Acts 16-17 - Prayer Tents

Acts 16

Paul’s Second Missionary Journey

16Paul went first to Derbe and then to Lystra, where there was a young disciple named Timothy. His mother was a Jewish believer, but his father was a Greek.G1161G2658G1519G1191G2532G3082G2532G2400G5100G3101G2258G1563G3686G5095G5207G5100G1135G2453G4103G1161G3962G16722Timothy was well thought of by the believers

in Lystra and Iconium,G3739G3140G5259G80G1722G3082G2532G24303so Paul wanted him to join them on their journey. In deference to the Jews of the area, he arranged for Timothy to be circumcised before they left, for everyone knew that his father was a Greek.G5126G2309G3972G1831G4862G846G2532G2983G4059G846G1223G2453G3588G5607G1722G1565G5117G1063G1492G537G3754G846G3962G5225G16724Then they went from town to town, instructing the believers to follow the decisions made by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem.G1161G5613G1279G4172G3860G846G1378G5442G2919G5259G652G2532G4245G3588G1722G24195So the churches were strengthened in their faith and grew larger every day.G3303G3767G4732G1577G4732G4102G2532G4052G706G2250G2596

A Call from Macedonia

6Next Paul and Silas traveled through the area of Phrygia and Galatia, because the Holy Spirit had prevented them from preaching the word in the province of Asia at that time.G1161G1330G5435G2532G5561G1054G2967G5259G40G4151G2980G3056G1722G7737Then coming to the borders of Mysia, they headed north for the province of Bithynia

, but again the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them to go there.G2064G2596G3465G3985G4198G2596G978G2532G4151G1439G846G37568So instead, they went on through Mysia to the seaport of Troas.G1161G3928G3465G2597G1519G51749That night Paul had a vision: A man from Macedonia in northern Greece was standing there, pleading with him, "Come over to Macedonia and help us!"G2532G3705G3700G3972G1223G3571G2258G2476G5100G435G3110G3870G846G2532G3004G1224G1519G3109G997G225410So we

decided to leave for Macedonia at once, having concluded that God was calling us to preach the Good News there.G1161G5613G1492G3705G2112G2212G1831G1519G3109G4822G3754G2962G4341G2248G2097G846

Lydia of Philippi Believes in Jesus

11We boarded a boat at Troas and sailed straight across to the island of Samothrace, and the next day we landed at Neapolis.G3767G321G575G5174G2113G1519G4543G5037G1966G1519G349612From there we reached Philippi, a major city of that district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. And we stayed there several days.G5037G1564G1519G5375G3748G2076G4413G4172G3310G3109G2862G1161G2258G1722G5026G4172G1304G5100G225013On the Sabbath we went a little way outside the city to a riverbank, where we thought people would be meeting for prayer, and we sat down to speak with some women who had gathered there.G5037G4521G2250G1831G1854G4172G3844G4215G3757G4335G3543G1511G2532G2523G2980G1135G490514One of them was Lydia from Thyatira, a merchant of expensive purple cloth, who worshiped God. As she listened to us, the Lord opened her heart, and she accepted what Paul was saying.G2532G5100G1135G3686G3070G4211G4172G2363G4576G2316G191G3739G2588G2962G1272G4337G2980G5259G397215She was baptized along with other members of her household, and she asked us to be her guests. "If you agree that I am a true believer in the Lord," she said, "come and stay at my home." And she urged us until we agreed.G1161G5613G907G2532G846G3624G3870G3004G1487G2919G3165G1511G4103G2962G1525G1519G3450G3624G3306G2532G3849G2248

Paul and Silas in Prison

16One day as we were going down to the place of prayer, we met a demon-possessed slave girl. She was a fortune-teller who earned a lot of money for her masters.G1161G1096G2257G4198G1519G4335G5100G3814G2192G4151G4436G528G2254G3748G3930G846G2962G4183G2039G313217She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, "These men are servants of the Most High God, and they have come to tell you how to be saved."G3778G2628G3972G2532G2254G2896G3004G3778G444G1526G1401G5310G2316G3748G2605G2254G3598G499118This went on day after day until Paul got so exasperated that he turned and said to the demon within her, "I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her." And instantly it left her.G1161G5124G4160G1909G4183G2250G1161G3972G1278G1994G2532G2036G4151G3853G4671G1722G3686G2424G5547G1831G575G846G2532G1831G846G561019Her masters' hopes of wealth were now shattered, so they grabbed Paul and Silas and dragged them before the authorities at the marketplace.G1161G846G2962G1492G3754G1680G846G2039G1831G1949G3972G2532G4609G1670G1519G58G1909G75820"The whole city is in an uproar because of these Jews!" they shouted to the city officials.G2532G4317G846G4755G2036G3778G444G5225G2453G1613G2257G417221"They are teaching customs that are illegal for us Romans to practice."G2532G2605G1485G3739G1832G3756G1832G2254G3858G3761G4160G5607G451422A mob quickly formed against Paul and Silas, and the city officials ordered them stripped and beaten with wooden rods.G2532G3793G4911G2596G846G2532G4755G4048G846G2440G2753G446323They were severely beaten, and then they were thrown into prison. The jailer was ordered to make sure they didn't escape.G5037G2007G4183G4127G846G906G1519G5438G3853G1200G5083G846G80624So the jailer put them into the inner dungeon and clamped their feet in the stocks.G3739G2983G5108G3852G906G846G1519G2082G5438G2532G805G846G4228G805G1519G358625Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening.G1161G2596G3317G3972G2532G4609G4336G5214G2316G1161G1198G1874G84626Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off!G1161G869G1096G3173G4578G5620G2310G1201G4531G5037G3916G3956G2374G455G2532G3956G1199G44727The jailer woke up to see the prison doors wide open. He assumed the prisoners had escaped, so he drew his sword to kill himself.G1161G1200G1096G1853G2532G1492G5438G2374G455G4685G3162G3195G337G1438G3543G1198G162828But Paul shouted to him, "Stop! Don't kill yourself! We are all here!"G1161G3972G5455G3173G5456G3004G4238G4572G3367G2556G1063G2070G537G175929The jailer called for lights and ran to the dungeon and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas.G1161G154G5457G1530G2532G1096G1790G4363G3972G2532G460930Then he brought them out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"G2532G4254G846G1854G5346G2962G5101G1163G3165G4160G2443G498231They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household."G1161G2036G4100G1909G2962G2424G5547G2532G4771G4982G2532G4675G362432And they shared the word of the Lord with him and with all who lived in his household.G2532G2980G846G3056G2962G2532G3956G1722G846G361433Even at that hour of the night, the jailer cared for them and washed their wounds. Then he and everyone in his household were immediately baptized.G2532G3880G846G1722G1565G5610G3571G3068G575G4127G2532G907G846G2532G3956G846G391634He brought them into his house and set a meal before them, and he and his entire household rejoiced because they all believed in God.G5037G321G846G1519G3624G3908G5132G3908G2532G21G4100G2316G3832G846G383235The next morning the city officials sent the police to tell the jailer, "Let those men go!"G1161G1096G2250G4755G649G4465G3004G630G1565G444G63036So the jailer told Paul, "The city officials have said you and Silas are free to leave. Go in peace."G1161G1200G518G5128G3056G4314G3972G3754G4755G649G2443G630G3568G3767G1831G4198G1722G151537But Paul replied, "They have publicly beaten us without a trial and put us in prison—and we are Roman citizens. So now they want us to leave secretly? Certainly not! Let them come themselves to release us!"G1161G3972G5346G4314G846G1194G2248G1219G178G5225G4514G444G906G1519G5438G2532G3568G1544G2248G1544G2977G3756G1063G235G2064G846G1806G2248G180638When the police reported this, the city officials were alarmed to learn that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens.G1161G4465G312G5023G4487G4755G2532G5399G191G3754G1526G451439So they came to the jail and apologized to them. Then they brought them out and begged them to leave the city.G2532G2064G3870G846G2532G1806G2065G1831G417240When Paul and Silas left the prison, they returned to the home of Lydia. There they met with the believers and encouraged them once more. Then they left town.G1161G1831G1537G5438G1525G1519G3070G2532G1492G80G3870G846G2532G1831

Acts 17

Paul Preaches in Thessalonica

17Paul and Silas then traveled through the towns of Amphipolis and Apollonia and came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue.G1161G1353G295G2532G624G2064G1519G2332G3699G2258G4864G24532As was Paul's custom, he went to the synagogue service, and for three Sabbaths in a row he used the Scriptures to reason with the people.G1161G3972G2596G1486G1525G4314G846G2532G1909G5140G4521G1256G846G575G11243He explained the prophecies and proved that the Messiah must suffer and rise from the dead. He said, "This Jesus I'm telling you about is the Messiah."G1272G2532G3908G3754G5547G1163G3958G2532G450G1537G3498G2532G3754G3778G2424G3739G1473G2605G5213G2076G55474Some of the Jews who listened were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with many God-fearing Greek men and quite a few prominent women

.G2532G5100G1537G846G3982G2532G4345G3972G2532G4609G5037G4576G1672G4183G4128G5037G4413G1135G3756G36415But some of the Jews were jealous, so they gathered some troublemakers from the marketplace to form a mob and start a riot. They attacked the home of Jason, searching for Paul and Silas so they could drag them out to the crowd

.G1161G2453G544G2206G2532G4355G5100G4190G435G60G2532G3792G2350G4172G2350G5037G2186G3614G2394G2212G71G846G1519G12186Not finding them there, they dragged out Jason and some of the other believers

instead and took them before the city council. "Paul and Silas have caused trouble all over the world," they shouted, "and now they are here disturbing our city, too.G1161G2147G846G3361G4951G2394G2532G5100G80G1909G4173G994G3754G3778G387G3625G387G3918G1759G25327And Jason has welcomed them into his home. They are all guilty of treason against Caesar, for they profess allegiance to another king, named Jesus."G3739G2394G5264G2532G3778G3956G4238G561G1378G2541G3004G1511G2087G935G24248The people of the city, as well as the city council, were thrown into turmoil by these reports.G1161G5015G3793G2532G4173G191G50239So the officials forced Jason and the other believers to post bond, and then they released them.G2532G2983G2425G3844G2394G2532G3062G630G846G630

Paul and Silas in Berea

10That very night the believers sent Paul and Silas to Berea. When they arrived there, they went to the Jewish synagogue.G1161G80G2112G1599G5037G3972G2532G4609G1223G3571G1519G960G3748G3854G549G1519G4864G245311And the people of Berea were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul's message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth.G1161G3778G2258G2104G1722G2332G3748G1209G3056G3326G3956G4288G350G1124G2250G2596G1487G5023G2192G377912As a result, many Jews believed, as did many of the prominent Greek women and men.G3767G3303G4183G1537G846G4100G2532G2158G1135G3588G1674G2532G435G3756G364113But when some Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God in Berea, they went there and stirred up trouble.G1161G5613G2453G575G2332G1097G3754G2532G3056G2316G2605G5259G3972G1722G960G2064G2546G4531G379314The believers acted at once, sending Paul on to the coast, while Silas and Timothy remained behind.G1161G5119G2112G80G1821G3972G4198G5613G1909G2281G1161G5037G4609G2532G5095G5278G1563G527815Those escorting Paul went with him all the way to Athens; then they returned to Berea with instructions for Silas and Timothy to hurry and join him.G1161G2525G3972G71G846G2193G116G2532G2983G1785G4314G4609G2532G5095G2443G2064G4314G846G5613G5033G1826

Paul Preaches in Athens

16While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply troubled by all the idols he saw everywhere in the city.G1161G3972G1551G846G1722G116G846G4151G3947G1722G846G2334G4172G5607G271217He went to the synagogue to reason with the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles, and he spoke daily in the public square to all who happened to be there.G3767G3303G1256G1722G4864G2453G2532G4576G2532G1722G58G2596G3956G2250G4314G390918He also had a debate with some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers. When he told them about Jesus and his resurrection, they said, "What's this babbler trying to say with these strange ideas he's picked up?" Others said, "He seems to be preaching about some foreign gods."G1161G5100G5386G1946G2532G4770G4820G846G2532G5100G3004G5101G302G2309G3778G4691G3004G1161G1380G1511G2604G3581G1140G3754G2097G846G2424G2532G38619Then they took him to the high council of the city

. "Come and tell us about this new teaching," they said.G5037G1949G846G71G1909G697G3004G1410G1097G5101G3778G2537G1322G5259G4675G298020"You are saying some rather strange things, and we want to know what it's all about."G1063G1533G5100G3579G1519G2257G189G1014G1097G3767G5101G5023G302G2309G151121(It should be explained that all the Athenians as well as the foreigners in Athens seemed to spend all their time discussing the latest ideas.)G1161G3956G117G2532G3581G3588G1927G2119G1519G3762G2087G2228G3004G2532G191G5100G253722So Paul, standing before the council

, addressed them as follows: "Men of Athens, I notice that you are very religious in every way,G1161G3972G2476G1722G3319G697G5346G435G117G2334G5613G2596G3956G5209G117423for as I was walking along I saw your many shrines. And one of your altars had this inscription on it: 'To an Unknown God.' This God, whom you worship without knowing, is the one I'm telling you about.G1063G1330G2532G333G5216G4574G2532G2147G1041G1722G3739G1924G57G2316G3739G3767G50G2151G5126G2605G1473G521324"He is the God who made the world and everything in it. Since he is Lord of heaven and earth, he doesn't live in man-made temples,G2316G4160G2889G2532G3956G1722G846G3778G5225G2962G3772G2532G1093G2730G3756G1722G3485G549925and human hands can't serve his needs—for he has no needs. He himself gives life and breath to everything, and he satisfies every need.G3761G2323G5259G444G5495G4326G5100G846G1325G3956G2222G2532G4157G2596G395626From one man

he created all the nations throughout the whole earth. He decided beforehand when they should rise and fall, and he determined their boundaries.G5037G4160G1537G1520G129G3956G1484G444G2730G1909G3956G4383G1093G3724G2540G4384G2532G3734G846G273327"His purpose was for the nations to seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him—though he is not far from any one of us.G2212G2962G1487G686G5584G846G2532G2147G2544G5225G3756G3112G575G1538G1520G225728For in him we live and move and exist. As some of your

own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.'G1063G1722G846G2198G2532G2795G2532G2070G5613G5100G2532G5209G2596G4163G2046G1063G2070G2532G5120G108529And since this is true, we shouldn't think of God as an idol designed by craftsmen from gold or silver or stone.G3767G5225G1085G2316G3784G3756G3543G2304G1511G3664G5557G2228G696G2228G3037G5480G5078G2532G444G176130"God overlooked people's ignorance about these things in earlier times, but now he commands everyone everywhere to repent of their sins and turn to him.G3303G3767G5550G52G2316G5237G3569G3853G3956G444G3837G334031For he has set a day for judging the world with justice by the man he has appointed, and he proved to everyone who this is by raising him from the dead."G1360G2476G2250G1722G3739G3195G2919G3625G1722G1343G1722G435G3739G3724G3930G4102G3956G450G846G1537G349832When they heard Paul speak about the resurrection of the dead, some laughed in contempt, but others said, "We want to hear more about this later."G1161G191G386G3498G3303G5512G1161G2036G191G4675G3825G4012G512733That ended Paul's discussion with them,G2532G3779G3972G1831G1537G3319G84634but some joined him and became believers. Among them were Dionysius, a member of the council

, a woman named Damaris, and others with them.G1161G5100G435G2853G846G4100G1722G3739G2532G1354G698G2532G1135G3686G1152G2532G2087G4862G846