Veritable King James Version
1Paul came also to Derbe and to Lystra. A disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek.
2He was well spoken of by the brothers at Lystra and Iconium.
3Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was a Greek.
4As they went on their way through the cities, they delivered to them for observance the decisions that had been reached by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem.
5So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and they increased in numbers daily.
6And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia.
7And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them.
8So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas.
9And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a person of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.”
10And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.
11So, setting sail from Troas, we made a direct voyage to Samothrace, and the following day to Neapolis,
12and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this city some days.
13And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together.
14One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul.
15And after she was baptized, and her household as well, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us.
16As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling.
17She followed Paul and us, crying out, “These people are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.”
18And this she kept doing for many days. But Paul, having become greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And it came out that very hour.
19But when her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers.
20And when they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, “These people are Jews, and they are disturbing our city.
21They advocate customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to accept or practice.”
22The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods.
23And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely.
24Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.
25About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them,
26and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened.
27When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped.
28But Paul shouted with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.”
29And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas.
30Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
31And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”
32And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house.
33And he took them that very hour of the night and washed their wounds, and he was baptized at once, he and all his household.
34Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God.
35But when it was day, the magistrates sent the officers, saying, “Let those people go.”
36And the jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, “The magistrates have sent to let you go. Now therefore come out and go in peace.”
37But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us publicly, uncondemned, people who are Roman citizens, and have thrown us into prison; and do they now throw us out secretly? No! Let them come themselves and take us out.”
38The officers reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Roman citizens.
39So they came and apologized to them. And they took them out and asked them to leave the city.
40So they went out of the prison and visited Lydia. And when they had seen the brothers, they encouraged them and departed.
Translation notes
The NA28 Greek text uses “μαθητὴς” in verse 1, translated as “disciple” gender-neutrally, though Timothy is named as male. “Brothers” in verse 2 renders “ἀδελφοί” gender-neutrally, as “siblings” in the context of believers. “Jewish woman” and “Greek” translate “γυναικὸς Ἰουδαίας” and “Ἕλληνος,” retaining specific cultural identifiers, per the NA28. “Circumcised him” renders “περιέτεμεν,” echoing the KJV’s practical detail. No divine pronouns appear in this section.
“They” in verses 4–5 refers to Paul, Timothy, and others, translated gender-neutrally for “αὐτοί.” “Churches” renders “ἐκκλησίαι” inclusively. “Decisions” translates “δόγματα,” referring to Acts 15:20, 29, per the NA28. “Strengthened in the faith” renders “ἐστερεοῦντο τῇ πίστει,” echoing the KJV’s emphasis on spiritual growth. No divine pronouns appear in this section.
“They” refers to Paul, Timothy, and companions, translated gender-neutrally for “αὐτοί.” Capitalized “Holy Spirit” and “Spirit of Jesus” follow instructions, with “Spirit of Jesus” rendering “Πνεῦμα Ἰησοῦ,” a unique phrase in the NA28. “Forbidden” translates “κωλυθέντες,” preserving the KJV’s sense of divine guidance. “Speak the word” renders “λαλῆσαι τὸν λόγον,” echoing the KJV’s evangelistic tone.
“Person of Macedonia” translates “ἀνὴρ Μακεδών” gender-neutrally, as the vision is symbolic. “We” in verse 10 reflects the NA28’s shift to first-person plural, indicating Luke’s presence, kept inclusive. Capitalized “God” follows instructions. “Preach the gospel” renders “εὐαγγελίσασθαι,” modernizing the KJV’s “preach the gospel.” “Concluding” translates “συμβιβάζοντες,” per the NA28, echoing the KJV’s sense of divine purpose.
“We” continues the first-person narrative, translated gender-neutrally for Luke and companions. “Women” in verse 13 renders “γυναῖκας,” retained as gender-specific per the NA28. “Place of prayer” translates “προσευχὴν,” likely a Jewish prayer site, echoing the KJV’s context. “Leading city” renders “πρώτη τῆς μερίδος,” aligning with the NA28’s description of Philippi. No divine pronouns appear in this section.
“Woman” in verse 14 renders “γυνὴ,” specific to Lydia. “Worshiper of God” translates “σεβομένη τὸν Θεόν,” indicating a God-fearer, per the NA28. Capitalized “God” and “Lord” follow instructions. “Opened her heart” renders “διήνοιξεν τὴν καρδίαν,” echoing the KJV’s divine initiative. “Household” translates “οἶκος,” gender-neutral, including family and servants. The KJV’s hospitable tone is preserved.
“Slave girl” in verse 16 renders “παιδίσκην,” gender-specific per the NA28. “People” in verse 17 translates “οὗτοι ἄνθρωποι” gender-neutrally, referring to Paul and companions. Capitalized “Most High God” and “Jesus Christ” follow instructions. “Spirit of divination” translates “πνεῦμα πύθωνα,” echoing the KJV’s supernatural tone. “Way of salvation” renders “ὁδὸν σωτηρίας,” per the NA28, preserving the KJV’s theological focus.
“Owners” and “people” in verses 19–20 translate “κύριοι” and “οὗτοι ἄνθρωποι” gender-neutrally, as the groups are unspecified. “Magistrates” renders “στρατηγοῖς,” per the NA28, echoing the KJV’s civic authority. “Disturbing our city” translates “ἐκταράσσουσιν τὴν πόλιν,” preserving the KJV’s accusatory tone. No divine pronouns appear in this section.
“Crowd” and “them” in verses 22–23 translate “ὄχλος” and “αὐτοὺς” gender-neutrally, referring to Paul and Silas. “Jailer” renders “δεσμοφύλακα,” gender-neutral as the Greek is unspecified. “Beat them with rods” translates “ῥαβδίζειν,” echoing the KJV’s description of Roman punishment. “Inner prison” and “stocks” render “ἐσωτέραν φυλακὴν” and “ξύλον,” per the NA28, preserving the KJV’s vivid imagery.
“Prisoners” and “everyone” in verses 25–26 translate “δέσμιοι” and “πάντων” gender-neutrally. Capitalized “God” follows instructions. “Singing hymns” renders “ὑμνοῦντες,” echoing the KJV’s worshipful tone. “Great earthquake” translates “σεισμὸς μέγας,” preserving the KJV’s miraculous narrative. “Bonds were unfastened” renders “ἀνεῴχθησαν δεσμά,” per the NA28, maintaining the divine intervention theme.
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