Acts 16 (résumé): Timothy joins Paul and Silas

Paul's second missionary journey started in Acts 15:36 and went till 18:22 and even took the Gospel to the European countries of Greece and Macedonia. When Paul and Silas got to Lystra Timothy joined their team. He was of Jewish mother and a Greek father so Paul circumcised him "because of the Jews". As they travelled round the churches "the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers". Then Paul had a vision of a Macedonian man "begging him: Come over to Macedonia and help us", so they got ready straight away to go there and preach the Gospel. They travelled to Philippi which was the leading city of Macedonia where they stayed for several days, and whilst there a woman dealer in purple cloth was converted and she and members of her household were baptized. Next a slave girl with a fortune-telling spirit, which made a lot of money for her owners, kept following Paul and the team shouting that "these men are servants of the Most High God". Paul exorcised her so the girl's owners dragged Paul and Silas before the authorities because they had lost their source of income, and they were "stripped, beaten and thrown into jail". Paul and Silas however responded in jail with prayer and praise! Then came an earthquake which opened all the doors and the jailor was about to commit suicide when he was stopped by Paul shouting, "Don't harm yourself! We are all here!" The jailer then asked: "what must I do to be saved?" He and all his household were converted and baptized. The following day Paul and Silas were officially released from jail by the magistrates, and they went to Lydia's house and encouraged the church.