Thematic Bible




Acts 16:1 (show verse)

Now Paul traveled to Derbe and also to Lystra. A disciple named Timothy was there, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer [in Christ], however, his father was a Greek.

Acts 16:2 (show verse)

Timothy was well spoken of by the brothers and sisters who were in Lystra and Iconium.

Acts 16:3 (show verse)

Paul wanted Timothy to go with him [as a missionary]; and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, since they all knew that his father was a Greek.

Acts 16:4 (show verse)

As they traveled from town to town, they delivered the decrees decided on by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem, for the churches to observe.

Acts 16:5 (show verse)

So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and they continually increased in number day after day.

Acts 16:6 (show verse)

Now they passed through the territory of Phrygia and Galatia, after being forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in [the west coast province of] Asia [Minor];

Acts 16:7 (show verse)

and after they came to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not permit them;

Acts 16:8 (show verse)

so passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas.

Acts 16:9 (show verse)

Then a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man from [the Roman province of] Macedonia was standing and pleading with him, saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us!”

Acts 16:10 (show verse)

And when he had seen the vision, we (including Luke) tried to go on into Macedonia at once, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

Acts 16:11 (show verse)

So setting sail from Troas, we ran a direct course to Samothrace, and the next day [went on] to Neapolis;

Acts 16:12 (show verse)

and from there [we came] to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia, a Roman colony. We stayed on in this city for several days;

Acts 16:13 (show verse)

and on the Sabbath day we went outside the city gate to the bank of the [Gangites] river, where we thought there would be a place of prayer, and we sat down and began speaking to the women who had come there.

Acts 16:14 (show verse)

A woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a dealer in purple fabrics who was [already] a worshiper of God, listened to us; and the Lord opened her heart to pay attention and to respond to the things said by Paul.

Acts 16:15 (show verse)

And when she was baptized, along with her household, she pleaded with us, saying, “If you have judged me and decided that I am faithful to the Lord [a true believer], come to my house and stay.” And she persuaded us.

Acts 16:16 (show verse)

It happened that as we were on our way to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave-girl who had a spirit of divination [that is, a demonic spirit claiming to foretell the future and discover hidden knowledge], and she brought her owners a good profit by fortune-telling.

Acts 16:17 (show verse)

She followed after Paul and us and kept screaming and shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God! They are proclaiming to you the way of salvation!”

Acts 16:18 (show verse)

She continued doing this for several days. Then Paul, being greatly annoyed and worn out, turned and said to the spirit [inside her], “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ [as His representative] to come out of her!” And it came out at that very moment.

Acts 16:19 (show verse)

But when her owners saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them before the authorities in the market place [where trials were held],

Acts 16:20 (show verse)

and when they had brought them before the chief magistrates, they said, “These men, who are Jews, are throwing our city into confusion and causing trouble.

Acts 16:21 (show verse)

They are publicly teaching customs which are unlawful for us, as Romans, to accept or observe.”

Acts 16:22 (show verse)

The crowd also joined in the attack against them, and the chief magistrates tore their robes off them and ordered that Paul and Silas be beaten with rods.

Acts 16:23 (show verse)

After striking them many times [with the rods], they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to guard them securely.
Afflictions » Rejoicing in tribulation, examples of » Imprisonment
Afflictions » Instances of resignation in » Paul and silas in prison
Bible stories for children » Three young men who would not bend, budge, or burn da 3 » The song that opened the jail doors
Criminals » Confined in prisons
Heresy » Paul and silas accused of
Joy » In sorrow in tribulation, examples of » Imprisonment
Magistrates » Wicked--exemplified » Magistrates in philippi
Malice » Instances of » Masters of the sorcerous damsel toward paul
Missionary journeys » Ac 13-14 » Second - with silas
Paul » Persecuted » Prison » Singing » Gospel
Paul's » First - with barnabas and john mark ac 13-14 » Second - with silas
Persecution » Suffering of--exemplified » Paul and silas
Philippi » Paul preaches in
Prisoners » Scourged
Prisoners » Paul
Prisoners » Silas
Prisons » Keepers of » Responsible for the prisoners
Punishments » Stripes » Examples of stripes endured for righteousness sake
Select readings » Paul and silas in prison
Rejoicing » In tribulation, examples of » Imprisonment
Scourging » Instances of » Of paul and silas
Silas » Imprisoned with paul in philippi
Spiritual » Tests divine methods used for testing believers » By permitting men to suffer when in the pathway of duty (paul and silas)
Stripes » Examples of stripes endured for righteousness sake
spiritual Tests » Divine methods used for testing believers » By permitting men to suffer when in the pathway of duty (paul and silas)
The Nation » Stripes » Examples of stripes endured for righteousness sake

Acts 16:24 (show verse)

He, having received such a [strict] command, threw them into the inner prison (dungeon) and fastened their feet in the stocks [in an agonizing position].
Afflictions » Instances of resignation in » Paul and silas in prison
Bible stories for children » Three young men who would not bend, budge, or burn da 3 » The song that opened the jail doors
physical Bondage » In prison » In stocks
Character transformed » The cold-hearted philippian jailer
Conversion » Characters transformed by » The cold-hearted philippian jailer
Criminals » Confined in prisons
Cruelty » Examples of
Feet » Of criminals » Placed in stocks
Fetters » Good men bound with
Imprisonment » Of paul and silas
Malice » Instances of » Masters of the sorcerous damsel toward paul
Missionary journeys » Ac 13-14 » Second - with silas
Paul » Persecuted » Prison » Singing » Gospel
Paul's » First - with barnabas and john mark ac 13-14 » Second - with silas
Philippi » Paul preaches in
Prison » Cells of
Prisoners » Paul
Prisoners » In stocks
Prisoners » Silas
Prisons » Persons confined in » Often fastened in stocks
Prisons » Persons confined in » Often placed in dungeons
Punishments » Secondary kinds of » Confinement » Stocks
Select readings » Paul and silas in prison
Silas » Imprisoned with paul in philippi
Spiritual » Transformation characters transformed by conversion » The cold-hearted philippian jailer becomes a sympathetic friend
Spiritual » Tests divine methods used for testing believers » By permitting men to suffer when in the pathway of duty (paul and silas)
Stocks » In prisons
spiritual Tests » Divine methods used for testing believers » By permitting men to suffer when in the pathway of duty (paul and silas)

Acts 16:25 (show verse)

But about midnight when Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them;
Afflictions » Rejoicing in tribulation, examples of » Imprisonment
Afflictions » Instances of resignation in » Paul and silas in prison
Bible stories for children » Three young men who would not bend, budge, or burn da 3 » The song that opened the jail doors
Criminals » Confined in prisons
Devotional life » Morning devotions » Prayerfulness
Devotional life » Prayer » Night » All Night Prayers » Christ
Family » Religion of the
Joy » In sorrow in tribulation, examples of » Imprisonment
Joy » Instances of » Of paul and silas, in the jail at philippi
Missionary journeys » Ac 13-14 » Second - with silas
Music » Youthful » Singing » Examples of
Music » Songs » Hymns » In the night
Music » Divided into » Vocal
Night (ancient) » For miscellaneous topics relating to the devotional life, » Songs in the night
Paul » Characteristics of » Joy
Paul » Persecuted » Prison » Singing » Gospel
Paul's » First - with barnabas and john mark ac 13-14 » Second - with silas
Philippi » Paul preaches in
Power » Of prayer » To be most effective, should be accompanied by praise
Praise » Saints should » Render, under affliction
Praise » Exemplified » Paul and silas
Prayer » Social
Prayer » Power of » To be most effective, should be accompanied by praise
Prayer, answers to » Paul and silas
social and family Prayer » Exemplified » Paul and silas
Prisoners » Paul
Prisoners » Silas
Select readings » Paul and silas in prison
Rejoicing » In tribulation, examples of » Imprisonment
Silas » Imprisoned with paul in philippi
Singing » Examples of
Singing » Songs » In the night
Worship » In the night

Acts 16:26 (show verse)

suddenly there was a great earthquake, so [powerful] that the very foundations of the prison were shaken and at once all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were unfastened.

Acts 16:27 (show verse)

When the jailer, shaken out of sleep, saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, thinking that the prisoners had escaped.

Acts 16:28 (show verse)

But Paul shouted, saying, “Do not hurt yourself, we are all here!”

Acts 16:29 (show verse)

Then the jailer called for torches and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas,

Acts 16:30 (show verse)

and after he brought them out [of the inner prison], he said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

Acts 16:31 (show verse)

And they answered, “Believe in the Lord Jesus [as your personal Savior and entrust yourself to Him] and you will be saved, you and your household [if they also believe].”

Acts 16:32 (show verse)

And they spoke the word of the Lord [concerning eternal salvation through faith in Christ] to him and to all who were in his house.

Acts 16:33 (show verse)

And he took them that very hour of the night and washed their bloody wounds, and immediately he was baptized, he and all his household.
Baptism » Examples of » Philippian jailer and household
Brotherly kindness » Examples of » The philippian jailer
Character transformed » Becomes a sympathetic friend
Christian ministers » Hospitality to » The philippian jailer
Compassion » Examples of human » The philippian jailor
Conversion » Instances of » Philippian jailer
Conversion » Characters transformed by » Becomes a sympathetic friend
Converts » Instances of » Jailer
Criminals » Confined in prisons
Faith » Instances of faith in Christ » The philippian jailor
Families » Good--exemplified » Jailor of philippi
Family » Religion of the
Family » Good--exemplified » Jailor of philippi
Home » Home Religion » Maternal and paternal love » The philippian jailer and his family are baptized
Jailer (jailor) » Of philippi, converted
Missionary journeys » Ac 13-14 » Second - with silas
Paul » Persecuted » Prison » Singing » Gospel
Paul's » First - with barnabas and john mark ac 13-14 » Second - with silas
Philippi » Paul preaches in
Prisoners » Scourged
Prisoners » Paul
Prisoners » Silas
Prisoners » Kindness to » By the philippian jailer to paul
Prisons » Keepers of » Sometimes acted kindly
Select readings » Paul and silas in prison
Religion » Home religion general references to » The philippian jailer and his family are baptized
Sacraments » Examples of » Philippian jailer and household
Silas » Imprisoned with paul in philippi
Social duties » Compassion » The philippian jailor
Spiritual » Transformation characters transformed by conversion » The cold-hearted philippian jailer becomes a sympathetic friend
Worship » Family » General references to » The philippian jailer and his family are baptized

Acts 16:34 (show verse)

Then he brought them into his house and set food before them, and rejoiced greatly, since he had believed in God with his entire family [accepting with joy what had been made known to them about the Christ].

Acts 16:35 (show verse)

Now when day came, the chief magistrates sent their officers, saying, “Release those men.”

Acts 16:36 (show verse)

And the jailer repeated the words to Paul, saying, “The chief magistrates have sent word to release you; so come out now and go in peace.”

Acts 16:37 (show verse)

But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us in public without a trial, men who are Romans, and have thrown us into prison; and now they are sending us out secretly? No! Let them come here themselves and bring us out!”

Acts 16:38 (show verse)

The officers reported this message to the chief magistrates, and when they heard that the prisoners were Romans, they were frightened;

Acts 16:39 (show verse)

so they came [to the prison] and appealed to them [with apologies], and when they brought them out, they kept begging them to leave the city.

Acts 16:40 (show verse)

So they left the prison and went to Lydia’s house; and when they had seen the brothers and sisters, they encouraged and comforted them, and left.