n the province of
Asia. When they reached Mysia they tried to enter Bithynia, but the
Spirit of Jesus did not permit them; so passing by Mysia they went down
to Troas.

One night Paul had a vision: a man of Macedonia was standing and begging
him, "Come over into Macedonia and help us." As soon as Paul saw the
vision, we were eager to start at once for Macedonia, believing that God
had called us to tell the good news to them. So, setting sail from
Troas, we ran straight to Samothrace, and on the next day to Neapolis.
From there we went to Philippi, which is the principal city in that
part of Macedonia. In that city we spent some days.

On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate by the river, where we
believed there was a place of prayer. And we sat down and talked to the
women who had gathered. Among them was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in
purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was already a worshipper of
God. The Lord opened her mind, so that she listened to what Paul was
saying; and when she and her household had been baptized, she urged us,
saying, "If you are sure that I am a true believer in the Lord, come and
stay at my house." And she made us do so.

PAUL AND SILAS IN MACEDONIA

One day as we were going to the place of prayer, a slave girl met us who
was under the control of a spirit that made her clairvoyant, so that she
brought great gain to her owners by fortune-telling. She kept following
Paul and the rest of us, crying, "These men are servants of the Most
High God; they proclaim to you the way of salvation." This she did for
many days until Paul, unable to stand it longer, turned and said to the
spirit, "In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her."
And it left her at once.

But when her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they seized
Paul and Silas and dragged them into the public square before the city
officials. Bringing them before the military rulers, they said, "These
are Jews who are making a disturbance in our city; they proclaim customs
which it is not lawful for us as Romans to adopt or follow." The mob
also joined in the attack upon them, so the military rulers tore their
garments off them and ordered them to be beaten with rods. After beating
them severely, they threw them in prison and ordered the jailer to be
sure to keep them safely. On receiving this strict order, he put them
into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.

About midnigh