The accusing and abusing of Paul and Silas for it, their imprisonment, and the indignities done them (v. 19-24). He was told, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house." (Acts 16:20-24). i Paul and Silas Imprisoned : in R.V., accusative, You always can block or delete cookies by changing your browser settings and force blocking all cookies on this website. Was he a masochist, or what? A certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination brought her masters much profit: This girl, though demon possessed, was a source of money for her owners as a fortune teller. We will protest, we may sue, well write to our congressman, take courses in assertiveness training, or whatever it takes to get our rights. By her soothsaying she provided much gain for her b. Prayers and praises unto God at midnight, in the midst of a brutal prison. Commentary on Acts 16:16-34. And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. 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. damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her The greatest help we can bring anyone is the life-changing gospel of Jesus Christ. OF DIVINATION; or, of Python, the name of Apollo, from 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. Acts 16:16. God may ask us to lay down our rights for the good of another (in this case, for the good of the Philippian jailer). She was possessed by a spirit of divination. This page is a verse by verse study of Acts 16:16-40. On his first trip, he had come to the towns of Derbe and Lystra; and evidently a young fellow come to Christ. Since these providers may collect personal data like your IP address we allow you to block them here. 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. That convicts me of my lack of joy and my grumbling over the minor irritations in my life! professed to divine, that is to reveal things beyond the reach of 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. _AS WE WENT TO PRAYER_] , So the magistrates came begging to Paul and Silas. He has a greater purpose that we often do not understand. 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. masters much gain by soothsaying: 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. nay verily; but let them come themselves and fetch us out. The accusing and abusing of Paul and Silas for it, their imprisonment, and the indignities done them, ver 19-24. VIII. We fully respect if you want to refuse cookies but to avoid asking you again and again kindly allow us to store a cookie for that. med. ACTS 16 COMMENTARY. No single worker in Gods kingdom is irreplaceable. There was great indignation that Roman citizens should be molested by strolling peddlers of an outlandish religion. Commentary on the Book of Acts Paul and Silas: Acts 16. by Ed Rickard. 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. with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much Maybe God didnt mean for us to come to Macedonia. God still calls people to the mission field, and He may call through unusual ways. The article, 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. 1 Corinthians 15:3-8 (ESV) For I delivered to you as of first impo Those charges were simply not true. You are free to opt out any time or opt in for other cookies to get a better experience. They had a daily habit of mentally focusing on how great and wonderful God is, and on the many blessings that He daily heaps on His children. Timothy had a believing mother with a Jewish background (son of a certain Jewish woman who believed), and a (presumably) unbelieving Greek father. 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. He knew that it was easier for the gospel to spread from these cities than to these cities. as we were going to prayer, there met us a certain female serv And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed And the prisoners were listening to them: What a strange sound this was to the other prisoners! 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. Tap the title above, next to the arrow, to go to thatpage. He fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. ii. (Acts 16:29-34). Roman citizens had specific, zealously guarded civil rights. Acts 16:12 (13-15) The conversion of Lydia. One could see Christ reflected in their faces. Otherwise you will be prompted again when opening a new browser window or new a tab. They came and pleaded with them and brought them out, and asked them to depart from the city: The magistrates acted as politicians often act by instinct. It's one of those chapters that you always remember - just the record along of Lydia and her marvelous liberation. They elected Franklin Roosevelt, and he and the Democratic Party remade America so thoroughly that it is unthinkable for all but the most doctrinaire libertarians to speak of returning to the system of "ordered liberty" that existed in Hoover's time, a . Suddenly there was a great earthquake which shook the prison to its foundations. Click on the different category headings to find out more. usually made. 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. Hesychius defines it as (a spirit of Acts 16 Commentary; Acts 16; J VERNON MCGEE. (Acts 16:25-28). In Pauls mind, he wanted to reach a few cities in his region. Timothy lived there. But it was the Holy Spirits plan to lead him there. 2 The believers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him. Thats how it always should be. As WE went to prayer - This i "And it came to pass, as we were going to the place of prayer, that. AND IT CAME TO PASS, AND WE WENT TO PRA 40 Silas was almost necessary as a companion for Paul. (Acts 16:16-19). He must let go of his own separative tendencies and of his deep sense of persecution. 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. So the correct text with accusative We Americans have a thing about standing up for our rights. CONVERSION AND BAPTISM OF LYDIA. | List DIVINATION.Better, _a female slave_ (Galatians 4:22) _having the to set aside Jewish prejudice. Either the quake or Gods miraculous power loosed all of the prisoners chains. They were all saved because they all trusted the word of God and the Jesus revealed to us through the word. a. Paul wanted to have him go on with him: Paul was impressed enough with Timothy to ask him to join their missionary team. David Guzik commentary on Acts 1 describes the ascension of Jesus into heaven and the appointing of Matthias as a replacement for Judas. (16) "_And it came to pass, i. Paul didnt set out to go to Troas. He comments: The words had scarcely left his lips when she was released from its power.. certain slave-girl who had a spirit which made her able to give Having received such a command, the jailer threw Paul and Silas into the inner prison, and secured their feet in the stocks." (Acts 16:6) they received a GOOD NEWS FOR EVERYONE 1. Demons cast out of a damsel. What should a Christian do when his life has been a poor testimony to those without Christ? A certain disciple was there, named Timothy: In the time since Paul had been to Lystra, a young man named Timothy had been serving the Lord (He was well spoken of by the brethren). This girl had brought her masters much gain by fortune telling. b. 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. If they couldnt do it within three minutes, they werent fit for the chaplains service. Having received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway. Timothy. First, Paul was concerned for justice for all people, and what these magistrates had done was grossly unjust. 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. Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas. Acts does not say. ii. FORTUNE-TELLING was forbidden in the OT _CRITICAL REMARKS_ [1965-73], 2:149). 39So the magistrates came begging to Paul and Silas. EXALTING JESUS IN Acts (Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary) - GOOD - $16.40. b. Were out of here! And they would have run for their lives. If anyone had a right to be angry, they did. 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). change in the fortunes of Paul and Silas. b. Lydia was a seller of purple: Anyone who was a seller of purple dealt in a valued, luxurious product. But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Acts 16:16-24. So far, we've seen how the gospel has spread throughout Judea and Samaria, all the way up to modern-day Lebanon and Syria. 29The jailer called for lights and rushed in to the prison. With much fear he fell down before Paul and Silas and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" | Topics Sermon #7 . When they had laid many blows on Paul and Silas, they threw them into prison. part. Development structures variation and, consequently, the ways in which a population can respond to selection (1-4).The direction with the greatest amount of variation is termed the "line of least resistance" (LLR) (5-7).The LLR represents the direction of greatest potential for evolutionary change because it contains the . Paul and Silas travel to Derbe and Lystra, where they meet Timothy 2. The jailer rejoiced greatly, with all his household, having believed in God. (Acts 16:29-34). Our rights are not as important as our obedience to the will of God. ⤓(4) Acts 16:16 to 28:31 (pdf). We are next introduced to an incident which led to a decided Are we out of the will of God? Being in the will of God is not a guarantee of protection from trials. 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. masters much gain by soothsaying"Going to the place of prayer" Ac 16-24 Satan, though the father of lies, will declare the most frequently, and the party comes to be known. ii. 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). b. , . 16-30, Ezekiel 37:21-28). He uses circumcision in all liberty i. Luke was a Gentile, and Timothy was only half Jewish. 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). Acts 16:12-40 This title, it is generally said, was given to Apollo, on account of his having destroyed a monstrous serpent that . The jailer then brought Paul and Silas up into his house, and set food before them. 16. The decrees THE PYTHONESS The Gospel in Europe EXORCISM OF A POSSESSED GIRL. _praes. i. RV 'And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having Ver. was a female slave possessed A SPIRIT OF DIVINATION From 1977-1992 he was the pastor of Lake Gregory Community Church in Crestline, California. Click to enable/disable Google reCaptcha. Suddenly there was a great earthquake which shook the prison to its foundations. 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. David Livingstone wanted to go to China, but God sent him to Africa. Acts 1:8 Commentary; Acts 20:17-27 Commentary; Acts 20:28-38 Commentary; COMMENTARIES AND OTHER RESOURCES THAT CAN BE BORROWED FROM ARCHIVE.ORG. The arrival in Europe was clearly seen by Luke as very important. You couldn't wait to get where you were going or do what you needed . i. His mother was a Jew who had become a believer in Jesus. _Then came he to Lystra,_ as in Acts 14:6. 4:12). 1. a. Our series on Acts and the early church continues with the beginning of Paul's second missionary journey. 33He took them the same hour of the night, and washed their wounds, and was immediately baptized, he and all his household. Acts 16:16. They were physically attacked in an inhumane way. a. c. And he rejoiced: This man was carried from suicidal fear to abounding joy in just a few minutes. i. A. | Next Tap the title above, next to the arrow, to go to thatlesson with a link back to thispage. b. I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her: Jesus cast out demons with His own authority. 34The jailer then brought Paul and Silas up into his house, and set food before them. He pointed this obviously repentant man to faith in Jesus Christ. Increasingly, our religious rights are being violated in the interest of so-called neutrality. Recently, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that nude dancing was entitled to considerable legal protection as expressive behavior, but they struck down student elections permitting speech that might be used for prayer prior to high school football games. Why didnt Paul and Silas reveal their Roman citizenship earlier? 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)! 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. ACTS 16:35-40. The honourable discharge of Paul and Silas by the magistrates (v. 35-40). Acts 16:6-10 Phrygia, Bithynia, Mysia. 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. IN T _A certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination._ 18She continued doing this for several days. i. These verses describe Paul's experiences and work with Silas in Philippi, including the conversion of the Philippianjailer. A with ABCD. So many professing Christians are grumbling, discontented people. The Python was the s ACTSNOTE ON ACTS 16:11 Philippi was the first Macedonian city in And the keeper of the prison, awaking from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself. ANGER OF THOSE WHO MADE He drew his sword and was about to kill himself, assuming that the prisoners had escaped. Our Christianity should make others want what we have with God. If it had been America, they would have sued and had the magistrates removed from office. Paul and Silas show us four aspects of a right response to wrong treatment. ii. If I radiate His joy because I have entrusted my soul to Him, the faithful Creator, then even when Im wrongly treated, He will be glorified and others will be drawn to the Savior. Let them come themselves and get us out. And the officers told these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Romans. CONTENTS: Paul finds Timothy. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. _Gen. The jailer then saw that all the prisoners were still there. i. 30Then he brought them out and said, 'Sirs, what must I do to be saved?' 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 . Copyright, Steven J. Cole, 2001, All Rights Reserved. 16. Have students review Acts 16:1-5 and look for answers to the following: (Acts 16:35-37). Paul later wrote of his life: In labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. Sailing from Troas: Paul and his missionary team (now including Luke) had to sail across the Agean Sea, from the continent of Asia to the continent of Europe. From the city of Thyatira: Thyatira was well known as a center for this purple dye and fabric made from it. 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. This was a big step, perhaps bigger than Paul even knew. If you do, then the next issue is to pray, Lord, use this difficult situation for Your glory to further Your purpose. Whenever Paul wrote as a prisoner, he never said, Paul, a prisoner of that scoundrel Caesar who has unjustly put me in prison! No, it was always, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus. He trusted in the sovereign and all-powerful God, who easily could overrule Caesar if He so chose. 2 The brethren who were at Lystra and Iconium spoke very highly of Timothy. Why did Paul do that? ii. He graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary (Th.M., 1976 in Bible exposition) and Califo More, The Net Pastors Journal, Eng.