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Acts 16 CEV
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "//www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="//www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"><title>Acts 16 CEV</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/acts/16.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="../topmenuchap/acts/16-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="//biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="../">CEV</a> > Acts 16</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../acts/15.htm" title="Acts 15">◄</a> Acts 16 <a href="../acts/17.htm" title="Acts 17">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading">Contemporary English Version</div><div class="chap"><h3 class="s1">Timothy Works with Paul and Silas</h3><p class="par"><span class="v44_16_1"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.16.1" class="v44_16_1">1</span>Paul and Silas went back to Derbe and Lystra, where there was a follower named Timothy. His mother was also a follower. She was Jewish, and his father was Greek. </span><span class="v44_16_2"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.16.2" class="v44_16_2">2</span>The Lord's followers in Lystra and Iconium said good things about Timothy, </span><span class="v44_16_3"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.16.3" class="v44_16_3">3</span>and Paul wanted him to go with them. But Paul first had him circumcised, because all the Jewish people around there knew that Timothy's father was Greek.<a href="#fn" id="link_Acts.16.3!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> </span></p><p class="par"><span class="v44_16_4"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.16.4" class="v44_16_4">4</span>As Paul and the others went from city to city, they told the followers what the apostles and leaders in Jerusalem had decided, and they urged them to follow these instructions. </span><span class="v44_16_5"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.16.5" class="v44_16_5">5</span>The churches became stronger in their faith, and each day more people put their faith in the Lord.</span></p><h3 class="s1">Paul's Vision in Troas</h3><p class="par"><span class="v44_16_6"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.16.6" class="v44_16_6">6</span>Paul and his friends went through Phrygia and Galatia, but the Holy Spirit would not let them preach in Asia. </span><span class="v44_16_7"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.16.7" class="v44_16_7">7</span>After they arrived in Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not let them. </span><span class="v44_16_8"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.16.8" class="v44_16_8">8</span>So they went on through<a href="#fn" id="link_Acts.16.8!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> Mysia until they came to Troas.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v44_16_9"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.16.9" class="v44_16_9">9</span>During the night, Paul had a vision of someone from Macedonia who was standing there and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us!” </span><span class="v44_16_10"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.16.10" class="v44_16_10">10</span>After Paul had seen the vision, we began looking for a way to go to Macedonia. We were sure that God had called us to preach the good news there.</span></p><h3 class="s1">Lydia Becomes a Follower of the Lord</h3><p class="par"><span class="v44_16_11"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.16.11" class="v44_16_11">11</span>We sailed straight from Troas to Samothrace, and the next day we arrived in Neapolis. </span><span class="v44_16_12"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.16.12" class="v44_16_12">12</span>From there we went to Philippi, which is a Roman colony in the first district of Macedonia.<a href="#fn" id="link_Acts.16.12!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> </span></p><p class="par"><span class="v44_16_12">We spent several days in Philippi. </span><span class="v44_16_13"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.16.13" class="v44_16_13">13</span>Then on the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to a place by the river, where we thought there would be a Jewish meeting place for prayer. We sat down and talked with the women who came. </span><span class="v44_16_14"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.16.14" class="v44_16_14">14</span>One of them was Lydia, who was from the city of Thyatira and sold expensive purple cloth. She was a worshiper of the Lord God, and he made her willing to accept what Paul was saying. </span><span class="v44_16_15"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.16.15" class="v44_16_15">15</span>Then after she and her family were baptized, she kept on begging us, “If you think I really do have faith in the Lord, come stay in my home.” Finally, we accepted her invitation.</span></p><h3 class="s1">Paul and Silas Are Put in Jail</h3><p class="par"><span class="v44_16_16"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.16.16" class="v44_16_16">16</span>One day on our way to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl. She had a spirit in her that gave her the power to tell the future. By doing this she made a lot of money for her owners. </span><span class="v44_16_17"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.16.17" class="v44_16_17">17</span>The girl followed Paul and the rest of us, and she kept yelling, “These men are servants of the Most High God! They are telling you how to be saved.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v44_16_18"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.16.18" class="v44_16_18">18</span>This went on for several days. Finally, Paul got so upset that he turned and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ, I order you to leave this girl alone!” At once the evil spirit left her.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v44_16_19"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.16.19" class="v44_16_19">19</span>When the girl's owners realized they had lost all chances for making more money, they grabbed Paul and Silas and dragged them into court. </span><span class="v44_16_20"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.16.20" class="v44_16_20">20</span>They told the officials, “These Jews are upsetting our city! </span><span class="v44_16_21"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.16.21" class="v44_16_21">21</span>They are telling us to do things we Romans are not allowed to do.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v44_16_22"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.16.22" class="v44_16_22">22</span>The crowd joined in the attack on Paul and Silas. Then the officials tore the clothes off the two men and ordered them to be beaten with a whip. </span><span class="v44_16_23"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.16.23" class="v44_16_23">23</span>After they had been badly beaten, they were put in jail, and the jailer was told to guard them carefully. </span><span class="v44_16_24"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.16.24" class="v44_16_24">24</span>The jailer did as he was told. He put them deep inside the jail and chained their feet to heavy blocks of wood.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v44_16_25"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.16.25" class="v44_16_25">25</span>About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing praises to God, while the other prisoners listened. </span><span class="v44_16_26"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.16.26" class="v44_16_26">26</span>Suddenly a strong earthquake shook the jail to its foundations. The doors opened, and the chains fell from all the prisoners.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v44_16_27"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.16.27" class="v44_16_27">27</span>When the jailer woke up and saw that the doors were open, he thought that the prisoners had escaped. He pulled out his sword and was about to kill himself. </span><span class="v44_16_28"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.16.28" class="v44_16_28">28</span>But Paul shouted, “Don't harm yourself! No one has escaped.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v44_16_29"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.16.29" class="v44_16_29">29</span>The jailer asked for a torch and went into the jail. He was shaking all over as he knelt down in front of Paul and Silas. </span><span class="v44_16_30"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.16.30" class="v44_16_30">30</span>After he had led them out of the jail, he asked, “What must I do to be saved?”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v44_16_31"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.16.31" class="v44_16_31">31</span>They replied, “Have faith in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved! This is also true for everyone who lives in your home.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v44_16_32"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.16.32" class="v44_16_32">32</span>Then Paul and Silas told him and everyone else in his house about the Lord. </span><span class="v44_16_33"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.16.33" class="v44_16_33">33</span>While it was still night, the jailer took them to a place where he could wash their cuts and bruises. Then he and everyone in his home were baptized. </span><span class="v44_16_34"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.16.34" class="v44_16_34">34</span>They were very glad they had put their faith in God. After this, the jailer took Paul and Silas to his home and gave them something to eat.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v44_16_35"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.16.35" class="v44_16_35">35</span>The next morning the officials sent some police with orders for the jailer to let Paul and Silas go. </span><span class="v44_16_36"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.16.36" class="v44_16_36">36</span>The jailer told Paul, “The officials have ordered me to set you free. Now you can leave in peace.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v44_16_37"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.16.37" class="v44_16_37">37</span>But Paul told the police, “We are Roman citizens,<a href="#fn" id="link_Acts.16.37!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> and the Roman officials had us beaten in public without giving us a trial. They threw us into jail. Now do they think they can secretly send us away? No, they cannot! They will have to come here themselves and let us out.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v44_16_38"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.16.38" class="v44_16_38">38</span>When the police told the officials that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, the officials were afraid. </span><span class="v44_16_39"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.16.39" class="v44_16_39">39</span>So they came and apologized. They led them out of the jail and asked them to please leave town. </span><span class="v44_16_40"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.16.40" class="v44_16_40">40</span>But Paul and Silas went straight to the home of Lydia, where they saw the Lord's followers and encouraged them. Then they left.</span></p></div> </div> <a name="fn"></a><br /><br /><br /><b>Footnotes:<br /><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">16.3 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">had him circumcised … Timothy's father was Greek: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">Timothy would not have been acceptable to the Jews unless he had been circumcised, and Greeks did not circumcise their sons.</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">16.8 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">went on through: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">Or “passed by.”</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">16.12 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">in the first district of Macedonia: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">Some manuscripts have “and the leading city of Macedonia.”</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">16.37 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">Roman citizens: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">Only a small number of the people living in the Roman Empire were citizens, and they had special rights and privileges.</char></note></div></div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><div align="center"><p><span style="font-size:11pt;">Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt;">© 2006 American Bible Society. 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