Acts 16:6-13

Expanded Bible

Paul Is Called to Macedonia

⁶ ·Paul and those with him [^LThey] went through the areas of Phrygia [^Ca region in north central Asia Minor; 18:23] and Galatia [^Ceither the Roman province of Galatia or the old kingdom of Galatia in its north] since the Holy Spirit ·did not let them [prohibited them to; ^Ceither through circumstances or divine revelation] ·preach the Good News [^Lspeak the word] in Asia [^Ca Roman province, in present-day Turkey]. ⁷ When they came ·near [or opposite] the country of Mysia [^Cthe northwest section of Asia Minor, present-day Turkey], they tried to go into Bithynia [^Cnorthern Asia Minor further east than Mysia], but the Spirit of Jesus did not let them. ⁸ So they passed by Mysia and went to Troas [^Ca city in northwest Asia Minor]. ⁹ That night Paul saw in a vision a man from Macedonia [^Can area across the Aegean Sea in mainland Greece]. The man stood and ·begged [urged; encouraged], “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” ¹⁰ After Paul had seen the vision, we [^Cthe switch to first person plural (“we”) indicates that the author, Luke, joined them (see also 20:5—21:18; 27:1—28:16)] immediately ·prepared [made plans; attempted] to leave for Macedonia, ·understanding [or convinced] that God had called us to ·tell the Good News [preach the Gospel] to those people.

Lydia Becomes a Christian

¹¹ We ·left [embarked/put out to sea from] Troas and sailed straight to the island of Samothrace [^Ca mountainous island in the north Aegean]. The next day we sailed to Neapolis [^Ccity in Macedonia, the first city Paul visited on the continent of Europe]. ¹² Then we went by land to Philippi, a Roman colony [^Ca town begun by Romans with Roman laws, customs, and privileges] and ·the leading city in that part [or one of the leading cities in that district; or a city in the first district] of Macedonia. We stayed there for several days.

¹³ On the Sabbath day we went outside the city gate to the river where we ·thought [expected] we would find a special place for prayer [^CPhilippi evidently had no synagogue because of its small Jewish population]. Some women had gathered there, so we sat down and talked with them.