CHAPTER 16 It is good for us to bring other help along with the gospel, but without the gospel, little real help is given. 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. The arrival in Europe was clearly seen by Luke as very important. Non-citizens had no civil rights, and were subject to the whims of both the multitude and the magistrates. 24Join these men, go through the rite of purication with them, and pay for the shaving of their heads. The Holy Spirit often guides as much by the closing of doors as He does by the opening of doors. ", "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. There was an old chaplain general of the British Army Bishop John Taylor Smith who used a unique test on candidates for the chaplaincy. Having received such a command, the jailer threw Paul and Silas into the inner prison, and secured their feet in the stocks." a. 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]). We will protest, we may sue, well write to our congressman, take courses in assertiveness training, or whatever it takes to get our rights. Click to enable/disable essential site cookies. i. 2 The brethren who were at Lystra and Iconium spoke very highly of Timothy. 1:20). Let them come themselves and release us. " (Acts 16:35-37). Wise, I: NEW /E OF THE BABYLONIAN TALMU. labours in that city, Lois a jewess, her daughter Eunice, and Timothy THE PRISON OF HIS PRAISES. Later, there was a church in Thyatira also, and it was one of the seven churches addressed in Revelation (Revelation 2:18-29). Waste Pro State LocationWaste Pro of Florida. As G. Campbell Morgan observes, He did not sing because he was to be let out of prison. i. 16-30, Ezekiel 37:21-28). If Paul and Silas had been having a pity party because their rights had been violated and they had been treated wrongly when they were just trying to serve the Lord, they would have been depressed and complaining. Now a certain woman named Lydia heard us. DAMSEL POSSESSED MET US. 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. How can we know when it is right to defend ourselves and when we should simply yield our rights? And she prevailed upon us. Therefore, a most important element in evangelism is asking God through prayer to open hearts, for without this there can be no genuine conversion. med. 17 She followed Paul and us, crying out, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation." 18 And this she kept doing for many days. But Paul, greatly annoyed: Paul was greatly annoyed, and he did not appreciate the free advertising from the demon. WENT TO PRAYER; went towards the place where their public prayers were We have four men who are under a vow. Yet Jesus said that some demons would be more difficult to cast out than others (Matthew 17:21). These cookies are strictly necessary to provide you with services available through our website and to use some of its features. ow DAMSEL. The dyes used for making purple were expensive and highly regarded. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. Then he came to Derbe and Lystra: Paul (and Silas) arrived in Derbe, where he had great success on his first missionary journey (Acts 14:20-21), and in Lystra, where a crowd tried to honor Paul and Barnabas as pagan gods on the first missionary journey (Acts 14:8-20). "ACTS OF THE APOSTLES" Chapter Sixteen OBJECTIVES IN STUDYING THIS CHAPTER 1) To trace the route of Paul . 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. Timothy. GAIN THEREBY. The other prisoners were listening to them. Save yourselves, &c. That is, "See that you lay these things to heart; receiving them with such regard, as the importance of the case requires. Note some of the ways that Paul and Silas were mistreated. masters much gain by the giving of oracles.' 5:18). ii. A slave 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. b. We're also studying 1 Corinthians 1:26-30, an entirely different text, which seems to have been chosen as the capstone of our five weeks of thinking about women in the New Testament. Yet, Paul was forbidden by the Holy Spirit to go there. 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. Tap the title above, next to the arrow, to go to thatpage. He has a greater purpose that we often do not understand. As WE went to prayer - This i "And it came to pass, as we were going to the place of prayer, that. In a vision, Paul was invited to the region of Macedonia, westward across the Agean Sea. So they went out of the prison and entered the house of Lydia; and when they had seen the brethren, they encouraged them and departed. VII. He was told, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house." After such a bad beating, they were put in uncomfortable conditions (fastened their feet in the stocks). They were whipped and put in the inner prison with chains on their feet. She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God. 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? But it is a promise that the Holy Spirit may well make alive to us, helping us to trust Him for the salvation of our families. This girl had brought her masters much gain by fortune telling. His collection of works is called Thiruvachakam. After learning how to become a Christians the jailer and his family were all baptized immediately. Shiva Puranam By Saint Manikka vasagar Translated by P.R.Ramachander (Manikka Vasagar was one of the four great Nayanmars (saivite saints ) of Tamil Nadu , who was a great poet as well as great contributor to the SAivite philosophy. Python". The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul. (13-15) The conversion of Lydia. So passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas. The accusing and abusing of Paul and Silas for it, their imprisonment, and the indignities done them (v. 19-24). A disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's bonds were unfastened. i. At the beginning of Paul's second mission, the Lord directed him to people who were prepared to hear the gospel. A *Christian called _ (G1096) The authorities sent word to let these men go. Praise the Lord is not a nice suggestion; its a command! Had there been ten Jewish men, they would have sufficed to constitute a synagogue. MUCH PROFIT BY FORTUNE-TELLING. was a female slave possessed A SPIRIT OF DIVINATION Pauls courage and wisdom in the face of these obstacles built a great legacy in people like Timothy. 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 . Ephesus would come later, not now. i. Lydia was a churchgoer; the guard was not. b. VII. 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". Now it happened, as we went to prayer, that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling. She didnt do this only once, but for many days (Acts 16:18). 3:1). 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 HEALING OF THE GIRL POSSESSED WITH THE PYTHON SPIRIT (16:16-18). There are still those today who are possessed with a spirit of divination. ( ). with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much There Supplemental Teaching Idea. 5:3-5). 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). Is depression a sin? Just because God is the omnipotent Creator does not mean that He will spare you from intense trials. 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. We need 2 cookies to store this setting. 23When they had laid many blows on Paul and Silas, they threw them into prison. That they sailed straight for Samothrace is quite revealing, because this is a nautical expression that means the wind was at their backs. i. He fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. _for _of a certain woman which was a Jewess, We remember at the end of our study last week there arose a contention 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. view of the recent decision of the council. In their former Now, again on his way to the place of prayer, Paul meets another woman. Introduction. 37:4). 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). prayer, or to the oratory, as they were in the way to it; for this is The magistrates sent the officers: Paul and Silas left the prison (in the protective custody of the jailer) to minister to the jailers household. 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. The next time, they would follow the Roman law! 25But as for the Gen-tiles who . He drew his sword and was about to kill himself, assuming that the prisoners had escaped. Most certainly not! VI. 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. What does Acts 16:16-40 mean? Instead of cursing men, they blessed God. (Stott). A CERTAIN DAMSEL POSSESSED WITH A SPIRIT OF DIVINATION MET US. Upon learning this, the magistrates were filled with fear, because it was a grave offense to treat Roman citizens as Paul and Silas had been treated. Our Christianity should make others want what we have with God. This title, it is generally said, was given to Apollo, on account of his having destroyed a monstrous serpent that . i. _AS WE WENT TO PRAYER_] , possessed with the devil, by whose inspiration she foretold future And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. This is salvation by grace alone, received by faith alone. Now when he had brought them into his house, he set food before them; and he rejoiced, having believed in God with all his household. Acts 15:36-18: . Paul and Silas were not singing so that they could be good witnesses in this difficult situation. (Acts 16:38-40). ACTS 16 COMMENTARY. These cookies collect information that is used either in aggregate form to help us understand how our website is being used or how effective our marketing campaigns are, or to help us customize our website and application for you in order to enhance your experience. The world should see (or hear) our joy in the Lord from the dungeon and ask, Whats with these people, anyway? Then we tell them. The jailer rejoiced greatly, with all his household, having believed in God. (Acts 16:29-34). the place where he was worshipped, (which was afterwards cal 16-18. First, he did the work of strengthening the churches through the regions of Syria and Cilicia (Acts 15:40-41). A demonic spirit who At Lystra he found Acts 2:40. The authorities were full of fear when they learned that Paul was a Roman. 3 Paul wanted Timothy as a companion on his journey. : in R.V., accusative, He was a believer. I think that if they were offering any petitions mixed in with their praise, it would have been, Lord, use this situation for the greater furtherance of the gospel. Paul and Silas knew that God could have prevented them from being beaten and thrown in prison in the first place, but He did not do so. Paul was guided by hindrance. The demonic spirit knows that the presence and power of God is with the missionaries. Our trials do not mean that He does not exist or that He is not loving and good. But the overflow of their worship was witness. Paul, becoming greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, 'I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!' 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. What are some practical steps toward deepening our daily joy in the Lord. 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. He has a greater purpose that we often do not understand. This page is a verse by verse study of Acts 16:16-40. The masters of the demon possessed girl cared nothing for the girl herself, only for their ability to exploit her demonic possession for money. The article, i. missionary venture of the church. But they can read and predict human behavior, and can attempt to steer events towards a previously predicted conclusion. 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'. Was he a masochist, or what? In not escaping, they showed tremendous discernment. For though the Greek noun here is without Many of you have experienced or will experience prejudice simply because of your racial background. Acts 16:30-34 What must I do to be Saved? change in the fortunes of Paul and Silas. b. a. Paul trusted God to work for His purpose and glory, whether Paul got delivered or whether he died in the process. 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. He devised the plan of salvation and sovereignly chose certain individuals to salvation before the foundation of the world ( Eph. The spirit of Christ is to forgive those who sin against us, while at the same time holding them accountable to change their behavior. From the city of Thyatira: Thyatira was well known as a center for this purple dye and fabric made from it. usually made. However, the jailers household was not saved merely because he was; Paul came and spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. Were out of here! And they would have run for their lives. 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. Those who are prisoners in Satans domain of darkness are always listening to and watching the Lords people, especially in times of trial. a. A jailer was charged to watch them. This girl had brought her masters much gain by fortune telling. 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. AGENCY - The auctioneer is acting as agent only and is not responsible for the acts . It is mandatory for all who know His salvation. 31They answered, 'Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.' 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. 3 Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, and he took him and circumcised him because of the . 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). She was possessed by a spirit of divination. Under inspiration by the Holy Spirit, Paul told the keeper of the prison that his household would trust Jesus just as he did. certain slave-girl who had a spirit which made her able to give spirit of divination met us, who brought her Acts 16:19-29 Paul and Silas. Commentary, explanation and study verse by verse. So perfect were the winds that they sailed 156 miles in just two days, whereas returning the other way at a later time (Acts 20:6) it took five days. (Hughes). It would be a very long time before these officials would beat a man without a trial. For the Philippian jailer, Paul did not direct him to counseling. 4:12). Th WELCOMED; ATTESTED; IMPRISONED Commentary, explanation and study verse by verse. May God enable us all, when we are mistreated, to imitate these men of God in entrusting our souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right! IN T _A certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination._ The last time Paul was in Lystra, they first worshipped him as a god and then tried to kill him by stoning (Acts 14:11-20). pp. Paul later wrote of his life: In labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. If our rights are violated, we dont take it sitting down. The Roman emperor Claudius had expelled the Jews from Rome in A.D. 49. When they had brought them out of the prison, they continued pleading with them to leave the city. 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. ", "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. Cultivating joy in the Lord every day is not optional. Commentary on the Book of Acts Paul and Silas: Acts 16. by Ed Rickard. We are next introduced to an incident which led to a decided Home 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. Paul's Macedonian vision. These verses describe Paul's experiences and work with Silas in Philippi, including the conversion of the Philippianjailer. But Paul wrote Second Corinthians to defend his character and his apostolic ministry. Changes will take effect once you reload the page. 17She followed Paul and us, crying out, 'These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us a way of salvation!' Paul is accompanied by Silas (15:37-38), and they are later joined by young Mark (16:1). The fact is, most of us as Americans have never experienced any serious violation of our religious rights. Acts 16:11-15 Samothrace, Neapolis, Philippi. Some have worried that Pauls invitation to salvation here is too easy, and would promote a too-easy faith or a cheap grace. They always are, of course! Chuck Smith Bible Commentary - Acts 2:1-47. Anyone can be happy in pleasant circumstances, but real joy comes only from within, and is a gift available to Christians at all times. The demon inside the girl kept shouting, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved" (16:17). provided that they should be delivered by both Barnabas and Paul, Being his Apostles, Paul and Silas exhibited a scene of Faith during their . _praes. The honourable discharge of Paul and Silas by the magistrates (v. 35-40). A man called Timothy lived in Lystra. I emphasize this first point because it is foundational to everything else. Immediately all the doors were opened, and everyones bonds were loosed. A. Timothy (16:1-10) As Paul and Silas go through Derbe and Lystra, they come across a disciple named Timothy who was spoken highly of by the brethren. As you know, a missionary wife and her baby were recently shot to death and the pilot of their plane was badly wounded when a Peruvian air force plane opened fire on them. Immediately all the doors were opened, and everyones bonds were loosed. 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 . b. damsel Paul and Silas did not sit in jail lamenting, Maybe we missed the signals! Do they now release us secretly? . 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). Acts 12:13. 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. That couple was in Peru to serve Jesus Christ. The demon-possessed girl keeps bothering Paul and his group "for many days" (16:18). The words, literally, are as in the margin, a spirit of Python, or, as Sale Date(s) . They were occult pimps, prostituting her spiritually. i. Having received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. 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). No indeed! FORTUNE-TELLING was forbidden in the OT _CRITICAL REMARKS_ This was as dramatic as it sounds. a. Paul wanted to have him go on with him: Paul was impressed enough with Timothy to ask him to join their missionary team. Acts 16:16-18 Spirit of Divination. Posted: February 16, 2023. This is how God wants our lives to be: Natural magnets drawing people to Him. 30Then he brought them out and said, 'Sirs, what must I do to be saved?' They were singing because their hearts were full of praise toward God and the joy of His salvation. They seized Paul and Silas: Paul and Silas were singled out not only because they were the leaders of the evangelistic group, but also by their appearance, as they were the most obviously Jewish. He knew that it was easier for the gospel to spread from these cities than to these cities. And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved: Pauls answer to the keeper of the prison is a classic statement of the essence of the gospel. "The jailer called for lights and rushed in to the prison. In last Sunday's lesson, Paul met Lydia while he was looking for a place of prayer. As well, the multitude and the magistrates felt free to abuse Paul and Silas because they assumed they were not Roman citizens. With Paul, we should aim at doing all things for the sake of the gospel (1 Cor. Everything else flows from that. iii. Paul does with regard to Timothy. _MARION ADAMS_ The places specially mentioned are Samaria, Azotus, Caesarea, Lydda, the Sharon valley, and Joppa. Let them come themselves and release us. ", "The sergeants reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Romans. But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Do they now release us secretly? illustrates the successful ministry there by a threefold description Commentary on Acts 16 16 34. b. 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. SEPARATOR CAPACITY, 5,000 LB. His captors smashed four of his vertebrae and either cut or burned 18 holes in his body, but they could not defeat him. So he stood on his rights in order to protect the church and the cause of Christ in that city. This was a promise made specifically to the keeper of the prison. Asia does not refer to the Far East as we know it today. 29The jailer called for lights and rushed in to the prison. This sort of treatment effectively terrorizes the population into submission. Verse Acts 16:40. 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. And yet the same mighty power that sent the quake could have prevented the beating and imprisonment in the first place, but did not. [1965-73], 2:149). 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. (apparition, a spirit, a python), not the genitive (). professed to divine, that is to reveal things beyond the reach of David Livingstone wanted to go to China, but God sent him to Africa. Now th ST. PAUL IN EUROPE Paul and Silas beaten. On his first trip, he had come to the towns of Derbe and Lystra; and evidently a young fellow come to Christ. abs._ So the magistrates came begging to Paul and Silas. What's more, Paul and Barnabus have traveled . AS WE WENT TO PRAYER. Timothy agrees and Paul has Timothy circumcised. . It is very doubtful whether, ac AND IT CAME TO PASS AS WE WENT TO PRAYER,. That is, to the house of " 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. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, Come over to Macedonia and help us. The Macedonian man wanted help. By rights, Paul could have had their heads if he had taken his case to a higher authority. 2. This was a big step, perhaps bigger than Paul even knew. ii. frequently, and the party comes to be known. Site Location117 Pembroke Pines-PEM. (10) Satan transforms himself in A pythonical spirit. Doug Bratt. O taste and see that the Lord is good (Ps. It was a strange and wonderful church they left behind in Philippi: Lydia, perhaps the slave girl, the jailer and his household, and others. 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. In Derbe and Lystra again. Lord. Either the quake or Gods miraculous power loosed all of the prisoners chains. i. Bruce translates the phrase, It came out there and then. 1. i. d. Immediately we sought to go: The shift from they (they came down to Troas, Acts 16:8) to we in this verse probably means that Luke joined the band of missionaries in Troas. Rather, they accused them of throwing the city into confusion and of proclaiming customs that were not lawful for Romans to accept or observe (16:20-21). 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. 5:8). Focus on joy in the Lord and dont forget your witness. He was well spoken of by the brethren who were at Lystra and Iconium. iii. The main application of this story for me is to work on having joy in the Lord in every situation. (Acts 16:6) they received a GOOD NEWS FOR EVERYONE