Acts 16 (American Standard Version)



Paul at Derbe___16:1a.

1a.

 1 And he came also to Derbe

1b-3_____

and to Lystra: and behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewess that believed; but his father was a Greek.
 2 The same was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium.
 3 Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and he took and circumcised him because of the Jews that were in those parts: for they all knew that his father was a Greek.


It is here that we have Timothy mentioned. (Also see Phil. 2:19-22). This is unusual because the Holy Spirit chose to tell us about Paul's commending Timothy only here. It is obvious from reading 1st Timothy that Paul had high standards for one who was to be an evangelist. Perhaps there is a lesson here for us!

(V.2-3) What a lesson is to be learned here. Every since Timothy had been baptized he had labored with Paul. Timothy was not looking for a companion but only wanted to serve the Lord. It must also be remember that circumcision was much of the subject of the last chapter. Paul had Timothy circumcised__not because of the law but to promote the gospel. It was Paul who said:

To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law though not being myself under the Law, so that I might win those who are under the Law; 1st Cor. 9:20

Thus, peace in the church is worth a great deal.


 4 And as they went on their way through the cities, they delivered them the decrees to keep which had been ordained of the apostles and elders that were at Jerusalem.
 5 So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and increased in number daily.

The writer does not mention what cities they visited but probably Antioch and Iconium were among them. The decrees can be read in Acts 15:20-23.

 6 And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden of the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia

Galatians 4:12-15 may very well be the time period alluded to here. Paul's stay in Galatia may have been this very layover.

 7 and when they were come over against Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia; and the Spirit of Jesus suffered them not;
 8 and passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas

What is “Assayed”


πειράζω (peirazō 3985)

1. try -ied, -eth

essay, to make an attempt; make proof or trial of; of actions, to attempt; of persons, to tempt, to put to the test. 

2. examine -ed, -ing

to make trial; of actions, to attempt, try; of persons, to put to the test, in a good or bad sense. 

3. go about

to make proof or trial, make an attempt.

4. prove -ed, -est, -ing

to essay, to make a trial or an attempt; to tempt, try. 

5. assay -ed, -ing

to make proof or trial, to make an attempt.

In phrases:

ὁ πειράζων (ho 3588 peirazōn) tempter; the one who tempts, the tempter.

ὁ (ho 3588) the.

πειράζων (peirazōn) tempting one.

 

Here we have the “Spirit of Jesus” telling them NO!

οὐκ ... αὐ¦τοὺς τὸ πνεῦ¦μα Ἰ¦η¦σοῦ·Iὐκ ... αὐ¦τοὺς τὸπνεῦ¦μα Ἰ¦η¦σοῦ·

It is clear from the next verse why the Spirit of Jesus stepped in. Here is the point I think. Sometimes we have our minds made up as to what we need to do to further the gospel of Christ but what we think may in fact not be the will of God or Jesus. In this case they ended up in Troas.

The Macedonian Call_______________

We now enter the “We” section of the Book of Acts___meaning that Luke himself was involved. Notice, we__us— and not necessarily they.

 9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: There was a man of Macedonia standing, beseeching him, and saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us.
 10 And when he had seen the vision, straightway we sought to go forth into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.




We can't say if Troas was the home of Luke but nevertheless it was here he joined the party.


 11 Setting sail therefore from Troas, we made a straight course to Samothrace

11a. In passing it does seem from what happens in Troas upon the return trip (20:6-12) that some work for God must have been done here. Maybe even by Luke and we don't have a record of it.

and the day following to Neapolis;

From what we know about Neapolis, it was a city of considerable size. It seems strange that we are not told that the Word of God was preached here but we must remember “to the Jew first and also to the Greek” was the order.

12 and from thence to Philippi, which is a city of Macedonia, the first of the district, a Roman colony: and we were in this city tarrying certain days.

The “City of Philippi” established as an outpost town by Philip The Great, father of Alexander the Great, with the specific purpose of guarding the local gold mines and protecting Macedonia for the Thracians.

Caesar Augustus was victorious over Brutus and Cassius here. The battle was won at the foot of the hill on which Philippi is located and on that very same hill Cassius committed suicide. Luke calls this city “a first city of that district.” “When Peseus, the last successor of Alexander the Great had been routed at Pydna (June 22 B.C.168) Macedonia was reduced to a Roman province of four districts. Beginning eastward at the river Nestus, Macedonia Prima (first) reached to Strymon, Macedonia Secunda reached to the Axuis, Macedonia Tertia to the Peneus: and the Quarta, to Illyricu and Equirus. The capitals of these districts were Amphipolis, Thessalonica,__Pella, and Pelagomia. Of course we recognize Philippi from the New Testament by the “Letter to the Phillipians.”


 13 And on the sabbath day we went forth without the gate by a river side, where we supposed there was a place of prayer; and we sat down, and spake unto the women that were come together.
 14 And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple of the city of Thyatira, one that worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened to give heed unto the things which were spoken by Paul.
 15 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.

Verses 13-15__

It would seem that the party arrived in the middle of the week and waited until the Sabbath to engage the locals. As far as we know there was no synagogue in Phillipi but there were some local Jewish women who worshiped and were faithful. It seems that these women were sitting down for their worship at the river when Paul and company found them. Therefore he “sat down” with them. One may wonder how Paul found them but in the next chapter we see that the people of Athens called Paul the “babbler” meaning he spoke a great deal. Paul probably hit town and started talking about Jesus and found out where the local worship took place.

At any rate, one of these women responded to the gospel. Lydia became a very active Christian and it is here that she is immersed (along with there entire household). For a commentary on the “seller of purple” see the movie attached with this lesson.

 16 And it came to pass, as we were going to the place of prayer, that a certain maid having a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much gain by soothsaying.
 17 The same following after Paul and us cried out, saying, These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim unto you the way of salvation.
 18 And this she did for many days. But Paul, being sore troubled, turned and said to the spirit, I charge thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And it came out that very hour.

If we look at the Greek text on this we may have a better understanding.

Πύθων (Puthōn, 4436), -ωνος, ὁ, Python;

1. in Grk. mythology the name of the Pythian serpent or dragon that dwelt in the region of Pytho at the foot of Parnassus in Phocis, and was said to have guarded the oracle of Delphi and been slain by Apollo.

2. i. q. δαιμόνιον μαντικόν (Hesych. s. v.), a spirit of divination: πνεῦμα πύθωνος or more correctly (with L Τ Tr WH) πνεῦμα πύθωνα(on the union of two substantives one of which has the force of an adj. see Matthiae p. 962, 4; [Kühner § 405, 1; Lob. Paralip. 344 sq.]), Acts xvi. 16; some interpreters think that the young woman here mentioned was a ventriloquist, appealing to Plutarch, who tells us (mor. p. 414 e. de def. orac. 9) that in his time ἐγγαστρίμυθοι were called πύθωνες; [cf. Meyer]. [This definition cites every instance of this word in the Greek NT.]

The woman had the “spirit of phthian.” In other words she was a prophetess at the Temple of Delphi.

Delphi is a city of Phocis in mainland Greece that lies in the vale of the river Pleistus, and is shut on one side by Mount Parnassus. The city became famous because the oracle of Apollo was located in it.

Pytho

The celebrated city of Delphi, which on account of its oracle, received countless visits during many years, was originally called Pytho, and was still called so at the time of the Trojan War, when it was held by Epistrophus 1 and Schedius 1, sons of Iphitus 2, son of Naubolus 1, or of Hippasus 3. Naubolus 1, who sometimes is called son of Hippasus 3, is otherwise called son of Ornytus 1.

Some have said that the name Pytho comes from Pythes, son of Delphus, but others say that the city was called after Python, the dragon offspring of Gaia, who guarded Themis' Oracle at Delphi. Delphi nevertheless was celebrated as the center of the world and the Delphic Oracles were seen as divine words uttered by the prophetess at the Temple.

It was with this incident that the Apostle shows that the power of Jesus is greater than that of Pythia. Paul demanded by “the authority of Jesus” that the spirit be gone.

 19 But when her masters saw that the hope of their gain was gone, they laid hold on Paul and Silas, and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers,
 20 and when they had brought them unto the magistrates, they said, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city,
 21 and set forth customs which it is not lawful for us to receive, or to observe, being Romans.

Verses 19-21__

When the spirit was gone so was the money. Her master “laid hands” on Paul and Silas and took them before the city magistrates. “These men being Jews are trouble makers.” There were hidden connotations in these charges. Not only were the bothering the commerce in the city but they may even be traitors. Their customs are not legal for Romans.

 22 And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent their garments off them, and commanded to beat them with rods.
 23 And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely:
 24 who, having received such a charge, cast them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.

VS. 22-24___
What horrible treatment now follows. The were “beat.” The instrument used was in the form comparable to an old fashion carpet beater. A handle in which were fastened long iron shafts and the top was flexible. Paul and Silas received many stripes.

Prisons were about the same way all over the empire. Most consisted of two parts. The outer was exposed to light and used for minimum security prisoners, but the inner prison had no light and was for more serious crimes. These people were bound in stocks.

 25 But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns unto God, and the prisoners were listening to them;

Speaking about missionary work. Here they are in prison and they are signing and the other prisoners are listening.

 26 and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison-house were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed.

V.26___An earthquake sets them free. Wednesday night singing service was interrupted by the Lord.


And the jailor, being roused out of sleep and seeing the prison doors open, drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped.

27__Not only were the prisoners surprised but the jailer was so scared that he was about to kill himself.

Paul to the Rescue_

 28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.

This jailer had drawn his sword, pressed it against his chest when he heard a cry in the darkness. "Do not harm yourself, we are all here."

 29 And he called for lights and sprang in, and, trembling for fear, fell down before Paul and Silas,
 30 and brought them out and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

He must have realized that this was the hand of God at work. It is here he must ask the question "what must I do to be saved?" We must notice the response of the Apostles.

31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be saved, thou and thy house.
 32 And they spake the word of the Lord unto him, with all that were in his house.
 33 And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, immediately.

Notice, they heard the gospel,and they were baptized. Wait, did I read that wrong? Does it not say they just "let Jesus into their hearts?" Of course there is nothing like that in the Bible. See our article on baptism (Baptism)
 

34 And he brought them up into his house, and set food before them, and rejoiced greatly, with all his house, having believed in God.

The text speaks for itself. Notice, they "believed in God." Believing in God meant being baptized.

35 But when it was day, the magistrates sent the sergeants, saying, Let those men go.


 We might read a great deal into this that we are not told but I wonder if the conversion of the jailer and his family had reached the ears of the rulers and possibly the whole city. Only the day before Paul and Silas were traitors and now they are being let go.


 36 And the jailer reported the words to Paul, saying, The magistrates have sent to let you go: now therefore come forth, and go in peace.
 37 But Paul said unto them, They have beaten us publicly, condemned, men that are Romans, and have cast us into prison; and do they now cast us out privily? Nay verily; but let them come themselves and bring us out.

These people are in trouble. If Paul had said anything about his Roman citizenship before this we are not told but now he does. They have beat a Roman citizen without due process of law. No Roman citizen might be punished without a trial and those who did so were in serious trouble with the Romans.

38 And the sergeants reported these words unto the magistrates: and they feared when they heard that they were Romans;
 39 and they came and besought them; and when they had brought them out, they asked them to go away from the city.

Verses 38,39

I can well imagine that for once the soldiers were glad they were not in charge. The rulers came in person to let the prisoners out. They were embarrassed that they had beaten a Roman citizen. And yes, please leave town.

 40 And they went out of the prison, and entered into the house of Lydia: and when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them, and departed.


From prison they went to Lydia's house. For more on Lydia, see Acts 16:12-15,40;Philippians 1:1-10.