^16:12and from there to Philippi,⁴⁸ which is a leading city of that district⁴⁹ of Macedonia,⁵⁰ a Roman colony.⁵¹ We stayed in this city for some days. ^16:13On the Sabbath day we went outside the city gate to the side of the river, where we thought there would be a place of prayer, and we sat down⁵² and began to speak⁵³ to the women⁵⁴ who had assembled there.⁵⁵^16:14A⁵⁶ woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth⁵⁷ from the city of Thyatira,⁵⁸ a God-fearing woman, listened to us.⁵⁹ The Lord opened her heart to respond⁶⁰ to what Paul was saying. ^16:15After she and her household were baptized, she urged us,⁶¹ “If⁶² you consider me to be a believer in the Lord,⁶³ come and stay in my house.” And she persuaded⁶⁴ us.

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Footnotes

48 For location see ; ; ; .
49 Or perhaps, “a city in the first district” (there are a number of textual variants). L&N 1.85 follow the text of and here: “In Ac 16:12 … the Greek New Testament published by the United Bible Societies has adopted a conjectural emendation, since the more traditional text, πρώτη τῆς μερίδος, literally ‘first of the district,’ is not only misleading in meaning but does not reflect the historical fact that Philippi was a city in one of the four districts of Macedonia but was not a capital city.” The original text is probably πρώτη τῆς μερίδος (prōtē tēs meridos, “first of that district”) as found in 𝔓74 א A C Ψ 33vid 36 81 323 945 1175 1891 . This has traditionally been translated to give the impression that Philippi was the capital city of the district, but it does not necessarily have to be translated this way. The translation of the article before μερίδος as “that” acknowledges that there were other districts in the province of Macedonia.
50 Macedonia was the Roman province of Macedonia in Greece.
51 A Roman colony was a city whose residents were regarded as Roman citizens, since such cities were originally colonized by citizens of Rome. From Troas to Philippi was 130 mi (208 km).
52 Grk “and sitting down we began to speak.” The participle καθίσαντες (kathisantes) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
53 The imperfect verb ἐλαλοῦμεν (elaloumen) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect.
54 To the women. Apparently there were not enough Jews present in Philippi to have a synagogue (ten men would have been required to have one).
55 The word “there” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.
56 Grk “And a.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.
57 On the term translated “a dealer in purple cloth” see πορφυρόπωλις.
58 Thyatira was a city in the province of Lydia in Asia Minor.
59 The words “to us” are not in the Greek text, but are implied. Direct objects in Greek were often omitted when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.
60 Although προσέχω 2.b gives the meaning “pay attention to” here, this could be misunderstood by the modern English reader to mean merely listening intently. The following context, however, indicates that Lydia responded positively to Paul’s message, so the verb here was translated “to respond.” Lydia is one of several significant women in Acts (see 17:4, 12, 34; 18:20).
61 Grk “urged us, saying.” The participle λέγουσα (legousa) is redundant in English and has not been translated.
62 This is a first class condition in Greek, with the statement presented as real or true for the sake of the argument.
63 Or “faithful to the Lord.” πίστος 2 states concerning this verse, “Of one who confesses the Christian faith believing or a believer in the Lord, in Christ, in God πιστ. τῷ κυρίῳ Ac 16:15.” L&N 11.17 has “one who is included among the faithful followers of Christ—‘believer, Christian, follower.’ ”
64 Although παραβιάζομαι has “urge strongly, prevail upon,” in contemporary English “persuade” is a more frequently used synonym for “prevail upon.”

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this city some days. And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together. One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. And after she was baptized, and her household as well, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

From there we traveled to Philippi, a Roman colony and the leading city of that district of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days.

On the Sabbath 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 named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message. When she and the members of her household were baptized, 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.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

and from there to Philippi, a Roman colony and a leading city of the district of Macedonia. We stayed in that city for several days. On the Sabbath day we went outside the city gate by the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and spoke to the women gathered there. A God-fearing woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, was listening. The Lord opened her heart to respond to what Paul was saying. After she and her household were baptized, she urged us, “If you consider me a believer in the Lord, come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.

NLTNew Living Translation

From there we reached Philippi, a major city of that district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. And we stayed there several days.

On the Sabbath we went a little way outside the city to a riverbank, where we thought people would be meeting for prayer, and we sat down to speak with some women who had gathered there. One of them was Lydia from Thyatira, a merchant of expensive purple cloth, who worshiped God. As she listened to us, the Lord opened her heart, and she accepted what Paul was saying. She and her household were baptized, and she asked us to be her guests. “If you agree that I am a true believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my home.” And she urged us until we agreed.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of that district of Macedonia, a Roman colony. And we were staying in this city for some days. And on the day of the Sabbath, we went outside the city gate beside the river, where we thought there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women assembled there. And a certain woman named Lydia from the city of Thyatira, a merchant dealing in purple cloth who showed reverence for God, was listening. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was being said by Paul. And after she was baptized, and her household, she urged us, saying, “If you consider me to be a believer in the Lord, come to my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us.

KJV 1900King James Version

And from thence to Philippi, which is the chief city of that part of Macedonia, and a colony: and we were in that city abiding certain days.

And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither. And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul. And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us.

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