Having received such a command, the jailer threw Paul and Silas into the inner prison, and secured their feet in the stocks." 18She continued doing this for several days. As I mentioned last week, any time that your rights have been violated and you have been mistreated, you are probably looking at a wonderful opportunity for bearing witness of Christ. Maybe your mate or a family member treats you with contempt because of your Christian convictions. . She followed Paul and Silas saying, "These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation." 17She followed Paul and us, crying out, 'These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us a way of salvation!' We dont do well when we are wronged. they were (James 2:19). Her masters made a lot of money from her power. And he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in that region, for they all knew that his father was Greek. Dive Deeper. 29The jailer called for lights and rushed in to the prison. And we were staying in that city for some days. God still calls people to the mission field, and He may call through unusual ways. Some have worried that Pauls invitation to salvation here is too easy, and would promote a too-easy faith or a cheap grace. Its still possible for a type of Macedonian Man to give an unusual call to serve God in a distant place. The honourable discharge of Paul and Silas by the magistrates (v. 35-40). abs._ That couple was in Peru to serve Jesus Christ. He also wrote to the Philippians, Do all things without grumbling or disputing (Phil. a. This girl had brought her masters much gain by fortune telling. b. (16:35-40) When the 'police' . D2 E H L P most m Verse Acts 16:16. a. Her masters made a lot of money from her power. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes: The same jailer who had punished them now cared for Paul and Silas, caring for their wounds and he set food before them. Natural selection acts on phenotypic variation in a population. POSSESSED WITH A SPIRIT OF DIVINATION MET US, WHO BROUGHT HER MASTERS The places specially mentioned are Samaria, Azotus, Caesarea, Lydda, the Sharon valley, and Joppa. So the magistrates came begging to Paul and Silas. And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. This one incident does not exhaust the biblical teaching on when to stand up for your rights and when to let them go. We Americans have a thing about standing up for our rights. a. All doors seemed to be Now therefore depart, and go in peace, They have beaten us openly, uncondemned Romans, They came and pleaded with them and brought them out, and asked them to depart from the city, When they had seen the brethren, they encouraged them, Copyright - Enduring Word       |      . But few of us know the kind of persecution experienced by those in former or present communist countries, or those in strongly Muslim countries They could more effectively preach from the story in our text than I can. When a Barnabas leaves (for whatever reason), God has a Timothy to go on with him. Whether this was on the same day It is good for us to bring other help along with the gospel, but without the gospel, little real help is given. Acts 16:30-34 What must I do to be Saved? was a female slave possessed A SPIRIT OF DIVINATION They would have missed this great opportunity for witness. God wanted Paul and his team to go to Troas and pick up a doctor named Luke. www.simplybible.com Copyright Ron Graham 2012, "As we were going to prayer, it happened that a certain slave girl met us. He pointed this obviously repentant man to faith in Jesus Christ. 10/13/22. Note that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience on our websites and the services we are able to offer. Entered into the house of Lydia This was the place of their residence while at Philippi: see Acts 16:15.. He drew his sword and was about to kill himself, assuming that the prisoners had escaped. Please be aware that this might heavily reduce the functionality and appearance of our site. Because demons are created beings, not gods themselves, we suppose that they cannot read minds, nor actually foretell the future. As G. Campbell Morgan observes, He did not sing because he was to be let out of prison. Acts 16:16. He took them the same hour of the night, and washed their wounds, and was immediately baptized, he and all his household. I would never have it another way. (In Our Daily Bread [2/85].). i. Philippi was the place where the armies of Mark Antony and Octavian defeated Brutus and Cassius in the decisive battle of the second Roman civil war in 42 B.C. (Hughes) Because of this, many Roman soldiers retired in the area, and Philippi was proud of its Roman connection. If anyone had a right to be angry, they did. a. This he does not yet do, speaking racially. We do not know firsthand the true meaning of the word persecution. Perhaps some of you may have felt ostracized at work or have been passed over for a promotion because you are a Christian. Tertullian said, The legs feel nothing in the stocks when the heart is in heaven.. 4. 34The jailer then brought Paul and Silas up into his house, and set food before them. 2. The jailer rejoiced greatly, with all his household, having believed in God." No indeed! But they can read and predict human behavior, and can attempt to steer events towards a previously predicted conclusion. iii. And he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews in that region: Paul had Timothy circumcised, not for the sake of his salvation (Paul would never do so) but so there would be less to hinder ministry among the Jews. the jailor in Acts 16:31-40, commenting on the various characteristics of repentance he possessed or displayed. 20When the slave girls masters had brought Paul and Silas to the magistrates, they said, 'These men, who are Jews, are confusing our city, 21proclaiming customs which it is not lawful for us Romans to accept or to observe'. b. He asked them to say how they would speak to a man injured in battle, who had three minutes to live, how to be saved and come to peace with God. which Paul witnessed. Acts 16:40, ESV: So they went out of the prison and visited Lydia.And when they had seen the brothers, they encouraged them and departed. THE MISSION TO EUROPE (16:6-19:20). CONVERSION AND BAPTISM OF LYDIA. Acts 16:40. whom Paul had baptized, ( Acts 16:14 Acts 16:15 ) . But Paul said unto them, They have beaten us openly uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast us into prison; and now do they thrust us out privily? This title, it is generally said, was given to Apollo, on account of his having destroyed a monstrous serpent that . with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much Hand-drawn illustrations based on sermons by Kevin DeYoung guide you through the book of Acts helping to communicate truths in a unique, compelling way. not to be understood of their just going to the act, or dut And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed PRAYER, see on Acts 16:13. The word "house" is rightly supplied, for the sense is not, that they went into the country of Lydia, as some have been tempted to think; but they went to the woman Lydia, whose heart the Lord had opened, and was become a disciple and follower of Christ; they went to her house it . Timotheus] was probably of Lystra, not Derbe. And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. Immediately all the doors were opened, and everyones bonds were loosed. The Waste Pro Southeast Florida Safety Trainer is responsible for ensuring all operational personnel are trained to company standards. As we went to prayer , Into the proseucha: Acts 16:13, and Luke 6:12.The article, , is added here by ABCE, several others, Origen and Theophylact: thus makes the place more emphatic, and seems to determine the above meaning of to be right-not the act of prayer or praying to God, but the place, the . And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: In Troas, God made Pauls direction clear. i. I wish that Paul had said, Rejoice in the Lord as a general rule. But, always? And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed. 37But Paul replied with this message for the magistrates: 'They have flogged us publicly, without a trial, men who are Romans, and have cast us into prison. No, in this he was simply obeying the words of Jesus, Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. His captors smashed four of his vertebrae and either cut or burned 18 holes in his body, but they could not defeat him. A demonic spirit who closing to him as in one way or another he was first hindered from (temp. In line with that, Pauls action showed the entire city, which would have heard about this incident, the spirit of Jesus Christ. The demon's shouting is . LIGHTNING SOURCE INC _ (G1096) So Paul took Timothy and . Here begins the account of Pads second journey. First, he did the work of strengthening the churches through the regions of Syria and Cilicia (Acts 15:40-41). A CERTAIN DAMSEL POSSESSED WITH A SPIRIT OF DIVINATION MET US. certain maid having. They came and took them from prison and begged them to leave town. 17 She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved." 18 She kept this up for many days. 37:4). Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas. There was certainly nothing wrong with Pauls desire to preach the word in Asia; but it wasnt Gods timing, so this was forbidden by the Holy Spirit. See on ch. Then they came and pleaded with them and brought them out, and asked them to depart from the city. If you refuse cookies we will remove all set cookies in our domain. But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out that very hour. Commentary on Acts 16:16-34. 3. She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God. The book of Acts emphasizes the power and abilities of the leaders of the Jesus movement. . When they had seen the brethren, they encouraged them: Only after this did they agree to go. They trusted that He had another purpose in mind, and so He did, namely, the conversion of the jailer and his family. On the Sabbath day we went out of the city to the riverside, where prayer was customarily made: The fact that the Jews of Philippi had no synagogue and met by the river means that there were not many Jewish men in Philippi. Acts 16:1-15To Be Led by the Spirit. The next time, they would follow the Roman law! "The sergeants reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Romans. The greatest help we can bring anyone is the life-changing gospel of Jesus Christ. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great (Matt. ", "These men are proclaiming to us a way of salvation", "When it was day, the magistrates sent the police with this message: Release those men! The jailer reported these words to Paul: The magistrates have sent a message for your release; therefore come out now, and go in peace. But Paul replied with this message for the magistrates: They have flogged us publicly, without a trial, men who are Romans, and have cast us into prison. The demon knew who Nederlandstalige Bijbelstudies door Stan Marinussen, A certain disciple was there, named Timothy, son of a certain Jewish woman who believed, And he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews in that region, as they went through the cities, the delivered to them the decrees to keep, which were determined by the apostles and elders at Jerusalem, So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and increased in number daily, They were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia, They tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit them, And a vision appeared to Paul in the night, A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, Come over to Macedonia and help us., Now after he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go, From there to Philippi, which is the foremost city of that part of Macedonia, On the Sabbath day we went out of the city to the riverside, where prayer was customarily made, The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul, She begged us, saying, If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay., A certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination brought her masters much profit, This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation., I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her, Her masters saw that their hope of profit was gone, Exceedingly trouble our city; and they teach customs which are not lawful for us, being Romans, to receive or observe, When they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to keep them securely the inner prison fastened their feet in the stocks, But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, all the doors were opened and everyones chains were loosed, The keeper of the prisonwas about to kill himself, Paul called with a loud voice, saying, Do yourself no harm, for we are all here., Ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house, And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes, And immediately he and all his family were baptized, The magistrates have sent to let you go. Intro: Having lost in a fire virtually everything they owned, the Spafford family made new plans, including a move from Chicago to France.Horatio Spafford planned the trip for his wife and four daughters to be as trouble-free as possible. He did not discuss the spiritual terminology of the jailer. Studying Acts 16 11-15, 40. Click to enable/disable Google reCaptcha. possessed with the devil, by whose inspiration she foretold future Paul, beautifully responsive to the Holy Spirit, was willing to lay down his will and his plans for the direction that the Holy Spirit brings. Their work was successful because their first interest was in strengthening the churches. Most certainly not! ii. I'll try to post some notes on that . In this section of Acts, Paul and Silas are arrested, beaten, and imprisoned for delivering the slave-girl from her demonic possession, and they (Paul and Si. This was an epoch-making moment, but how quietly it is recorded. I have a hunch that if most of us had gone through what Paul and Silas suffered, if we were praying at midnight it would be, God, get me out of here! I cant prove it, but I also have a hunch that Paul and Silas were not praying that way. Paul did this not for Timothys salvation or right standing with God, but so that Timothys status as a non-circumcised man from a Jewish mother would not hinder their work among the Jews and in synagogues. Pauls courage and wisdom in the face of these obstacles built a great legacy in people like Timothy. When you are wronged, entrust your soul to a faithful Creator in doing what is right. The circumstances said, escape. But love said, Stay for the sake of this one soul. They were not guided merely by circumstances, but by what love compelled. In not escaping, they showed tremendous discernment. . Under inspiration by the Holy Spirit, Paul told the keeper of the prison that his household would trust Jesus just as he did. Chuck Smith Bible Commentary - Acts 2:1-47. Acts 16:16-34 Commentary. of prayer._ (See Note on Acts 16:13.) The other prisoners were listening to them. "ACTS OF THE APOSTLES" Chapter Sixteen OBJECTIVES IN STUDYING THIS CHAPTER 1) To trace the route of Paul . i. THE PRISON OF HIS PRAISES. b. How to Turn Persecution into Production. ; _to Lystra Being his Apostles, Paul and Silas exhibited a scene of Faith during their . Click to enable/disable essential site cookies. Was he a masochist, or what? As Paul later wrote to the Philippians, his aim was that with all boldness, Christ would even now, as always, be exalted in his body, whether by life or by death (Phil. a. _AS WE WENT TO PRAYER_] , . As we come to the 16 th chapter of Acts we are coming, really, to a chapter that is going to, I think, leave an impression on all of us. i. missionary venture of the church. We may assume here t Acts 16:16. Do they now release us secretly? When they had laid many blows on Paul and Silas, they threw them into prison. But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Don't harm yourself: we are all here!" (Acts 16:25-28). Paul's plans now seemed to begin to go awry. 16 Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. Maybe they thought that the beating and night in prison would send these guys packing, never to return. i. 19. They were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia: After strengthening the churches in the region, Paul sought to go next to the south-west, towards the important city of Ephesus. That his mother was a Jewess originally, but believed in Christ; her name was Eunice, his grandmother's name was Lois. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. , is added here by ABCE, several others, _Origen_ and Suddenly there was a great earthquake: This earthquake was clearly supernatural. Luke notes that the prisoners were listening to them (16:25). This was not only because of its timing and location, but also in the way that all the doors were opened and everyones chains were loosed. 26Suddenly there was a great earthquake which shook the prison to its foundations. masters much gain by the giving of oracles.' What does Acts 16:16-40 mean? Her masters saw that their hope of profit was gone: This explains why Paul and Silas were treated so badly. Paul cried, "Do thyself no harm: for we are all here." The conversion of the Jailer in Philippi Acts 16:16-40: At a place of prayer in Philippi Paul and Silas came across a girl that had a spirit of divination. God is sovereign in the task of evangelism. TANSTAAFL is an acronym for the old adage, "There ain't no such thing as a free lunch," reportedly coined by Robert Heinlein. CONTENTS: Paul finds Timothy. Luke reported that the group went for prayer, possibly daily. Commentary on Acts 16:35-40 (Read Acts 16:35-40) 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. The more difficult reading appears to be pu,qwna (74 a A B C* D* 81 So Paul and Silas went out of the prison, and entered into Lydias house to see and encourage the brethren; then Paul and Silas departed.". Just because God is the omnipotent Creator does not mean that He will spare you from intense trials. A disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek. Greek. And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house. ANGER OF THOSE WHO MADE 326 1837 vg arm), which has been replaced in some manuscripts (45 C3 Python, in the Greek mythology, was the serpent The Gospel in Europe EXORCISM OF A POSSESSED GIRL. In the Roman Empire there were two very different laws: one for citizens of the Roman Empire, and one for those who were not citizens. They were assumed guilty without a hearing or trial. The jailer was so impressed by Paul and Silas by the love they showed to him, and from their ability to take joy even in misery that he instantly wanted the kind of life that Paul and Silas have. You couldn't wait to get where you were going or do what you needed . c. And he came out that very hour: The idea behind that very hour is that the demon came out immediately. IN T _A certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination._ Changes will take effect once you reload the page. Acts does not say. a. Biblical Commentary (Bible study) Acts 16:16-34. Tell students that Acts 16-20 contains an account of Paul's second and third missions (the account of Paul's second mission actually begins in Acts 15:40). change in the fortunes of Paul and Silas. They charged the jailer to keep them safely. _for _Lystra, _A.V._; Timothy _for _Timotheus, _A.V._; of a Jewess 5:18). These verses describe Pauls experiences and work in Thessalonica and Berea during his second missionaryjourney. frequently, and the party comes to be known. This is a work God must do in all who believe, because as Jesus said, no one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him (John 6:44). But he let their wrong go unpunished and by his actions showed that Christians are not out for personal vengeance. And when she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay. So she persuaded us. 35When it was day, the magistrates sent the police with this message: 'Release those men!' 19 Now when her masters saw that the hope of their gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas, and dragged them to the marketplace to face the rulers." (Acts 16:16-19). ii. 5:8). Paul and Silas in Prison. After being troubled by this many days Paul commanded the evil spirit to come out of her. And this she did for many days. And the keeper of the prison told this saying to Paul, The magistrates have sent to let you go: now therefore depart, and go in peace. 16:7. Paul was careful to speak to demons only in the authority of Jesus Christ, and he spoke beyond the afflicted girl to the demon itself with this authority of Jesus. ACTS The encounter with the spirit of divination: Coming to Derbe and Lystra, where he and Barnabas had been persecuted So the correct text with accusative These stocks had more than two holes for legs, which could thus be forced apart in a such a way as to cause the utmost discomfort and cramping pain. (Bruce), iii. But we will be treated wrongly, at work and at home. And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divinationc met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying: The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation. Acts 16 is the sixteenth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. An earthquake opened the prison doors and caused all the shackles to fall off. And she prevailed upon us. Ed, Issue 46, Winter 2023. As Paul saw it, being a good Christian did not mean being a bad Jew. (Longenecker) The wording of Acts 16:3 implies that Paul himself performed the circumcision (he took him and circumcised him). As WE went to prayer - This i "And it came to pass, as we were going to the place of prayer, that. 40So Paul and Silas went out of the prison, and entered into Lydias house to see and encourage the brethren; then Paul and Silas departed. (Acts 16:38-40). Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Acts 2:40. The Prison Experiences Of The Bible. Timothy Joins Paul and Silas. A SPIRIT OF DIVINATION CAST OUT BY ST PAUL. Paul, becoming greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her! The demon came out that very hour. Yet, Paul was forbidden by the Holy Spirit to go there. The narrative of Acts 16 in particular also indicates some contextual similarity with the African context: the expression 2.His thesis raises important points relating to salvation that may need to be explored further. He was told, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house." Acts chapter 16. Behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timothy. Immediately all the doors were opened, and everyones bonds were loosed. Compare Mark 3:12; Luke 4:34-35. And when they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to keep them securely. Timothy's father, however, was a Greek. Verse Acts 16:16. The Python was the s ACTSNOTE ON ACTS 16:11 Philippi was the first Macedonian city in The accusing and abusing of Paul and Silas for it, their imprisonment, and the indignities done them, ver 19-24. They were occult pimps, prostituting her spiritually. That is, As the Both heard the gospel and believed, and through each of them their whole families were touched! It is used here because the python was associated with the god Apollonot far from Philippi, in this very area of Europe, there was a shrine to the Pythian Apollo. (Boice). with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much b. 4:13). EXEGESIS: THE CONTEXT: This is Paul's Second Missionary Journey (49-52 A.D.) as recorded in Acts 15:30 - 18:21. 24Having received such a command, the jailer threw Paul and Silas into the inner prison, and secured their feet in the stocks. (Acts 16:20-24). . He was well spoken of by the brethren who were at Lystra and Iconium. The phrase, being Jews, was no doubt said with a slur. Hesychius defines it as (a spirit of David Livingstone wanted to go to China, but God sent him to Africa. So he stood on his rights in order to protect the church and the cause of Christ in that city. In Pauls mind, he wanted to reach a few cities in his region. Lit., a Acts 16:16. V. The casing of an evil spirit out of a damsel, ver 16-18. The fact is, most of us as Americans have never experienced any serious violation of our religious rights. In everything? b. Lydia was a seller of purple: Anyone who was a seller of purple dealt in a valued, luxurious product. Paul and Silas beaten. And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans. Then he came to Derbe and Lystra. i. It was not a mere point of honour that the apostle . The dyes used for making purple were expensive and highly regarded. ii. Overcoming any obstacle that is presented, they go about proclaiming to the world that Jesus died and was raised so that all could Continue reading "Commentary on Acts 16:16-34"