016:016 One day, as we were on our way to the place of prayer, a slave
girl met us who claimed to be inspired and was accustomed
to bring her owners large profits by telling fortunes.
016:017 She kept following close behind Paul and the rest of us,
crying aloud, "These men are the bondservants of the Most High God,
and are proclaiming to you the way of salvation."
016:018 This she persisted in for a considerable time, until Paul, wearied out, turned round and said to the spirit, "I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her." And it came out immediately.
016:019 But when her owners saw that their hopes of gain were gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them off to the magistrates in the public square.
016:020 Then they brought them before the praetors. "These men,"
they said, "are creating a great disturbance in our city.
016:021 They are Jews, and are teaching customs which we, as Romans,
are not permitted to adopt or practise."
016:022 The crowd, too, joined in the outcry against them, till at length
the praetors ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods;
016:023 and, after severely flogging them, they threw them into jail
and bade the jailer keep them safely.
016:024 He, having received an order like that, lodged them in the
inner prison, and secured their feet in the stocks.
016:025 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns
to God, and the prisoners were listening to them,