Day 3: Part II

Wednesday, May 27, 2025 continued

From Troas we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, and the next day we went on to Neapolis. Acts 16:11

Today the city is known as Kavala. 

From there we traveled to Philippi, a Roman colony and the leading city of that district of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days. Acts 16:12. 

This is a portion of the ancient Roman road built in the second century BC. It was 20 feet wide, stretched for 700 miles and took 20 years to complete. We are looking down at it from an overpass. 

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. Acts 16:13-14

This is the river where it is said that Paul encountered Lydia. 

Ryan took the opportunity to discuss the scripture and David sang a hymn. It was a beautiful spot.


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. Acts 16:14

Lydia is considered to be the first convert to Christianity in Asia. At the site of the river is also a church dedicated to her.

Paul and Silas continued to share the gospel in Philippi but eventually landed themselves in prison. Acts 16:16-24

About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. 

Tradition suggests that this little room is where Paul and Silas were imprisoned. Studies indicate that it was actually a cistern. 

At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. 

But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!” 

The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 

They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”

Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household. Acts 16:25-34

These are some of the ruins of Philippi. 

Like most cities of the day, Philippi had a theater. Initially they used it for education of the people and in its heyday it held 8000. Later in the second or third century AD it was converted to an arena specifically for “beast fights.” Today it is sometimes used in special occasions for theatrical productions. 


Basilica A: The tall pieces of building in the background of this photo are of a Philippian basilica. 

Basilica B: Our guide helped us to envision the footprint of this church. That helped tremendously. Even with all the missing pieces of the structure, it was amazing to see the complexity of the construction. 

This concludes our travels from Wednesday. It was fascinating and this post really only scratches the surface. 

My next post will cover our going to some monasteries in the mountains on Thursday.