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Acts 16

Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek:

Which was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium.

Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and took and circumcised him because of the Jews which were in those quarters: for they knew all that his father was a Greek.

And as they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem.

And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily.

Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia,

After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not.

And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas.

And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us.

And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavored to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.

Therefore loosing from Troas, we came with a straight course to Samothracia, and the next day to Neapolis;

And from thence to Philippi, which is the chief city of that part of Macedonia, and a colony: and we were in that city abiding certain days.

And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither.

And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.

And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us.

And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying:

The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation.

And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.

And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers,

And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city,

And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans.

And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them.

And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely:

Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.

And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.

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 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.

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

Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas,

And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.

And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.

And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.

And when it was day, the magistrates sent the serjeants, saying, Let those men go.

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.

But Paul said unto them, They have beaten us openly uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast us into prison; and now do they thrust us out privily? nay verily; but let them come themselves and fetch us out.

And the serjeants told these words unto the magistrates: and they feared, when they heard that they were Romans.

And they came and besought them, and brought them out, and desired them to depart out of the city.

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.

What does Acts 16:11 mean?

Explanation

The verse Acts 16:11 is a part of the narrative describing the Apostle Paul's second missionary journey, which is recorded in the Book of Acts in the New Testament.

This verse highlights a specific segment of his travels, where Paul and his companions set sail from Troas, a city located in the northwest corner of Asia Minor, which is modern-day Turkey.

The group makes a "straight course," implying a direct voyage, to Samothracia, an island in the northern Aegean Sea, and then continues on to Neapolis the following day.

Neapolis, a port city, is located in Macedonia and is known today as Kavala in Greece.

This travel diary entry marks the movement of Christian mission efforts from Asia to Europe.

Top Rated Acts Books

Historical Context

The verse must be viewed in the larger context of Paul's missionary journeys, which took place around the mid-first century AD.

In the narrative, Paul is responding to a visionary call described earlier in Acts 16:9-10, the 'Macedonian call', urging him to come over to Macedonia and help.

So, departing from Troas is in direct obedience to what Paul perceives as divine guidance.

At the time, sea travel was the most efficient means of traversing such distances, and the account reflects typical travel routes of the time.

Following this very journey, Paul's ministry would establish a foothold in Europe, beginning with Phillippi, ultimately leading to the widespread adoption of Christianity across the continent.

Theological Insights

From a theological perspective, Acts 16:11 illustrates the providential guidance of God in the spreading of the gospel.

Paul's immediate obedience to the vision signifies his devotion to God's call.

It also reflects the early church's commitment to evangelism and the belief that God orchestrates missions and opens new doors for the gospel to be preached.

Some theologians see this as demonstrating God's sovereignty in mission work, where the movement of the Holy Spirit precedes and prepares the way for the spread of Christianity.

Practical Applications

The verse can serve as an exemplar of responsiveness to divine guidance.

Believers may draw inspiration from Paul's readiness to follow what he believed was God's direction without hesitation.

It teaches the importance of being open to new horizons in fulfilling one's purposes and shows the value of flexibility and decisiveness when opportunities present themselves.

Furthermore, it conveys that significant changes often start with single steps of faith, encouraging believers to trust in the journey God sets them on.

Cross-References

Acts 16:9-10 - And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us.

And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavored to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.

Acts 20:6 - And we sailed away from Philippi after the days of unleavened bread, and came unto them to Troas in five days; where we abode seven days.
Acts 27:2 - And entering into a ship of Adramyttium, we launched, meaning to sail by the coasts of Asia; one Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, being with us.

Language Study

The key words in this verse are "loosing" (ἀναχθέντες, anachthentes), "straight course" (εὐθυδρομήσαντες, euthydromēsantes), "Samothracia" (Σαμοθρᾴκη, Samothrākē), and "Neapolis" (Νεάπολις, Neapolis).

"Anachthentes" comes from the word referring to setting sail or departing.

"Euthydromēsantes" combines "straight" (εὐθύς, euthys) and "to run" or "course" (δρομέω, dromeō), carrying the sense of sailing directly or taking the most direct path. The place-names are straightforward identifications of geographical locations.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

The significance of sea travel in ancient narratives is not unique to Christian texts.

Many ancient cultures, including Greek and Roman myths, feature voyages that represent transitions, discoveries, or the fulfillment of a divine mandate or destiny.

Paul's journey to Macedonia can also be compared with other religious figures who embark on journeys in response to divine commands, such as Jonah's attempt to flee to Tarshish and his eventual mission to Nineveh.

Scientific Perspectives

From a scientific perspective, the accuracy of the travel details in Acts can be evaluated against historical and geographical data.

The description of a "straight course" is consistent with prevailing sailing routes that would have taken advantage of the region’s winds and currents.

Maritime archaeology and ancient navigation tools also inform us of the feasibility and challenges of such voyages in the ancient Mediterranean Sea.

Commentaries

Commentators on the Book of Acts have pointed out various aspects of this verse.

Some focus on the historical veracity and detail of Luke's account as the author, emphasizing the seamlessness with known facts about ancient travel.

Others highlight the significance of the geographical transition from Asia to Europe for Church history.

There is also discussion regarding the teamwork and the community journey aspect of missions, as Paul was not alone.

In theological commentaries, this event is often seen as a pivotal moment where the Holy Spirit expands the mission field into a new continent.

Acts 16

Acts 16

What does Acts 16:11 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Acts Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Acts 16:11 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Acts Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?