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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 16:14 mean?

Explanation

Acts 16:14 introduces us to Lydia, a woman from Thyatira who sold purple cloth, which was a luxury item in the ancient world often associated with wealth and royalty.

The verse also indicates that Lydia was a "worshipper of God," suggestive of her being a Gentile who had turned to the Jewish faith (a God-fearer), someone who recognized the God of the Jews without being a full convert to Judaism.

Significantly, it is portrayed that God actively participated in her conversion by opening her heart to pay attention to what Paul was preaching. This encounter led to Lydia embracing the Christian faith, which implies a divine prompting that goes beyond mere intellectual persuasion.

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Historical Context

The city of Thyatira was known for its trade guilds, among which was the dyers' guild that specialized in purple dye, extracted from the murex shellfish.

This labor-intensive process made purple dye an expensive commodity.

Trading such a product, Lydia would likely have been a person of some status within her community.

Acts 16:14 occurs during Paul's second missionary journey, around 50-52 AD, depicted in the Acts of the Apostles, a book in the New Testament focusing on the spread of Christianity after the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Theological Insights

From a theological standpoint, the idea that the "Lord opened" Lydia's heart accentuates God's role in the process of conversion, an interpretation consistent with certain Christian doctrines, which emphasize divine grace as the origin of faith.

Moreover, Lydia's subsequent actions as a believer, that of hospitality and supporting Paul's ministry, reflect the transformative impact of embracing faith.

Practical Applications

Lydia's story can inspire believers to be receptive to divine influence and to consider the role of providence in their lives.

Additionally, her immediate response to act upon her newfound faith by offering hospitality teaches the importance of putting faith into action through good works and support for the faith community.

Cross-References

Acts 18:3 – Paul meets Priscilla and Aquila, tentmakers and fellow believers, emphasizing the role of marketplace professions in early Christian communities.
Revelation 1:11 – Thyatira is one of the seven churches of Asia mentioned in the Book of Revelation.
Acts 8:26-38 – The story of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch also includes divine guidance leading to conversion.

Language Study

The key word in this verse is "opened" (Greek: διήνοιξεν, diēnoixen), which signifies to 'open thoroughly,' often used metaphorically as opening one's mind or understanding.

Another term of significance is "worshiped" (Greek: σεβομένη, sebomene), indicating reverence and piety toward God, without necessarily being a full proselyte to Judaism.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In other ancient religions and mythologies, divine encounters often led to significant personal transformation or bestowed special roles upon individuals, such as in Greek myths where gods would intervene in mortal lives for various purposes.

Scientific Perspectives

Although modern science understands religious experiences within the frameworks of psychology and neurology, it typically does not render judgment on the supernatural aspects of such experiences.

From the perspective of anthropology and sociology, the spread of religious beliefs can be seen as part of the cultural diffusion and social cohesion within communities.

Commentaries

Commentary from biblical scholars on Acts 16:14 highlights Lydia's significant role as possibly the first European convert to Christianity and the establishment of a Christian community in her house, which formed the basis for the church in Philippi.

Scholars also note the socioeconomic implications of her being a businesswoman and how her conversion might have affected her status in the local commerce-driven society.

Acts 16

Acts 16

What does Acts 16:14 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 16:14 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?