A cheerful, joyous spirit does not depend on having wonderful, trouble-free circumstances. i. Strong churches will naturally increase in number daily, without relying on man-centered and manipulative methods. ACTS 16:35-40. You are free to opt out any time or opt in for other cookies to get a better experience. OUTLINE I. TIMOTHY JOINS PAUL AND SILAS (1-5) A. TIMOTHY'S BACKGROUND (1-3) 1. 6:10)? And these disciples expected God to do something! Acts 16:40 - Meaning and Commentary on Bible Verse - Bible Study Tools God may ask us to lay down our rights for the good of another (in this case, for the good of the Philippian jailer). 35When it was day, the magistrates sent the police with this message: 'Release those men!' the servants of the Most High God, (10) And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel Acts 16 Bible Commentary - Matthew Henry (complete) - Christianity Commentary, explanation and study verse by verse. Presumably this was because demons gave her supernatural insight into the lives of others. 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." See 2 Kings xxviii; Isaias viii. This girl had brought her masters much gain by fortune telling. Commentary on Acts 16:16-34 - Working Preacher from Luther Seminary i. Many of Gods faithful saints have died for their faith, but like John Hus, who was betrayed and burned at the stake, they die singing. Pauls action helped hold these men accountable to carry out justice for others who would be accused of some crime. Tap the title above, next to the arrow, to go to thatpage. Since these providers may collect personal data like your IP address we allow you to block them here. b. The Holy Spirit used the courageous praise of Paul and Silas in their terrible adversity. _paidiske._ See note on Acts 12:13. read "a spirit,. Summarize Acts 16:35-40 by explaining that the magistrates sent word to the prison guard to let Paul and Silas go. ACTSNOTE ON ACTS 16:16 A SPIRIT OF DIVINATION. They were not given an opportunity to defend themselves. was no heralding of the gospel which was to transform Europe. i. Luke was a Gentile, and Timothy was only half Jewish. (Acts 16:6) they received a GOOD NEWS FOR EVERYONE ii. Because of Deuteronomy 23:1 (see also Leviticus 21:16-23) some assume that the eunuch would have been forbidden from doing in Jerusalem what Acts says he came to do: worship. b. Her masters saw that their hope of profit was gone: This explains why Paul and Silas were treated so badly. Note some of the ways that Paul and Silas were mistreated. with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much certain slave-girl who had a spirit which made her able to give : in R.V., accusative, We have four men who are under a vow. a. We use cookies to let us know when you visit our websites, how you interact with us, to enrich your user experience, and to customize your relationship with our website. Acts does not say. God still calls people to the mission field, and He may call through unusual ways. Anyone can be happy in pleasant circumstances, but real joy comes only from within, and is a gift available to Christians at all times. What does Acts 16:16-40 mean? Maybe youre wondering, Does trusting God mean that we should never stand up for our rights? If anyone had a right to be angry, they did. apostles went towards the forementioned place of prayer,. His action in the circumcision of Timothy is startling in Timothy Joins Paul and Silas. The jailer then brought Paul and Silas up into his house, and set food before them. This is salvation by grace alone, received by faith alone. Hollywood, FL. Paul asks Timothy to come with him on their journey, preaching the gospel in Asia Minor. ii. The crowd rose up together against them, and the magistrates tore the clothes off Paul and Silas, and commanded them to be beaten with rods. Site Location117 Pembroke Pines-PEM. (Acts 16:20-24). Just because God is the omnipotent Creator does not mean that He will spare you from intense trials. But it was the Holy Spirits plan to lead him there. And behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a certain Jewish woman who believed, but his father was Greek. She followed Paul and us, crying out, These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us a way of salvation! She continued doing this for several days. 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. Studying Acts 16 11-15, 40 - Matters of Interpretation in which the conversion of Lydia occurred, or at another time, is no CHAPTER 16 closing to him as in one way or another he was first hindered from See on ch. Paul wanted to have him go on with him. ( ). David Guzik commentary on Acts 1 describes the ascension of Jesus into heaven and the appointing of Matthias as a replacement for Judas. From there to Philippi, which is the foremost city of that part of Macedonia: Paul here followed a plan to plant churches in the major cities. They would have missed this great opportunity for witness. Acts 16:16-26. Him, that was a disciple of Christ, Paul took to be his disciple, that he might further train him up in the knowledge and faith of Christ; he took him to be brought up for Christ. (Acts 16:38-40). by her Satanic incantations, continues to follow these evangelists day In not escaping, they showed tremendous discernment. He graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary (Th.M., 1976 in Bible exposition) and Califo More, The Net Pastors Journal, Eng. _MARION ADAMS_ He testified, Alone in my cell, cold, hungry, and in rags, I danced for joy every night. During this time he asked a fellow prisoner, whom he had led to Christ before they were both arrested, Have you any resentment against me that I brought you to Christ? The man responded, I have no words to express my thankfulness that you brought me to the wonderful Savior. Acts 16:16. Let them come themselves and release us. " (Acts 16:35-37). Please be aware that this might heavily reduce the functionality and appearance of our site. Baptism was so important that they were baptized "the same hour of the night." And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them. So far, we've seen how the gospel has spread throughout Judea and Samaria, all the way up to modern-day Lebanon and Syria. But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. 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. God is sovereign in the task of evangelism. 2018 David Guzik No distribution beyond personal use without permission. Commentary: Political Ideology Is Pushing Religion Out of Religious (16-40). iii. Clarke's Commentary. Acts 16:1-15 To Be Led by the Spirit (McLarty) - Sermon Writer In last Sunday's lesson, Paul met Lydia while he was looking for a place of prayer. gave information to the slave girl so that she could tell people damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her Biblical Books: Acts 16. EXEGESIS: THE CONTEXT: This is Paul's Second Missionary Journey (49-52 A.D.) as recorded in Acts 15:30 - 18:21. . I emphasize this first point because it is foundational to everything else. pp. _possessed with a spirit of divination_ Greek, 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       |      . secrets, and things to come. For all they knew, they would be executed the next day, or left to die a slow death in prison. For though the Greek noun here is without Peter warns those going through suffering to be on the alert, since the devil prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking to devour us in such times (1 Pet. A disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek. We need 2 cookies to store this setting. When you are treated wrongly, entrust your soul to a faithful Creator in doing what is right. of P And it came about that, as we were going to the place of prayer, a 22The crowd rose up together against them, and the magistrates tore the clothes off Paul and Silas, and commanded them to be beaten with rods. 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. As you know, when he later wrote to this Philippian church from a prison cell in Rome, the major theme of that letter was joy in the Lord in spite of our circumstances. He did not give him a lecture on theology. Under Roman law and custom, guards who allowed their prisoners to escape received the penalty of their escaped prisoners. After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit them. EXALTING JESUS IN Acts (Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary) - GOOD 9:23), because the prisoners will be listening. Studying the book of Acts 16; shows a significant summary of the history, time and relevant details according to the bible's acts based onBenson Joseph - Bible Commentary and reading parallely the bible's version Legacy Standard Bible. a. Paul never specifically called the keeper of the prison to repent because he was already repenting. They may each have carried a copy of his professio or registration of birth, in which his Roman status would have been recorded. (Acts 16:16-19). New International Version. b. The English, on the other hand, although faced with a more benevolent geography, had a preference for clustering close to the Atlantic seaboard until the eighteenth century; only in the Hudson and Connecticut River valleys, and in parts of the Chesapeake region, did settlement of the interior begin from the outset.50 It is a striking commentary . Roman citizens had specific, zealously guarded civil rights. And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. He fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. Was he a masochist, or what? a. But God wanted to give Paul a continent to win for Jesus Christ. c. The magistrates have sent to let you go. Acts 16:16. It depends on daily cultivating joy in the Lord. SPIRIT OF DIVINATION; an evil spirit, under the influence of which she Because these cookies are strictly necessary to deliver the website, refusing them will have impact how our site functions. His captors smashed four of his vertebrae and either cut or burned 18 holes in his body, but they could not defeat him. When they had seen the brethren, they encouraged them: Only after this did they agree to go. John H Elliott - Empires Of The Atlantic World.pdf The work, under the Spirit, opens to the glory of the We note with interest that the Holy Spirit actually forbade Paul to do something we normally think of as good preaching Gods Word to those who need it. By her soothsaying she provided much gain for her to set aside Jewish prejudice. This girl had brought her masters much gain by fortune telling. The Preaching forbidden in Asia (Acts 16:6). Our lives back up the reality of the message. (dep.) Summary. They charged the jailer to keep them safely. We provide you with a list of stored cookies on your computer in our domain so you can check what we stored. ACTS 16:1 Paul was anxious to see for himself how the work of the Lord continued among these churches he founded five years before. i. " 1 Paul came to Derbe and Lystra. nay verily; but let them come themselves and fetch us out. A verse by verse study of Acts 17:1-15. 3 Paul wanted Timothy as a companion on his journey. But to them, the lives of others were more important than their own personal freedom and comfort. Click to enable/disable _gid - Google Analytics Cookie. I'll try to post some notes on that . Studies in the Book of Acts: Acts 16:16-34 - learn.gcs.edu When they had brought them out of the prison, they continued pleading with them to leave the city. One thing I really want to talk about is the best way to use Bible commentaries so you are actually learning how to study the Book for yourself, and not just memorizing the thoughts of the . Second, Paul was concerned about the future of the church and the gospel in Philippi. certain maid having. Paul and Silas show us four aspects of a right response to wrong treatment. And they brought them to the magistrates, and said, These men, being Jews, exceedingly trouble our city; and they teach customs which are not lawful for us, being Romans, to receive or observe. Then the multitude rose up together against them; and the magistrates tore off their clothes and commanded them to be beaten with rods. And now do they put us out secretly? V1 Paul went to Derbe and then he went to Lystra. Then he came to Derbe and Lystra. And when they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to keep them securely. He wrote, We exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us (Rom. It actually says, She had a spirit of Pythona. That does not mean much to most of us, which is why it is not translated literally. the place of prayer, Acts 16:13. Acts 16 | NIV Bible | YouVersion An earthquake opened the prison doors and caused all the shackles to fall off. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. Acts 15:36-18: . Most certainly not! , is added here by ABCE, several others, _Origen_ and 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: Acts 16:17. 39So the magistrates came begging to Paul and Silas. Home We see His mighty power here in the earthquake that rocked this prison. She was possessed by a demon, who gave First, there were the false accusations. Because demons are created beings, not gods themselves, we suppose that they cannot read minds, nor actually foretell the future. The safety Trainer in partnership with management and Human . Paul would be qualified. In line with that, Pauls action showed the entire city, which would have heard about this incident, the spirit of Jesus Christ. What should a Christian do when his life has been a poor testimony to those without Christ? 30Then he brought them out and said, 'Sirs, what must I do to be saved?' As this story continues through the end of chapter 16, the . ii. 16 As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling. She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God. Our Christianity should make others want what we have with God. 2. In light of the economic populism evident in the Progressive-era Social Gospel movement, one might expect religious studies scholars to exhibit some modestly reformist attitudes, but the field is pre-occupied with radical LGBTQ themes. Tap the title above, next to the arrow, to go to thatpage. Others refuse to preach repentance, claiming that this text says that it is not necessary. 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. The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul. The Jewish religion was tolerated, but Jews were prohibited from proselytizing Romans. This was as dramatic as it sounds. 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. "As we were going to prayer, it happened that a certain slave girl met us. Lesson 1: The Path To Joy (Acts 16:6-40) | Bible.org But when it is true and has a supernatural origin (as opposed to clever, insightful guessing), there is no doubt that it is inspired by demons. And this did she many days. We may assume here t Acts 16:16. iii. Instead of cursing men, they blessed God. (Stott). Praise the Lord is not a nice suggestion; its a command! But those vague charges were enough, because both the multitude and the magistrates were biased against Paul and Silas. Yet the Spirit of God directed this work, and Paul wasnt the right person in the right place at the right time to begin bringing the gospel to the Roman Province of Asia Minor. Now therefore depart, and go in peace: If Paul and Silas were released the day after their beating, arrest, and imprisonment, why did God send the earthquake? 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 Even in their pain, God was not far from Paul and Silas. Sermon: A Gospel Earthquake (Acts 16:25-40) - Chillicothe, OH You can download/save a pdf document with all the verse by verse lessons in ActsFacts PartFour, from the middle of chapter to the endofActs. Then he brought them out and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? They answered, Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household. They spoke the word of the Lord to him, and to all who were in his house. 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). I am using the wording of 1 Peter 4:19, which is one of two times in the New Testament God is called the Creator (Rom. On the morning after "a great earthquake" (v. 26) strikes a city, there is much turmoil, as people assess . 26Suddenly there was a great earthquake which shook the prison to its foundations. Either the quake or Gods miraculous power loosed all of the prisoners chains. Lydia was prospering in business; the guard was about to kill himself. You can also change some of your preferences. Being his Apostles, Paul and Silas exhibited a scene of Faith during their . a. (G3814) DISCOURSE: 1786 This i. Lydia was a churchgoer; the guard was not. O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together. How can a person be sorrowful yet always rejoicing (2 Cor. A description of Philippi. 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). c. Ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas: This hardened keeper of the prison fell down trembling. Hesychius defines it as (a spirit of Bible - Wikipedia Spirit of divination [ ]. The main application of this story for me is to work on having joy in the Lord in every situation. The demon-possessed girl keeps bothering Paul and his group "for many days" (16:18). Python, in the Greek mythology, was the serpent b. It is written in the scriptures that no one can please God without faith. The believers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him. When they had laid many blows on Paul and Silas, they threw them into prison. They comforted them, and departed. Three stories in the Bible help us to distinguish three kinds of belief. i. Bruce translates the phrase, It came out there and then. There were at least two reasons. As well, the multitude and the magistrates felt free to abuse Paul and Silas because they assumed they were not Roman citizens. Tap the title above, next to the arrow, to go to thatlesson with a link back to thispage. Her hospitality was touching and a wonderful example. Maybe God didnt mean for us to come to Macedonia. According to the estimate of William Barclay, the first missionary journey finished about five years before the events of this chapter. The Waste Pro Southeast Florida Safety Trainer is responsible for ensuring all operational personnel are trained to company standards. c. The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul: Before Lydia was converted (as demonstrated by her baptism), the Lord opened her heart. 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. It refers to the Roman Province of Asia Minor, which is modern day Turkey. 17She followed Paul and us, crying out, 'These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us a way of salvation!' After their baptism into Christ they were filled with great joy. Acts 16 - EasyEnglish Bible (EASY) Acts 16:12. i. b. 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.". a. Commentary on Acts 16:16-34. Acts 16:25-40 (ESV) 25 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. Thus Paul could say that the life he now lived in the flesh, he lived by faith in the Son of God who loved him and gave Himself for him (Gal. Oxford University Press. between Paul and Barnabas who had been close companions on the first Sermon #7 . a. Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! (Phil. see critical note, a spirit, a Python, margin, _i.e._, a The first . It is good for us to bring other help along with the gospel, but without the gospel, little real help is given. 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. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: In Troas, God made Pauls direction clear. ; _to Lystra Immediately all the doors were opened, and everyones bonds were loosed. She followed Paul and us, crying out, These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us a way of salvation! She continued doing this for several days. 4:13). When her masters saw that their means of gain was gone they took Paul and Silas before their rulers and charged them with teaching rules of living that were unlawful. And yet the two missionaries were falsely accused, beaten, and thrown into the inner prison, with their feet locked into the stocks, without any semblance of a trial. A. 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. 1. a. Paul and Silas, their rights having been violated and their backs torn open, their feet in the stocks and locked in the dark inner prison, were praying and singing hymns of praise to God at midnight (16:25)! Supplemental Teaching Idea. If you do not want that we track your visit to our site you can disable tracking in your browser here: We also use different external services like Google Webfonts, Google Maps, and external Video providers. On his first trip, he had come to the towns of Derbe and Lystra; and evidently a young fellow come to Christ. Its not enough just to grit your teeth and endure trials; God wants us to rejoice in them! These verses describe Pauls experiences and work in Thessalonica and Berea during his second missionaryjourney. When they had brought them out of the prison, they continued pleading with them to leave the city. So, they came down to Troas. Acts 16:16-24. They have beaten us openly, uncondemned Romans: Because Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, they had recognized civil rights, which were violated by the Philippian magistrates. Why didnt Paul and Silas reveal their Roman citizenship earlier? And yet the same mighty power that sent the quake could have prevented the beating and imprisonment in the first place, but did not. a. b. It is mandatory for all who know His salvation. THE PRISON OF HIS PRAISES. Acts 16 is the sixteenth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. 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. The demon-possessed slave girl preached for Paul, giving a demonic testimony to their divine credentials and their message. ii. Suddenly there was a great earthquake which shook the prison to its foundations. This was a strong, godly man, leading a strong, godly team. Lit., a . THE HEALING OF THE GIRL POSSESSED WITH THE PYTHON SPIRIT (16:16-18). Acts of the Apostles - 423 pages Pdf (includes the following notes) Acts Commentary 15:36-16:10; Acts Commentary 16:11-24; Acts Commentary 16:25-40; HENRY MORRIS. Acts 16:40 Parallel Verses [ See commentary ] Acts 16:40, NIV: After Paul and Silas came out of the prison, they went to Lydia's house, where they met with the brothers and sisters and encouraged them.Then they left.