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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 16:22 mean?

Explanation

Acts 16:22 depicts a scene from the missionary journeys of the Apostle Paul and his companion Silas.

Here, they face public outrage and the harsh response of the local authorities in Philippi, a Roman colony.

The multitude, or mob, is stirred up against them due to socioeconomic and religious reasons.

Paul and Silas were accused of disturbing the city and advocating customs unlawful for the Romans to accept or practice.

In response to these accusations, the magistrates (local officials), without a proper trial, have their clothes torn off as a prelude to punishment.

This act signifies a form of public shaming and an intent to humiliate them.

Following this, they commanded Paul and Silas to be beaten, likely with rods, a common form of punishment for non-citizens under Roman law.

This verse underlines the severity of the situation and the injustice faced by Paul and Silas for their preaching.

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Historical Context

During the first century, Philippi was a Roman colony in Macedonia with a population that included Romans, Greeks, and a small number of Jews.

Acts 16 suggests that this incident followed the conversion of Lydia, a seller of purple, and an act of exorcism that Paul performed on a slave girl who had a spirit of divination, resulting in economic loss for her owners.

These events upset the local populace and business interests, leading to the accusations against Paul and Silas.

Roman colonies were known for their strong adherence to Roman customs and law, which explains the severity of the reaction to perceived unconventional teachings by Paul and Silas.

Theological Insights

The verse provides several theological insights.

Firstly, it underscores the cost of discipleship.

Paul and Silas faced physical abuse and imprisonment for their commitment to spreading the Gospel.

Secondly, it reflects the theme of unjust suffering, which resonates with the suffering of Christ.

Their experience aligns with the biblical notion that followers of Christ will experience persecution.

Thirdly, it reveals the power dynamics and opposition that the early Christian missionaries encountered.

It demonstrates that the message of Christianity often disrupted the existing social and religious norms.

Practical Applications

This verse reminds the faithful of the potential cost of following their beliefs and standing up for their convictions. It encourages believers to prepare for and endure opposition and unfair treatment with patience and integrity.

Furthermore, it teaches that one's commitment to faith may lead to conflict with broader cultural or societal norms, urging Christians to navigate these tensions with wisdom and courage.

Cross-References

2 Timothy 3:12 - "Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution."
1 Peter 2:20 - "For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God."
Acts 5:40-41 - "And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.

And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name."

Language Study

In the original Greek text, key words include:

"συνεπήστησεν" (synepestēsen): often translated as "rose up together," indicating a collective uprising.
"στρατηγοί" (stratēgoi): translated as "magistrates," referring to the Roman officials with judicial and administrative duties.
"ἐρρήξαντο" (errhēxanto): means "they tore off," denoting the violent removal of clothes.
"ῥάβδοις" (rhábdois): means "rods," which is the instrument often used for beating as a form of corporal punishment.

Each of these keywords highlights the intense emotional and physical response from the crowd and the authorities.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Comparatively, in many ancient cultures, public humiliation and physical punishment were common ways of enforcing conformity and punishing deviance.

In the Roman world, citizens and non-citizens, like Paul and Silas (though Paul was a Roman citizen, this was not known to the magistrates at the time), could be subjected to vastly different treatment under the law.

Public shaming through clothes being torn off parallels other ancient practices intended to dishonor someone before punishment.

Scientific Perspectives

While there are no direct scientific perspectives on this verse, modern psychology might provide insights into the behavior of the mob and the magistrates.

Group dynamics and the psychology of crowds can explain how an individual's moral judgment might become compromised in a mob, leading to acts of violence like those described in this passage.

Additionally, the understanding of trauma and its psychological and physical effects can shed light on what Paul and Silas might have endured after such treatment.

Commentaries

Biblical scholars and commentators offer diverse perspectives on this verse.

Many emphasize the unjust nature of the punishment and how it reflects the broader theme of suffering for righteous causes found throughout Scripture.

Commentators like Matthew Henry note the abrupt and lawless behavior of the magistrates.

John Chrysostom, one of the early church fathers, reflects on the joy and courage of the apostles amidst suffering.

Modern commentators may focus on the social and political implications of this verse, pointing out the conflict between the message of Christianity and the established order of the Roman Empire.

Acts 16

Acts 16

What does Acts 16:22 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 16:22 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?