Study Desk

Timothy Joins Paul and Silas

Paul came to Derbe and then to Lystra,^(a) where a disciple named Timothy^(b) lived, whose mother was Jewish and a believer^(c) but whose father was a Greek.

The believers^(d) at Lystra and Iconium^(e) spoke well of him.

Paul wanted to take him along on the journey, so he circumcised him because of the Jews who lived in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek.^(f)

As they traveled from town to town, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders^(g) in Jerusalem^(h) for the people to obey.⁽ⁱ⁾

So the churches were strengthened^(j) in the faith and grew daily in numbers.^(k)

Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia^(l) and Galatia,^(m) having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia.⁽ⁿ⁾

When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus^(o) would not allow them to.

So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas.^(p)

During the night Paul had a vision^(q) of a man of Macedonia^(r) standing and begging him, "Come over to Macedonia and help us."

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

From Troas^(u) we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, and the next day we went on to Neapolis.

From there we traveled to Philippi,^(v) a Roman colony and the leading city of that district^[a] of Macedonia.^(w) And we stayed there several days.

On the Sabbath^(x) 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.

One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira^(y) named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart^(z) to respond to Paul's message.

When she and the members of her household^(aa) were baptized,^(ab) 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.