Acts 16 Geneva Bible (1599)
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (1)
- Original 16th-century spelling.
1 Then came he to Derbe and to Lystra: and beholde, a certaine disciple was there named Timotheus, a womans sonne, which was a Iewesse and beleeued, but his father was a Grecian,
1 Κατήντησε δὲ εἰς Δέρβην καὶ Λύστραν. καὶ ἰδοὺ μαθητής τις ἦν ἐκεῖ ὀνόματι Τιμόθεος, υἱὸς γυναικός [τινος] Ἰουδαίας πιστῆς, πατρὸς δὲ Ἕλληνος,
2 Of whom the brethren which were at Lystra and Iconium, reported well.
2 ὃς ἐμαρτυρεῖτο ὑπὸ τῶν ἐν Λύστροις καὶ Ἰκονίῳ ἀδελφῶν.
3 Therefore Paul would that he should go forth with him, and tooke and circumcised him, because of ye Iewes, which were in those quarters: for they knewe all, that his father was a Grecian.
3 τοῦτον ἠθέλησεν ὁ Παῦλος σὺν αὐτῷ ἐξελθεῖν, καὶ λαβὼν περιέτεμεν αὐτὸν διὰ τοὺς Ἰουδαίους τοὺς ὄντας ἐν τοῖς τόποις ἐκείνοις· ᾔδεισαν γὰρ ἅπαντες τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῦ ὅτι Ἕλλην ὑπῆρχεν.
4 And as they went through the cities, they deliuered them the decrees to keepe, ordeined of the Apostles and Elders, which were at Hierusalem.
4 Ὡς δὲ διεπορεύοντο τὰς πόλεις, παρεδίδουν αὐτοῖς φυλάσσειν τὰ δόγματα τὰ κεκριμένα ὑπὸ τῶν ἀποστόλων καὶ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων τῶν ἐν Ἱερουσαλήμ.
5 And so were the Churches stablished in the faith, and encreased in number daily.
5 Αἱ μὲν οὖν ἐκκλησίαι ἐστερεοῦντο τῇ πίστει καὶ ἐπερίσσευον τῷ ἀριθμῷ καθ᾽ ἡμέραν.
6 Nowe when they had gone throughout Phrygia, and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden of the holy Ghost to preache the worde in Asia.
6 Διελθόντες δὲ τὴν Φρυγίαν καὶ τὴν Γαλατικὴν χώραν, κωλυθέντες ὑπὸ τοῦ Ἁγίου Πνεύματος λαλῆσαι τὸν λόγον ἐν τῇ Ἀσίᾳ,
7 Then came they to Mysia, and sought to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not.
7 ἐλθόντες κατὰ τὴν Μυσίαν ἐπείραζον κατὰ τὴν Βιθυνίαν πορεύεσθαι· καὶ οὐκ εἴασεν αὐτοὺς τὸ Πνεῦμα.
8 Therefore they passed through Mysia, and came downe to Troas,
8 παρελθόντες δὲ τὴν Μυσίαν κατέβησαν εἰς Τρῳάδα.
9 Where a vision appeared to Paul in the night. There stoode a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come into Macedonia, and helpe vs.
9 καὶ ὅραμα διὰ τῆς νυκτὸς ὤφθη τῷ Παύλῳ· ἀνήρ τις ἦν Μακεδὼν ἑστώς, παρακαλῶν αὐτὸν καὶ λέγων· διαβὰς εἰς Μακεδονίαν βοήθησον ἡμῖν.
10 And after he had seene the vision, immediatly we prepared to goe into Macedonia, being assured that the Lord had called vs to preache the Gospel vnto them.
10 ὡς δὲ τὸ ὅραμα εἶδεν, εὐθέως ἐζητήσαμεν ἐξελθεῖν εἰς τὴν Μακεδονίαν, συμβιβάζοντες ὅτι προσκέκληται ἡμᾶς ὁ Κύριος εὐαγγελίσασθαι αὐτούς.
11 Then went we forth from Troas, and with a straight course came to Samothracia, and the next day to Neapolis,
11 Ἀναχθέντες οὖν ἀπὸ τῆς Τρῳάδος εὐθυδρομήσαμεν εἰς Σαμοθρᾴκην, τῇ δὲ ἐπιούσῃ εἰς Νεάπολιν,
12 And from thence to Philippi, which is the chiefe citie in ye partes of Macedonia, and whose inhabitants came from Rome to dwell there, and we were in that citie abiding certaine dayes.
12 ἐκεῖθέν τε εἰς Φιλίππους, ἥτις ἐστὶ πρώτη τῆς μερίδος τῆς Μακεδονίας πόλις κολωνία. Ἦμεν δὲ ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ πόλει διατρίβοντες ἡμέρας τινάς,
13 And on the Sabbath day, we went out of the citie, besides a Riuer, where they were wont to pray: and we sate downe, and spake vnto the women, which were come together.
13 τῇ τε ἡμέρᾳ τῶν σαββάτων ἐξήλθομεν ἔξω τῆς πόλεως παρὰ ποταμὸν οὗ ἐνομίζετο προσευχὴ εἶναι, καὶ καθίσαντες ἐλαλοῦμεν ταῖς συνελθούσαις γυναιξί.
14 And a certaine woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the citie of the Thyatirians, which worshipped God, heard vs: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended vnto the things, which Paul spake.
14 καί τις γυνὴ ὀνόματι Λυδία, πορφυρόπωλις πόλεως Θυατείρων, σεβομένη τὸν Θεόν, ἤκουεν, ἧς ὁ Κύριος διήνοιξε τὴν καρδίαν προσέχειν τοῖς λαλουμένοις ὑπὸ τοῦ Παύλου.
15 And when she was baptized, and her houshold, she besought vs, saying, If ye haue iudged me to be faithfull to ye Lord, come into mine house, and abide there: and she constrained vs.
15 ὡς δὲ ἐβαπτίσθη καὶ ὁ οἶκος αὐτῆς, παρεκάλεσε λέγουσα· εἰ κεκρίκατέ με πιστὴν τῷ Κυρίῳ εἶναι, εἰσελθόντες εἰς τὸν οἶκόν μου μείνατε· καὶ παρεβιάσατο ἡμᾶς.
16 And it came to passe that as we went to prayer, a certaine maide hauing a spirit of diuination, mette vs, which gate her masters much vantage with diuining.
16 Ἐγένετο δὲ πορευομένων ἡμῶν εἰς προσευχὴν παιδίσκην τινὰ ἔχουσαν πνεῦμα πύθωνος ἀπαντῆσαι ἡμῖν, ἥτις ἐργασίαν πολλὴν παρεῖχε τοῖς κυρίοις αὐτῆς μαντευομένη.
17 She followed Paul and vs, and cryed, saying, These men are the seruants of the most high God, which shewe vnto you the way of saluation.
17 αὕτη κατακολουθήσασα τῷ Παύλῳ καὶ τῷ Σίλᾳ ἔκραζε λέγουσα· οὗτοι οἱ ἄνθρωποι δοῦλοι τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ὑψίστου εἰσίν, οἵτινες καταγγέλλουσιν ἡμῖν ὁδὸν σωτηρίας.
18 And this did she many dayes: but Paul being grieued, turned about, and said to the spirit, I commaund thee in the Name of Iesus Christ, that thou come out of her. And he came out the same houre.
18 τοῦτο δὲ ἐποίει ἐπὶ πολλὰς ἡμέρας. διαπονηθεὶς δὲ ὁ Παῦλος καὶ ἐπιστρέψας τῷ πνεύματι εἶπε· παραγγέλλω σοι ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐξελθεῖν ἀπ᾽ αὐτῆς. καὶ ἐξῆλθεν αὐτῇ τῇ ὥρᾳ.
19 Nowe when her masters sawe that the hope of their gaine was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drewe them into the market place vnto the Magistrates,
19 Ἰδόντες δὲ οἱ κύριοι αὐτῆς ὅτι ἐξῆλθεν ἡ ἐλπὶς τῆς ἐργασίας αὐτῶν, ἐπιλαβόμενοι τὸν Παῦλον καὶ τὸν Σίλαν εἵλκυσαν εἰς τὴν ἀγορὰν ἐπὶ τοὺς ἄρχοντας,
20 And brought them to the gouernours, saying, These men which are Iewes, trouble our citie,
20 καὶ προσαγαγόντες αὐτοὺς τοῖς στρατηγοῖς εἶπον· οὗτοι οἱ ἄνθρωποι ἐκταράσσουσιν ἡμῶν τὴν πόλιν Ἰουδαῖοι ὑπάρχοντες,
21 And preache ordinances, which are not lawfull for vs to receiue, neither to obserue, seeing we are Romanes.
21 καὶ καταγγέλλουσιν ἔθη ἃ οὐκ ἔξεστιν ἡμῖν παραδέχεσθαι οὐδὲ ποιεῖν Ῥωμαίοις οὖσι.
22 The people also rose vp together against them, and the gouernours rent their clothes, and commanded them to be beaten with roddes.
22 καὶ συνεπέστη ὁ ὄχλος κατ᾽ αὐτῶν. καὶ οἱ στρατηγοὶ περιρρήξαντες αὐτῶν τὰ ἱμάτια ἐκέλευον ῥαβδίζειν,
23 And when they had beaten them sore, they cast them into prison, commaunding the Iayler to keepe them surely.
23 πολλάς τε ἐπιθέντες αὐτοῖς πληγὰς ἔβαλον εἰς φυλακήν, παραγγείλαντες τῷ δεσμοφύλακι ἀσφαλῶς τηρεῖν αὐτούς·
24 Who hauing receiued such commandement, cast them into the inner prison, and made their feete fast in the stockes.
24 ὃς παραγγελίαν τοιαύτην εἰληφὼς ἔβαλεν αὐτοὺς εἰς τὴν ἐσωτέραν φυλακὴν καὶ τοὺς πόδας αὐτῶν ἠσφαλίσατο εἰς τὸ ξύλον.
25 Nowe at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sung Psalmes vnto God: and the prisoners heard them.
25 Κατὰ δὲ τὸ μεσονύκτιον Παῦλος καὶ Σίλας προσευχόμενοι ὕμνουν τὸν Θεόν· ἐπηκροῶντο δὲ αὐτῶν οἱ δέσμιοι.
26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundation of the prison was shaken: and by and by all the doores opened, and euery mans bands were loosed.
26 ἄφνω δὲ σεισμὸς ἐγένετο μέγας, ὥστε σαλευθῆναι τὰ θεμέλια τοῦ δεσμωτηρίου, ἀνεῴχθησάν τε παραχρῆμα αἱ θύραι πᾶσαι καὶ πάντων τὰ δεσμὰ ἀνέθη.
27 Then the keeper of the prison waked out of his sleepe, and when he sawe the prison doores open, he drewe out his sword and would haue killed himselfe, supposing the prisoners had bin fled.
27 ἔξυπνος δὲ γενόμενος ὁ δεσμοφύλαξ καὶ ἰδὼν ἀνεῳγμένας τὰς θύρας τῆς φυλακῆς, σπασάμενος μάχαιραν ἔμελλεν ἑαυτὸν ἀναιρεῖν, νομίζων ἐκπεφευγέναι τοὺς δεσμίους.
28 But Paul cryed with a loude voyce, saying, Doe thy selfe no harme: for we are all here.
28 ἐφώνησε δὲ φωνῇ μεγάλῃ ὁ Παῦλος λέγων· μηδὲν πράξῃς σεαυτῷ κακόν· ἅπαντες γάρ ἐσμεν ἐνθάδε.
29 Then he called for a light, and leaped in, and came trembling, and fell downe before Paul and Silas,
29 αἰτήσας δὲ φῶτα εἰσεπήδησε, καὶ ἔντρομος γενόμενος προσέπεσε τῷ Παύλῳ καὶ τῷ Σίλᾳ,
30 And brought them out, and said, Syrs, what must I doe to be saued?
30 καὶ προαγαγὼν αὐτοὺς ἔξω ἔφη· κύριοι, τί με δεῖ ποιεῖν ἵνα σωθῶ;
31 And they saide, Beleeue in the Lord Iesus Christ, and thou shalt be saued, and thine houshold.
31 οἱ δὲ εἶπον· πίστευσον ἐπὶ τὸν Κύριον Ἰησοῦν Χριστόν, καὶ σωθήσῃ σὺ καὶ ὁ οἶκός σου.
32 And they preached vnto him the worde of the Lord, and to all that were in the house.
32 καὶ ἐλάλησαν αὐτῷ τὸν λόγον τοῦ Κυρίου καὶ πᾶσι τοῖς ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ αὐτοῦ.
33 Afterwarde he tooke them the same houre of the night, and washed their stripes, and was baptized with all that belonged vnto him, straigthway.
33 καὶ παραλαβὼν αὐτοὺς ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ὥρᾳ τῆς νυκτὸς ἔλουσεν ἀπὸ τῶν πληγῶν, καὶ ἐβαπτίσθη αὐτὸς καὶ οἱ αὐτοῦ πάντες παραχρῆμα,
34 And when he had brought them into his house, he set meate before them, and reioyced that he with all his houshold beleeued in God.
34 ἀναγαγών τε αὐτοὺς εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ παρέθηκε τράπεζαν, καὶ ἠγαλλιᾶτο πανοικὶ πεπιστευκὼς τῷ Θεῷ.
35 And when it was day, the gouernours sent the sergeants, saying, Let those men goe.
35 Ἡμέρας δὲ γενομένης ἀπέστειλαν οἱ στρατηγοὶ τοὺς ῥαβδούχους λέγοντες· ἀπόλυσον τοὺς ἀνθρώπους ἐκείνους.
36 Then the keeper of the prison tolde these woordes vnto Paul, saying, The gouerness haue sent to loose you: nowe therefore get you hence, and goe in peace.
36 ἀπήγγειλε δὲ ὁ δεσμοφύλαξ τοὺς λόγους τούτους πρὸς τὸν Παῦλον, ὅτι ἀπεστάλκασιν οἱ στρατηγοὶ ἵνα ἀπολυθῆτε. νῦν οὖν ἐξελθόντες πορεύεσθε ἐν εἰρήνῃ.
37 Then sayde Paul vnto them, After that they haue beaten vs openly vncodemned, which are Romanes, they haue cast vs into prison, and nowe would they put vs out priuily? nay verely: but let them come and bring vs out.
37 ὁ δὲ Παῦλος ἔφη πρὸς αὐτούς· δείραντες ἡμᾶς δημοσίᾳ ἀκατακρίτους, ἀνθρώπους Ῥωμαίους ὑπάρχοντας, ἔβαλον εἰς φυλακήν· καὶ νῦν λάθρᾳ ἡμᾶς ἐκβάλλουσιν; οὐ γάρ, ἀλλὰ ἐλθόντες αὐτοὶ ἡμᾶς ἐξαγαγέτωσαν.
38 And the sergeants tolde these woordes vnto the gouernours, who feared whe they heard that they were Romanes.
38 ἀνήγγειλαν δὲ τοῖς στρατηγοῖς οἱ ῥαβδοῦχοι τὰ ῥήματα ταῦτα· καὶ ἐφοβήθησαν ἀκούσαντες ὅτι Ῥωμαῖοί εἰσι,
39 Then came they and praied them, and brought them out, and desired them to depart out of the citie.
39 καὶ ἐλθόντες παρεκάλεσαν αὐτούς, καὶ ἐξαγαγόντες ἠρώτων ἐξελθεῖν τῆς πόλεως.
40 And they went out of the prison, and entred into the house of Lydia: and when they had seene the brethren, they comforted them, and departed.
40 ἐξελθόντες δὲ ἐκ τῆς φυλακῆς εἰσῆλθον πρὸς τὴν Λυδίαν, καὶ ἰδόντες τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς παρεκάλεσαν αὐτοὺς καὶ ἐξῆλθον.
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)