quiso Pablo que fuese con él; y tomándole, le circuncidó por causa de los Judíos que estaban en aquellos lugares; porque todos sabían que su padre era Griego.
4 As they went from town to town, they delivered the decisions handed down by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to obey.
4 Y como pasaban por las ciudades, les daban que guardasen los decretos que habían sido determinados por los apóstoles y los ancianos que estaban en Jerusalem.
5 So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.
5 Así que, las iglesias eran confirmadas en fe, y eran aumentadas en número cada día.
6 After the Holy Spirit had prevented them from speaking the word in the province of Asia, they traveled through the region of Phrygia and Galatia.
6 Y pasando á Phrygia y la provincia de Galacia, les fué prohibido por el Espíritu Santo hablar la palabra en Asia.
7 And when they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not permit them.
7 Y como vinieron á Misia, tentaron de ir á Bithynia; mas el Espíritu no les dejó.
8 So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas.
8 Y pasando á Misia, descendieron á Troas.
9 During the night, Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and pleading with him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.”
9 Y fué mostrada á Pablo de noche una visión: Un varón Macedonio se puso delante, rogándole, y diciendo: Pasa á Macedonia, y ayúdanos.
10 As soon as Paul had seen the vision, we got ready to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.
10 Y como vió la visión, luego procuramos partir á Macedonia, dando por cierto que Dios nos llamaba para que les anunciásemos el evangelio.
11 We sailed from Troas straight to Samothrace, and the following day on to Neapolis.
11 Partidos pues de Troas, vinimos camino derecho á Samotracia, y el día siguiente á Neápolis;
12 From there we went to the Roman colony of Philippi, the leading city of that district of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days.
12 Y de allí á Filipos, que es la primera ciudad de la parte de Macedonia, [y] una colonia; y estuvimos en aquella ciudad algunos días.
13 On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate along the river, where it was customary to find a place of prayer. After sitting down, we spoke to the women who had gathered there.
13 Y un día de sábado salimos de la puerta junto al río, donde solía ser la oración; y sentándonos, hablamos á las mujeres que se habían juntado.
14 Among those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message.
14 Entonces una mujer llamada Lidia, que vendía púrpura en la ciudad de Tiatira, temerosa de Dios, estaba oyendo; el corazón de la cual abrió el Señor para que estuviese atenta á lo que Pablo decía.
15 And when she and her household had been baptized, she urged us, “If you consider me a believer in the Lord, come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.
15 Y cuando fué bautizada, y su familia, nos rogó, diciendo: Si habéis juzgado que yo sea fiel al Señor, entrad en mi casa, y posad: y constriñónos.
16 One day as we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl with a spirit of divination, who earned a large income for her masters by fortune-telling.
16 Y aconteció, que yendo nosotros á la oración, una muchacha que tenía espíritu pitónico, nos salió al encuentro, la cual daba grande ganancia á sus amos adivinando.
17 This girl followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation!”
17 Esta, siguiendo á Pablo y á nosotros, daba voces, diciendo: Estos hombres son siervos del Dios Alto, los cuales os anuncian el camino de salud.
18 She continued this for many days. Eventually Paul grew so aggravated that he turned and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” And the spirit left her at that very moment.
18 Y esto hacía por muchos días; mas desagradando á Pablo, se volvió y dijo al espíritu: Te mando en el nombre de Jesucristo, que salgas de ella. Y salió en la misma hora.
19 When the girl’s owners saw that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them before the authorities in the marketplace.
19 Y viendo sus amos que había salido la esperanza de su ganancia, prendieron á Pablo y á Silas, y los trajeron al foro, al magistrado;
20 They brought them to the magistrates and said, “These men are Jews and are throwing our city into turmoil
20 Y presentándolos á los magistrados, dijeron: Estos hombres, siendo Judíos, alborotan nuestra ciudad,
21 by promoting customs that are unlawful for us Romans to adopt or practice.”
21 Y predican ritos, los cuales no nos es lícito recibir ni hacer, pues somos Romanos.
22 The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered that they be stripped and beaten with rods.
22 Y agolpóse el pueblo contra ellos: y los magistrados rompiéndoles sus ropas, les mandaron azotar con varas.
23 And after striking them with many blows, they threw them into prison and ordered the jailer to guard them securely.
23 Y después que los hubieron herido de muchos azotes, los echaron en la cárcel, mandando al carcelero que los guardase con diligencia:
24 On receiving this order, he placed them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.
24 El cual, recibido este mandamiento, los metió en la cárcel de más adentro; y les apretó los pies en el cepo.
25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.
25 Mas á media noche, orando Pablo y Silas, cantaban himnos á Dios: y los que estaban presos los oían.
26 Suddenly a strong earthquake shook the foundations of the prison. At once all the doors flew open and everyone’s chains came loose.
26 Entonces fué hecho de repente un gran terremoto, de tal manera que los cimientos de la cárcel se movían; y luego todas las puertas se abrieron, y las prisiones de todos se soltaron.
27 When the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, presuming that the prisoners had escaped.
27 Y despertado el carcelero, como vió abiertas las puertas de la cárcel, sacando la espada se quería matar, pensando que los presos se habían huído.
28 But Paul called out in a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself! We are all here!”
28 Mas Pablo clamó á gran voz, diciendo: No te hagas ningún mal; que todos estamos aquí.
29 Calling for lights, the jailer rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas.
29 El entonces pidiendo luz, entró dentro, y temblando, derribóse á los pies de Pablo y de Silas;
30 Then he brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
30 Y sacándolos fuera, les dice: Señores, ¿qué es menester que yo haga para ser salvo?
31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, you and your household.”
31 Y ellos dijeron: Cree en el Señor Jesucristo, y serás salvo tú, y tu casa.
32 Then Paul and Silas spoke the word of the Lord to him and to everyone in his house.
32 Y le hablaron la palabra del Señor, y á todos los que estaban en su casa.
33 At that hour of the night, the jailer took them and washed their wounds. And without delay, he and all his household were baptized.
33 Y tomándolos en aquella misma hora de la noche, les lavó los azotes; y se bautizó luego él, y todos los suyos.
34 Then he brought them into his home and set a meal before them. So he and all his household rejoiced that they had come to believe in God.
34 Y llevándolos á su casa, les puso la mesa: y se gozó de que con toda su casa había creído á Dios.
35 When daylight came, the magistrates sent their officers with the order: “Release those men.”
35 Y como fué de día, los magistrados enviaron los alguaciles, diciendo: Deja ir á aquellos hombres.
36 The jailer informed Paul: “The magistrates have sent orders to release you. Now you may go on your way in peace.”
36 Y el carcelero hizo saber estas palabras á Pablo: Los magistrados han enviado [á decir] que seáis sueltos: así que ahora salid, é id en paz.
37 But Paul said to the officers, “They beat us publicly without a trial and threw us into prison, even though we are Roman citizens. And now do they want to send us away secretly? Absolutely not! Let them come themselves and escort us out!”
37 Entonces Pablo les dijo: Azotados públicamente sin ser condenados, siendo hombres Romanos, nos echaron en la cárcel; y ¿ahora nos echan encubiertamente? No, de cierto, sino vengan ellos y sáquennos.
38 So the officers relayed this message to the magistrates, who were alarmed to hear that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens.
38 Y los alguaciles volvieron á decir á los magistrados estas palabras: y tuvieron miedo, oído que eran Romanos.
39 They came to appease them and led them out, requesting that they leave the city.
39 Y viniendo, les rogaron; y sacándolos, les pidieron que se saliesen de la ciudad.
40 After Paul and Silas came out of the prison, they went to Lydia’s house to see the brothers and encourage them. Then they left the city.
40 Entonces salidos de la cárcel, entraron en [casa de] Lidia; y habiendo visto á los hermanos, los consolaron, y se salieron.
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Lydia
A worshiper of God from Thyatira and a dealer in purple cloth at Philippi whose heart the Lord opened to Paul's message; she and her household were baptized.
Cited in the guide: Acts 16:14; Acts 16:40
Silas
A leading man among the brothers in Jerusalem and a prophet, chosen to accompany Paul on his second journey; he was imprisoned with Paul at Philippi and is elsewhere called…
Cited in the guide: Acts 15:22; Acts 15:40; Acts 16:25
Timothy
A disciple from Lystra with a Greek father and a believing Jewish mother, whom Paul circumcised and took with him as a coworker; he received two letters from Paul.
Cited in the guide: Acts 16:1; 1 Corinthians 4:17; Philippians 2:19
Places
Philippi
A Roman colony on the Via Egnatia and the site of Paul's first European converts — a beloved church to which he later wrote from prison.
Cited in the guide: Acts 16:12; Acts 16:25; Philippians 1:1
Cross references (40)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 2 Timothy 1:5; 1 Thessalonians 3:2; 2 Timothy 1:2; Acts 18:5; 1 Timothy 1:2
- 2 1 Timothy 5:10; 2 Timothy 3:15; Acts 16:40; 1 Timothy 3:7; 2 Timothy 3:11
- 3 Galatians 2:3; 1 Corinthians 9:20; Galatians 5:6; Galatians 5:1–3; Acts 15:40
- 4 Acts 15:28–29; Acts 15:2; Acts 11:30; Acts 15:6
- 5 Acts 9:31; Acts 2:47; Acts 6:7; 1 Peter 5:10; Acts 15:41
- 6 Acts 18:23; Acts 16:7; Galatians 1:2; Acts 11:12; Acts 13:2–4
- 7 Philippians 1:19; Galatians 4:6; Romans 8:9; Acts 8:29; 1 Peter 1:1
- 8 2 Timothy 4:13; 2 Corinthians 2:12; Acts 16:11; Acts 20:5
- 9 Acts 19:21; Acts 18:5; Acts 9:10–12; Romans 15:26; Acts 18:9–10
- 10 2 Corinthians 2:12–13; Acts 14:7; Psalm 119:60; Acts 21:1–18; Acts 27:1–28:16
- 11 Acts 21:1; Acts 16:8
- 12 1 Thessalonians 2:2; Philippians 1:1; Acts 20:6; Acts 16:9; Acts 16:21
- 13 Acts 13:14; Acts 21:5; Colossians 1:23; Acts 18:4; Acts 20:7
- 14 Luke 24:45; Ephesians 1:17–18; Isaiah 50:5; John 6:44–45; Revelation 3:20
- 15 Acts 11:14; Hebrews 13:2; Acts 16:33; Luke 24:29; Genesis 19:3
- 16 Leviticus 19:31; Deuteronomy 18:9–11; Isaiah 8:19; 1 Chronicles 10:13; 1 Samuel 28:7
- 17 John 14:6; 1 Peter 2:16; Mark 5:7; Daniel 6:20; Daniel 3:28
- 18 Mark 16:17; Luke 10:17–19; Acts 3:6; Acts 19:12–17; Acts 9:34
- 19 Acts 17:6; Acts 21:30; 2 Corinthians 6:5; Acts 16:16; Acts 8:3
- 20 James 4:4; Romans 12:2; Acts 28:22; John 15:18–20; Acts 17:6–8
- 21 Esther 3:8; Acts 16:12; Jeremiah 10:3; Acts 26:3
- 22 1 Thessalonians 2:2; 2 Corinthians 6:5; Acts 22:22–26; Hebrews 11:36; 2 Corinthians 11:23–25
- 23 Revelation 2:10; 2 Timothy 2:9; 1 Samuel 23:22–23; Matthew 27:63–66; Ephesians 3:1
- 24 Job 13:27; Job 33:11; Jeremiah 29:26; Jeremiah 38:26; Psalm 105:18
- 25 1 Thessalonians 5:16–18; Psalm 119:62; James 1:2; Romans 5:3; 1 Peter 1:6–8
- 26 Acts 4:31; Acts 5:19; Acts 12:10; Acts 12:7; Psalm 146:7
- 27 Acts 12:19; Matthew 27:5; 1 Kings 16:18; 2 Samuel 17:23; 1 Samuel 31:4–5
- 28 1 Thessalonians 5:15; Luke 6:27–28; Luke 23:34; Exodus 20:13; Matthew 5:44
- 29 Revelation 3:9; Daniel 6:26; Jeremiah 10:10; Acts 9:5–6; Isaiah 66:5
- 30 John 6:27–29; Acts 2:37; Acts 22:10; Luke 3:10; Acts 14:15
- 31 John 1:12; John 3:36; Acts 2:38–39; Romans 10:9–10; Acts 11:13–14
- 32 Romans 1:16; Colossians 1:27–28; 1 Timothy 1:13–16; 1 Thessalonians 2:8; Mark 16:15
- 33 1 Corinthians 1:16; Acts 16:15; Luke 10:33–34; Acts 16:25; Galatians 5:13
- 34 Romans 15:13; Acts 2:46; Romans 5:11; Philemon 7; Isaiah 61:10
- 35 Acts 5:40; Acts 4:21; Jeremiah 5:22; Psalm 76:10
- 36 Acts 15:33; John 14:27; Mark 5:34; 1 Samuel 29:7; Exodus 4:18
- 37 Acts 22:25–29; Proverbs 28:1; Acts 16:20–24; Matthew 10:16; Psalm 94:20
- 38 Acts 22:29; Matthew 21:46; Matthew 14:5
- 39 Matthew 8:34; Mark 5:17; Daniel 6:23; Daniel 6:16; Isaiah 49:23
- 40 Acts 14:22; Acts 16:14; 1 Thessalonians 3:2–3; 2 Corinthians 4:16–18; 2 Corinthians 1:3–7
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
was thought likely") to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither. 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." See again Paul judaizing.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 11 (1889)
… sailing from Troas, we directed our ship's course towards Samothracia." And then he carefully indicates all the rest of their journey as far as Philippi, and how they delivered their first address: "for, sitting down," he says, "we spake unto the women who had assembled;" and certain believed, even a great many.
Hear, for instance, the seller of purple saying, "If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come in, and abide with me." Hear the women, who went about with the apostles, having taken unto themselves manly courage, Priscilla, Persis, and the rest; from whom our present women are as far removed as our men from their men.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)