¹⁰ After Paul had seen the vision, we^(A) got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel^(B) to them.

Lydia’s Conversion in Philippi

¹¹ From Troas^(C) we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, and the next day we went on to Neapolis. ¹² From there we traveled to Philippi,^(D) a Roman colony and the leading city of that district^[a] of Macedonia.^(E) And we stayed there several days.

¹³ On the Sabbath^(F) we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. ¹⁴ One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira^(G) named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart^(H) to respond to Paul’s message. ¹⁵ When she and the members of her household^(I) were baptized,^(J) she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.

Paul and Silas in Prison

¹⁶ Once when we were going to the place of prayer,^(K) we were met by a female slave who had a spirit^(L) by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. ¹⁷ She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God,^(M) who are telling you the way to be saved.” ¹⁸ She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” At that moment the spirit left her.^(N)