Acts 16

1 Then came he to Derba and to Lystra. And beholde a certayne disciple was there named Timotheus a womans sonne which was a Iewas and beleved: but his father was a Greke.

2 Of whom reported well the brethren of Lystra and of Iconium.

3 The same Paul wolde yt he shuld goo forth with him and toke and circumcised him because of the Iewes which were in those quarters: for they knewe all that his father was a Greke.

4 As they went thorow ye cities they delyvered the the decrees for to kepe ordeyned of the Apostles and elders which were at Ierusalem.

5 And so were the congregacions stablisshed in the fayth and encreased in noumbre dayly.

6 When they had goone thorow out Phrigia and the region of Galacia and were forbydde of the holy gost to preach the worde in Asia

7 they came to Misia and sought to goo into Bethinia. But the sprete soffered the not.

8 Then they went over Misia and cam doune to Troada.

9 And a vision appered to Paul in ye nyght. There stode a man of Macedonia and prayed him sayinge: come into Macedonia and helpe vs.

10 After he had sene ye vision immediatly we prepared to goo into Macedonia certified yt the lorde had called vs for to preache the gospell vnto them.

11 Then lowsed we forth from Troada and with a strayght course came to Samothracia and the nexte daye to Neapolim

12 and from thence to Philippos which is the chefest citie in ye partes of Macedonia and a fre cite. We were in that cite abydynge a certayne dayes.

13 And on the saboth dayes we went out of the cite besydes a ryver where men were wont to praye and we sate doune and spake vnto the wemen which resorted thyther.

14 And a certayne woman named Lydia a seller of purple of the cite of Thiatira which worshipped God gave vs audience. Whose hert the Lorde opened that she attended vnto the thinges which Paul spake.

15 When she was baptised and her housholde she besought vs sayinge: Yf ye thinke that I beleve on the Lorde come into my housse and abyde there. And she constrayned vs.

16 And it fortuned as we went to prayer a certayn damsell possessed with a sprete that prophesied met vs which brought her master and mastres moche vauntage with prophesyinge.

17 The same folowed Paul and vs and cryed sayinge: these men are the servauntes of the most hye God which shewe vnto vs the waye of salvacion.

18 And this dyd she many dayes. But Paul not cotent turned about and sayd to the sprete: I commaunde the in the name of Iesu Christ that thou come out of her. And he came out the same houre.

19 And when her master and mastres sawe yt the hope of their gaynes was gone they caught Paul and Sylas and drue the into the market place vnto the rulars

20 and brought them to the officers sayinge: These men trouble oure cite which are Iewes

21 and preache ordinaunces which are not laufull for vs to receave nether to observe seinge we are Romayns.

22 And the people ranne on them and the officers rent their clothes and comaunded them to be beaten with roddes.

23 And when they had beaten them sore they cast them into preson comaundynge the iayler to kepe them surely.

24 Which iayler when he had receaved suche comaundment thrust them into the ynner preson and made their fete fast in the stockes.

25 At mydnyght Paul and Sylas prayed and lauded God. And the presoners hearde them.

26 And sodenly ther was a greate erth quake so that ye fonndacion of the preson was shaken and by and by all the dores opened and every mannes bondes were lowsed.

27 When the keper of ye preson waked out of his slepe and sawe the preson dores open he drue out his swearde and wolde have kylled him selfe supposynge the presoners had bene fledde.

28 But Paul cryed with a lowde voyce sayinge: Do thy selfe no harme for we are all heare.

29 Then he called for a lyght and sprange in and came tremblynge and fell doune before Paul and Sylas

30 and brought them out and sayde: Syrs what must I do to be saved?

31 And they sayde: beleve on the Lorde Iesus and thou shalt be saved and thy housholde.

32 And they preached vnto him the worde of the Lorde and to all that were in his housse.

33 And he toke them the same houre of the nyght and wasshed their woundes and was baptised with all that belonged vnto him strayght waye.

34 Whe he had brought them into his housse he set meate before them and ioyed that he with all his housholde boleved on God.

35 And when it was daye the officers sent the ministres sayinge: Let those men goo.

36 The keper of ye preson tolde this sayinge to Paul the officiers have sent worde to lowse you. Now therfore get you hence and goo in peace.

37 Then sayde Paul vnto them: they have beaten vs openly vncomdempned for all yt we are Romayns and have cast vs into preson: and now wolde they sende vs awaye prevely? Naye not so but let them come the selves and set vs out.

38 When the ministres tolde these wordes vnto the officers they feared when they hearde that they were Romayns

39 and came and besought them and brought them out and desyred them to departe out of the cite.

40 And they wet out of ye preson and entred into the housse of Lidia and whe they had sene the brethren they comforted them 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.