No indeed! a. He was a believer. 39So the magistrates came begging to Paul and Silas. 1028-1061. When that happens, its important to respond the way Paul and his team did. 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. going one way, and then anoth MINISTRY IN PHILIPPI FROM THE HOUSE OF LYDIA (16:12B-40). _Then came he to Lystra,_ as in Acts 14:6. For Christians, the Old Testament statements are enhanced by multiple verses such as Matthew 10:8, Luke 10:9 and 9:2, and Acts 5:16 that say "heal the sick". Acts 16:16. The magistrates were sufficiently humbled, and the public at large, hearing of this circumstance, must be satisfied of the innocency of the apostles. The safety Trainer in partnership with management and Human . Acts 16:12. They came and took them from prison and begged them to leave town. Now, again on his way to the place of prayer, Paul meets another woman. But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Don't harm yourself: we are all here!" (Acts 16:25-28). i. Paul knew that a man will be identified by both his friends and his enemies, and could do without a demonic letter of reference. We may request cookies to be set on your device. Acts 16:12 Acts 16:40 - Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary - StudyLight.org And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house. Commentary, explanation and study verse by verse. Under inspiration by the Holy Spirit, Paul told the keeper of the prison that his household would trust Jesus just as he did. The arrival in Europe was clearly seen by Luke as very important. Clarke's Commentary. . 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'. Lesson 33: Acts 16-20 - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints d. When they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison: After being severely beaten, Paul and Silas were imprisoned in maximum-security conditions (commanding the jailer to keep them securely the inner prison fastened their feet in the stocks). The jailer thought the prisoners had escaped. (16) "_And it came to pass, If we add the article , see critical note: to the place of By making these officials realize that they had committed a serious offense against Roman citizens, Paul insured that they would not trouble the Christians in Philippi. Paul's Macedonian vision. a. Paul wanted to have him go on with him: Paul was impressed enough with Timothy to ask him to join their missionary team. A *Christian called "When the slave girls masters had brought Paul and Silas to the magistrates, they said, These men, who are Jews, are confusing our city, proclaiming customs which it is not lawful for us Romans to accept or to observe. possessed with a spirit of (f) divination met us, which brought her Site Location117 Pembroke Pines-PEM. The demonic spirit knows that the presence and power of God is with the missionaries. c. And he came out that very hour: The idea behind that very hour is that the demon came out immediately. He drew his sword and was about to kill himself, assuming that the prisoners had escaped. We need 2 cookies to store this setting. 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. 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. Americans rejected this call for fidelity to abstract ideals and a balanced budget over the need to help decent people live decently. There were at least two reasons. For all they knew, they would be executed the next day, or left to die a slow death in prison. 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. The Holy Spirit often guides as much by the closing of doors as He does by the opening of doors. the jailor in Acts 16:31-40, commenting on the various characteristics of repentance he possessed or displayed. It was based on their knowledge of a good and sovereign God. There was great indignation that Roman citizens should be molested by strolling peddlers of an outlandish religion. 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. The man must not have lived in the same world I live in! a. Paul and Silas looked Jewish, and Anti-Jewish sentiment lay very near the surface in pagan antiquity. (Bruce) The objection that these men were Jews is even more interesting knowing the Jewish community in Philippi was small. First, he did the work of strengthening the churches through the regions of Syria and Cilicia (Acts 15:40-41). THESE MEN ARE SERVANTS. Ed, Issue 46, Winter 2023. i. Bruce translates the phrase, It came out there and then. When you answered the call of God, you were excited and energized about the possibility of service. divin Acts 16:9. He took them the same hour of the night, and washed their wounds, and was immediately baptized, he and all his household. You couldn't wait to get where you were going or do what you needed . | List Peter echoes this: But to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation (1 Pet. Dont be surprised! (p.40-42, 1998 edition, Lucis Trust) Conversion of the Philippian jailer. 28But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, 'Don't harm yourself: we are all here!' (Acts 16:6) they received a GOOD NEWS FOR EVERYONE 1. Yet, Paul was forbidden by the Holy Spirit to go there. Acts 16 Bible Study Questions (Handout) ACTS 16:1 1 Then he came to Derbe and Lystra. : in R.V., accusative, ii. 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. The encounter with the spirit of divination: Coming to Derbe and Lystra, where he and Barnabas had been persecuted Acts 16:35-40 Magistrates. i. 2 All the believers in Lystra and Iconium said good things about Timothy. About midnight they were singing and praying in the hearing of the other prisoners. iii. In not escaping, they showed tremendous discernment. You are free to opt out any time or opt in for other cookies to get a better experience. A demonic spirit who Full-Time. FORTUNE-TELLING was forbidden in the OT _CRITICAL REMARKS_ ACTSNOTE ON ACTS 16:16 A SPIRIT OF DIVINATION. c. So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and increased in number daily: Paul, Silas, and Timothy together enjoyed great success in their work of strengthening and growing churches. If they had been praying that way, as soon as God sent the powerful earthquake, they would have said, All right! Acts 16 ESV - Timothy Joins Paul and Silas - Bible Gateway Greek. 2 He was well spoken of by the brothers[ b] at Lystra and Iconium. 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. As George Muller put it, the chief business of every day is first of all to seek to be truly at rest and happy in God (A. T. Pierson, George Muller of Bristol [Revell], p. 257). a. Sirs, what must I do be saved? If Paul wished to maintain his links with the synagogue, he could not be seen to countenance apostasy. (Bruce). Luther: The Fallen Sun is more of the same - for better and worse If you refuse cookies we will remove all set cookies in our domain. Acts 16 | NIV Bible | YouVersion The places specially mentioned are Samaria, Azotus, Caesarea, Lydda, the Sharon valley, and Joppa. Acts 16:35-40. It is possible that they didnt have the opportunity, but it is more likely that the Holy Spirit directed them to not reveal it until a certain time. _And he came also _for _then came he, _A.V._ _and T.R. Thus if we want to glorify God, which is the highest goal for the Christian, we must focus on finding joy in Him. i Paul and Silas Imprisoned oracles met us. 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. And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. pp. This was a promise made specifically to the keeper of the prison. Therefore, a most important element in evangelism is asking God through prayer to open hearts, for without this there can be no genuine conversion. Chuck Smith Bible Commentary - Acts 2:1-47. missionary venture of the church. 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. Yet, Paul did not contradict his belief or the findings of the council when he had Timothy circumcised. Are we out of the will of God? Being in the will of God is not a guarantee of protection from trials. Our rights are not as important as our obedience to the will of God. acts-2:40 - Bible Commentaries - page 6 of 6 We are next introduced to an incident which led to a decided _._ Beyer, 45f. Acts chapter 16. 35When it was day, the magistrates sent the police with this message: 'Release those men!' Acts 16:16-40. The decrees John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 8:4-18. At the time Paul met Timothy, he was delivering the news of this decree that came out of the Acts 15 council (as they went through the cities, the delivered to them the decrees to keep, which were determined by the apostles and elders at Jerusalem). 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. and from thence to Philippi, which is a city of Macedonia, the first 2:14). That they sailed straight for Samothrace is quite revealing, because this is a nautical expression that means the wind was at their backs. Also, if he wanted to come back again, he knew that they would not prevent him. prayer, R.V. illustrates the successful ministry there by a threefold description He did not give him a lecture on theology. _for _of a certain woman which was a Jewess, We remember at the end of our study last week there arose a contention Its not enough just to grit your teeth and endure trials; God wants us to rejoice in them! 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. possessed with the devil, by whose inspiration she foretold future Acts 16:40. Acts 16 Commentary; Acts 16; J VERNON MCGEE. Due to the sweetness and greatness of this work, there is a proverb in Tamil which says, "Thiruvasagathukku . Timotheus (Acts 16:1)._ 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." He has a greater purpose that we often do not understand. masters much gain by the giving of oracles.' " Jeremiah 16:16 (KJB) On this episode of 'Rightly Dividing', we are covering a lot of ground tonight and taking your Bible questions as we do it. The great missionary David Livingstone summarized the spirit of Paul when he said, I am prepared to go anywhere, so long as it is forward. (Cited in Barclay). ow DAMSEL. By Jewish law Timothy was a Jew, because he was the son of a Jewish mother, but because he was uncircumcised he was technically an apostate Jew. PDF Salvation in Acts 16: Meaning and missional implication derived from Acts 15:36-18: . 2:20). Due to security reasons we are not able to show or modify cookies from other domains. The greatest blessing is His gift of salvation by His free grace. 3 Paul wanted to take him along on the journey, so he circumcised him because of the Jews who . 1. 18She continued doing this for several days. And fifty days after the Passover, the second major Jewish feast, the Feast of Pentecost, or the Feast of Ingathering. According to the estimate of William Barclay, the first missionary journey finished about five years before the events of this chapter. After such a bad beating, they were put in uncomfortable conditions (fastened their feet in the stocks). Summary. The demon came out that very hour. IN T _A certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination._ Presumably this was because demons gave her supernatural insight into the lives of others. We Americans have a thing about standing up for our rights. 3 Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, and he took him and circumcised him because of the . 29The jailer called for lights and rushed in to the prison. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, Come over to Macedonia and help us. The Macedonian man wanted help. Commentary, explanation and study verse by verse. And on the Sabbath day we went out of the city to the riverside, where prayer was customarily made; and we sat down and spoke to the women who met there. Had there been ten Jewish men, they would have sufficed to constitute a synagogue. . Most certainly not! RV 'And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having The work, under the Spirit, opens to the glory of the She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God. And these disciples expected God to do something! VI. CHAPTER 16 And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplaced unto the rulers. ", "About midnight Paul and Silas, in jail, were praying and singing hymns to God. 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. Acts 16:1-15 To Be Led by the Spirit (McLarty) - Sermon Writer That his mother was a Jewess originally, but believed in Christ; her name was Eunice, his grandmother's name was Lois. Because God said no to Paul these two times, we have a gospel and a Book of Acts written by Doctor Luke. Some have worried that Pauls invitation to salvation here is too easy, and would promote a too-easy faith or a cheap grace. (Acts 16:35-37). This girl had brought her masters much gain by fortune telling. Our Christianity should make others want what we have with God. 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. certain slave-girl who had a spirit which made her able to give 34:3, 8). Praise the Lord is not a nice suggestion; its a command! 36The jailer reported these words to Paul: 'The magistrates have sent a message for your release; therefore come out now, and go in peace.' 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. i. 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 16:11-15 Samothrace, Neapolis, Philippi. ⤓(4) Acts 16:16 to 28:31 (pdf). We need to keep in mind that Paul and Silas did not know the end of this story when they began singing at midnight in the dungeon. Asia does not refer to the Far East as we know it today. Authors Vern and Bonnie Bullough write in The care of the sick: the emergence of modern nursing, that this is seen as an aspect of following Jesus' example, since so much of his public . 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. His collection of works is called Thiruvachakam. God guides us along the way, to just the right place. PDF Bible Discussion Group Study Questions Our trials do not mean that He does not exist or that He is not loving and good. Also, Paul and Silas legal rights were violated. Non-citizens had no civil rights, and were subject to the whims of both the multitude and the magistrates. while Judas and Silas were to confirm them by word of mouth. What should a Christian do when his life has been a poor testimony to those without Christ? At the time, Paul probably had no idea of the greatness of Gods purpose. 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 2. The honourable discharge of Paul and Silas by the magistrates, ver 35-40. i. He comments: The words had scarcely left his lips when she was released from its power.. The first 1:25 is the other). Lydia was prospering in business; the guard was about to kill himself. And when they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to keep them securely. So he stood on his rights in order to protect the church and the cause of Christ in that city. Paul asks Timothy to come with him on their journey, preaching the gospel in Asia Minor. The jailer rejoiced greatly, with all his household, having believed in God. (Acts 16:29-34). They were in, not out, of Gods will. Hesychius defines it as (a spirit of Maybe God didnt mean for us to come to Macedonia. These verses describe Pauls experiences and work in Thessalonica and Berea during his second missionaryjourney. i. In their former some MSS. spirit of divination met us, who brought her 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. This was as dramatic as it sounds. But Paul called with a loud voice, saying, Do yourself no harm, for we are all here. Then he called for a light, ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. usually made. But at this point, Paul says, No way! Commentary on Acts 16:16-34. Her hospitality was touching and a wonderful example. Click to enable/disable Google reCaptcha. Acts 16:16. Acts does not say. They were biased because of their Jewish appearance, and because they assumed Paul and Silas were not Roman citizens. VIII. Now therefore depart, and go in peace.. And this did she many days. SEPARATOR CAPACITY, 5,000 LB. Timothy agrees and Paul has Timothy circumcised. One way or another, Paul and his company got the message. Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Acts 2:40. Paul and Silas would not have been rejoicing in the Lord in the dungeon at midnight under these awful circumstances if it had not been a regular part of their everyday lives. Luke notes that the prisoners were listening to them (16:25). certain damsel met us_ (that is, met Paul and his three companions) Some wrongly teach that we should never defend ourselves, either legally or against aggressive attacks against our character or person. As we went to prayer Or to the place of prayer, mentioned before; a certain damsel met us (that is, met Paul and his three companions) possessed with a spirit of divination Greek, , having a spirit of Python, or Apollo. 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. What are some practical steps toward deepening our daily joy in the Lord. ii. Acts 16 - A Study Guide by Mark A. Copeland _Gen. V1 Paul went to Derbe and then he went to Lystra. Come on, Paul, get realistic! I could handle, Try not to grumble too much. Rejoice always; In everything give thanks; for this is Gods will for you in Christ Jesus (1 Thess. Commentary on Acts 16 16 34 - BEST OF CHRISTIANITY We may assume here t Acts 16:16. That, by the way, is the missing note among Christians in many places today. b. apostle Paul. Acts 16:40 - Meaning and Commentary on Bible Verse - Bible Study Tools The fact is, most of us as Americans have never experienced any serious violation of our religious rights. 27The jailer, roused out of sleep, saw the prison doors open. See 2 Kings xxviii; Isaias viii. i. Lord. They would have missed this great opportunity for witness. It depends on daily cultivating joy in the Lord. This woman was the first convert in Europe, and one might say that the Macedonian man turned out to be a woman. Acts 16 - Wikipedia important truths, when he can thereby serve his purposes. Today, much of what fortune-tellers and psychics do is only a money making sham. 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). Summarize Acts 16:35-40 by explaining that the magistrates sent word to the prison guard to let Paul and Silas go. In Derbe and Lystra again. THE PYTHONESS The Vision of the Man from Macedonia (Acts 16:9). After learning how to become a Christians the jailer and his family were all baptized immediately. _MARION ADAMS_ The wisdom and greatness of Gods plan was beginning to unfold. Lesson 93: Acts 16 - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Acts 16, The Gospel's Power - West Palm Beach church of Christ Tap the title above, next to the arrow, to go to thatlesson with a link back to thispage. Commentary on Acts 16 16 34. 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. Their pure, upright life, deep faith and devotion to God, their gentleness and their wonderful manliness, became a shining example of life for thousands (in Christianity Today [6/21/74]). VIII. a. Paul and Silas show us four aspects of a right response to wrong treatment. With much fear he fell down before Paul and Silas and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" Scriptures: Acts 16:11-15. On the morning after "a great earthquake" (v. 26) strikes a city, there is much turmoil, as people assess . A man called Timothy lived in Lystra. Acts 16:1 - Timotheus; Acts 16:10 - we Lord had . 3 Paul wanted Timothy as a companion on his journey. Entered into the house of Lydia This was the place of their residence while at Philippi: see Acts 16:15.. 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). So passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas. 1:20). The book of Acts emphasizes the power and abilities of the leaders of the Jesus movement. If our rights are violated, we dont take it sitting down. The Extension of the Church to Juda and Samaria (Acts 8:4 to Acts 11:18)The Christians, scattered by persecution, preach everywhere through Judaea and Samaria. Why did Paul do that? What does Acts 16:16-40 mean? Click to enable/disable Google Analytics tracking. Paul later wrote of his life: In labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. Acts 16:16-40 - Commentary, explanation and study verse by verse "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. And when it was day, the magistrates sent the serjeants, saying, Let those men go. b. Sermon: A Gospel Earthquake (Acts 16:25-40) - Chillicothe, OH Acts 16:1-15To Be Led by the Spirit. Paul's plans now seemed to begin to go awry. And we were staying in that city for some days. which Paul witnessed. 1. 4. A CERTAIN DAMSEL POSSESSED WITH A SPIRIT OF 1 Paul travelled to Derbe and then he arrived in Lystra. i. Jewish legal tradition gave a maximum number of blows that could be delivered when beating a person, but the Romans had no such limit. Acts 2:40. 5:11-12). DAY 6 - ASK FOR INSIGHT READ THE PASSAGE Think back through what you have learned each day this week. Commentary: What Do Hitler, Alice Bailey, and Replacement Theology