Acts 16

Timothy Accompanies Paul and Silas

1 And he came also to Derbe and to Lystra. And behold, a certain disciple was there {named} Timothy, the son of a believing Jewish woman but of a Greek father,

2 who was well spoken of by the brothers in Lystra and Iconium.

3 Paul wanted this one to go with him, and he took [him] [and] circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, for [they] all knew that his father was Greek.

4 And as they went through the towns, they passed on to them to observe the rules that had been decided by the apostles and elders [who were] in Jerusalem.

5 So the churches were being strengthened in the faith and were growing in number every day.

Paul’s Vision of a Man of Macedonia

6 And they traveled through the Phrygian and Galatian region, having been prevented by the Holy Spirit from speaking the message in Asia.

7 And [when they] came to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, and the Spirit of Jesus did not permit them.

8 So going through Mysia, they went down to Troas.

9 And a vision appeared to Paul during the night: a certain Macedonian man was standing there and imploring him and saying, "Come over to Macedonia [and] help us!"

10 And when he had seen the vision, we wanted at once to go away to Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to proclaim the good news to them.

The Conversion of Lydia at Philippi

11 So putting out to sea from Troas, we sailed a straight course to Samothrace, and on the following [day] to Neapolis,

12 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.

13 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].

14 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.

15 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.

Paul and Silas Imprisoned

16 And it happened that [as] we were going to the place of prayer, a certain female slave who had a spirit of divination met us, who was bringing a large profit to her owners [by] fortune-telling.

17 She followed Paul and us [and] was crying out, saying, "These men are slaves of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation!"

18 And she was doing this for many days. But Paul, becoming greatly annoyed and turning around, said to the spirit, "I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!" And it came out {immediately}.

19 But [when] her owners saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas [and] dragged [them] into the marketplace before the rulers.

20 And [when they] had brought them to the chief magistrates, they said, "These men are throwing our city into confusion, being Jews,

21 and are proclaiming customs that are not permitted for us to accept or to practice, [because we] are Romans!"

22 And the crowd joined in attacking them, and the chief magistrates tore off their clothing [and] gave orders to beat [them] with rods.

23 And [after they] had inflicted many blows on them, they threw [them] into prison, giving orders to the jailer to guard them securely.

24 Having received such an order, {he} put them in the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.

The Conversion of the Philippian Jailer

25 Now about midnight, Paul and Silas were praying [and] singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.

26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened and all the bonds were unfastened.

27 And [after] the jailer was awake and saw the doors of the prison open, he drew [his] sword [and] was about to kill himself, [because he] thought the prisoners had escaped.

28 But Paul called out with a loud voice, saying, "Do no harm to yourself, for we are all here!"

29 And demanding lights, he rushed in and, {beginning to tremble}, fell down at the feet of Paul and Silas.

30 And he brought them outside [and] said, "Sirs, what must I do so that I can be saved?"

31 And they said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, you and your household!"

32 And they spoke the message of the Lord to him, together with all those in his house.

33 And he took them at that [very] hour of the night [and] washed [their] wounds, and he himself was baptized at once, and all those of his [household].

34 And he brought them up into [his] house [and] set a meal before [them], and rejoiced greatly that he had believed in God with his whole household.

Paul and Silas Receive an Official Apology

35 And [when it] was day, the chief magistrates sent the police officers, saying, "Release those men."

36 And the jailer reported these words to Paul: "The chief magistrates have sent [an order] that you should be released. So come out now [and] go in peace!"

37 But Paul said to them, "They beat us in public without due process--men who are Roman citizens--[and] threw [us] into prison, and now they are wanting to release us secretly? Certainly not! Rather let them come themselves [and] bring us out!"

38 So the police officers reported these words to the chief magistrates, and they were afraid [when they] heard that they were Roman citizens.

39 And they came [and] apologized to them, and [after they] brought [them] out they asked [them] to depart from the city.

40 And [when they] came out of the prison, they went to Lydia and [when they] saw [them], they encouraged the brothers and departed.

Acts 16 Commentary

Chapter 16

Paul takes Timothy to be his assistant. (1-5) Paul proceeds to Macedonia, The conversion of Lydia. (6-15) An evil spirit cast out, Paul and Silas scourged and imprisoned. (16-24) The conversion of the jailer at Philippi. (25-34) Paul and Silas released. (35-40)

Verses 1-5 Well may the church look for much service from youthful ministers who set out in the same spirit as Timothy. But when men will submit in nothing, and oblige in nothing, the first elements of the Christian temper seem to be wanting; and there is great reason to believe that the doctrines and precepts of the gospel will not be successfully taught. The design of the decree being to set aside the ceremonial law, and its carnal ordinances, believers were confirmed in the Christian faith, because it set up a spiritual way of serving God, as suited to the nature both of God and man. Thus the church increased in numbers daily.

Verses 6-15 The removals of ministers, and the dispensing the means of grace by them, are in particular under Divine conduct and direction. We must follow Providence: and whatever we seek to do, if that suffer us not, we ought to submit and believe to be for the best. People greatly need help for their souls, it is their duty to look out for it, and to invite those among them who can help them. And God's calls must be complied with readily. A solemn assembly the worshippers of God must have, if possible, upon the sabbath day. If we have not synagogues, we must be thankful for more private places, and resort to them; not forsaking the assembling together, as our opportunities are. Among the hearers of Paul was a woman, named Lydia. She had an honest calling, which the historian notices to her praise. Yet though she had a calling to mind, she found time to improve advantages for her soul. It will not excuse us from religious duties, to say, We have a trade to mind; for have not we also a God to serve, and souls to look after? Religion does not call us from our business in the world, but directs us in it. Pride, prejudice, and sin shut out the truths of God, till his grace makes way for them into the understanding and affections; and the Lord alone can open the heart to receive and believe his word. We must believe in Jesus Christ; there is no coming to God as a Father, but by the Son as Mediator.

Verses 16-24 Satan, though the father of lies, will declare the most important truths, when he can thereby serve his purposes. But much mischief is done to the real servants of Christ, by unholy and false preachers of the gospel, who are confounded with them by careless observers. Those who do good by drawing men from sin, may expect to be reviled as troublers of the city. While they teach men to fear God, to believe in Christ, to forsake sin, and to live godly lives, they will be accused of teaching bad customs.

Verses 25-34 The consolations of God to his suffering servants are neither few nor small. How much more happy are true Christians than their prosperous enemies! As in the dark, so out of the depths, we may cry unto God. No place, no time is amiss for prayer, if the heart be lifted up to God. No trouble, however grievous, should hinder us from praise. Christianity proves itself to be of God, in that it obliges us to be just to our own lives. Paul cried aloud to make the jailer hear, and to make him heed, saying, Do thyself no harm. All the cautions of the word of God against sin, and all appearances of it, and approaches to it, have this tendency. Man, woman, do not ruin thyself; hurt not thyself, and then none else can hurt thee; do not sin, for nothing but that can hurt thee. Even as to the body, we are cautioned against the sins which do harm to that. Converting grace changes people's language of and to good people and good ministers. How serious the jailer's inquiry! His salvation becomes his great concern; that lies nearest his heart, which before was furthest from his thoughts. It is his own precious soul that he is concerned about. Those who are thoroughly convinced of sin, and truly concerned about their salvation, will give themselves up to Christ. Here is the sum of the whole gospel, the covenant of grace in a few words; Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. The Lord so blessed the word, that the jailer was at once softened and humbled. He treated them with kindness and compassion, and, professing faith in Christ, was baptized in that name, with his family. The Spirit of grace worked such a strong faith in them, as did away further doubt; and Paul and Silas knew by the Spirit, that a work of God was wrought in them. When sinners are thus converted, they will love and honour those whom they before despised and hated, and will seek to lessen the suffering they before desired to increase. When the fruits of faith begin to appear, terrors will be followed by confidence and joy in God.

Verses 35-40 Paul, though willing to suffer for the cause of Christ, and without any desire to avenge himself, did not choose to depart under the charge of having deserved wrongful punishment, and therefore required to be dismissed in an honourable manner. It was not a mere point of honour that the apostle stood upon, but justice, and not to himself so much as to his cause. And when proper apology is made, Christians should never express personal anger, nor insist too strictly upon personal amends. The Lord will make them more than conquerors in every conflict; instead of being cast down by their sufferings, they will become comforters of their brethren.

Footnotes

• [a]. Literally "by name"
• [b]. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
• [c]. *Here "[and]" is supplied because the previous participle ("took") has been translated as a finite verb
• [d]. A reference to the Roman province of Asia (modern Asia Minor)
• [e]. *Here "[when]" is supplied as a component of the participle ("came") which is understood as temporal
• [f]. *Here "[and]" is supplied because the previous participle ("come over") has been translated as a finite verb
• [g]. *Here "[and]" is supplied because the previous participle ("sat down") has been translated as a finite verb
• [h]. Literally "by name"
• [i]. Literally "whose"
• [j]. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
• [k]. *Here "[and]" is supplied because the previous participle ("come") has been translated as a finite verb
• [l]. *Here "[as]" is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle ("were going")
• [m]. Literally "a spirit of Python"; Python was the name of the serpent or dragon that guarded the Delphic oracle at the foot of Mt. Parnassus and the word eventually came to be used for a spirit of divination
• [n]. *Here "[by]" is supplied as a component of the infinitive ("fortune-telling") which is understood as means
• [o]. *Here "[and]" is supplied because the previous participle ("followed") has been translated as a finite verb
• [p]. Literally "[that] same hour"
• [q]. *Here "[when]" is supplied as a component of the participle ("saw") which is understood as temporal
• [r]. *Here "[and]" is supplied because the previous participle ("seized") has been translated as a finite verb
• [s]. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
• [t]. *Here "[when]" is supplied as a component of the participle ("had brought") which is understood as temporal
• [u]. *Here "[because]" is supplied as a component of the participle ("are") which is understood as causal
• [v]. *Here "[and]" is supplied because the previous participle ("tore off") has been translated as a finite verb
• [w]. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
• [x]. *Here "[after]" is supplied as a component of the participle ("had inflicted") which is understood as temporal
• [y]. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
• [z]. Literally "who"
• [aa]. Or possibly "to the [block] of wood," referring to a log to which the prisoners were chained or tied
• [ab]. *Here "[and]" is supplied because the previous participle ("were praying") has been translated as a finite verb
• [ac]. Or "chains"
• [ad]. *Here "[after]" is supplied as a component of the participle ("was") which is understood as temporal
• [ae]. *Literally "the"; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
• [af]. *Here "[and]" is supplied because the previous participle ("drew") has been translated as a finite verb
• [ag]. *Here "[because]" is supplied as a component of the participle ("thought") which is understood as causal
• [ah]. Literally "became trembling"
• [ai]. *Here "[and]" is supplied because the previous participle ("brought") has been translated as a finite verb
• [aj]. *Here "[and]" is supplied because the previous participle ("took") has been translated as a finite verb
• [ak]. *Literally "the"; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
• [al]. *The word "[household]" is not in the Greek text, but is supplied from the previous verse
• [am]. *Literally "the"; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
• [an]. *Here "[and]" is supplied because the previous participle ("brought ... up") has been translated as a finite verb
• [ao]. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
• [ap]. *Here "[when]" is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle ("was")
• [aq]. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
• [ar]. *Here "[and]" is supplied because the previous participle ("come out") has been translated as a finite verb
• [as]. *Here "[and]" is supplied because the previous participle ("beat") has been translated as a finite verb
• [at]. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
• [au]. *Here "[and]" is supplied because the previous participle ("come") has been translated as a finite verb
• [av]. *Here "[when]" is supplied as a component of the participle ("heard") which is understood as temporal
• [aw]. *Here "[and]" is supplied because the previous participle ("came") has been translated as a finite verb
• [ax]. Or "reassured"; or "conciliated"
• [ay]. *Here "[after]" is supplied as a component of the participle ("brought ... out") which is understood as temporal
• [az]. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
• [ba]. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
• [bb]. *Here "[when]" is supplied as a component of the participle ("came out") which is understood as temporal
• [bc]. *Here "[when]" is supplied as a component of the participle ("saw") which is understood as temporal
• [bd]. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation