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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 16:39 mean?

Explanation

Acts 16:39 is a verse from the New Testament of the Christian Bible.

This verse describes a situation in Philippi, a city in Macedonia, where Paul and Silas, two missionaries spreading the Christian faith, had been imprisoned.

They were put in jail after being accused of creating a public disturbance.

The night of their imprisonment, an earthquake occurred allowing for their miraculous release, though they chose not to flee (Acts 16:25-28).

When the local magistrates heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, they became fearful, as they had imprisoned the missionaries without a proper trial, which was illegal under Roman law.

In this verse, we see the magistrates coming to apologize to them, escorting them from the prison, and asking them to leave the city.

The literal meaning of the verse is the action taken by the city officials to make amends for their legal faux pas.

However, a deeper interpretation may see this as an example of God's providential care for His servants, causing even their enemies to become unwitting agents of their deliverance.

Top Rated Acts Books

Historical Context

Acts 16:39 is part of the account of Paul's second missionary journey, which is believed to have taken place around AD 49-52.

Philippi was a Roman colony in Macedonia, and thus its inhabitants were Roman citizens and the city had its own form of self-government, consistent with Roman laws and customs.

The story indicates the presence of anti-Christian sentiment or a misunderstanding of the new faith.

The illegal imprisonment without due process reflects the arbitrary justice often afforded minorities in the Roman Empire and underscores the protections Roman citizenship afforded individuals.

Theological Insights

The verse highlights the power of God to protect and vindicate His messengers.

From a Christian theological perspective, it reinforces the sovereignty of God, showing how He can use any situation for the fulfillment of His purposes, and how He cares for those who are obedient to His command to evangelize.

Some commentators may also see the verse as pointing to the concept of submission to governing authorities (Romans 13:1-7) until those authorities contradict the will of God.

Paul and Silas comply with the magistrate's request to leave the city, despite their treatment, leading to discussions on Christian behavior under persecution and the relationship between church and state.

Practical Applications

Acts 16:39 can have several practical applications for believers:

As a reminder to trust in divine justice, even when human justice fails. 2.

As encouragement to remain faithful under persecution, trusting that vindication comes from God. 3.

For those who work in government, the verse serves as a caution against abuses of authority and a reminder to respect the rights of all citizens. 4.

It shows the importance of responding peacefully and respectfully to those in power, even when they have wronged us.

Cross-References

Acts 16:25-28 - Describes the earthquake and Paul's initial response.
Romans 13:1-7 - Discusses the Christian's relationship to governing authorities.
Philippians 1:12-14 - Illustrates how Paul's chains advanced the gospel.
Acts 22:25-29 - Paul invokes his Roman citizenship after being arrested in Jerusalem.

Language Study

The key term here would be "depart" (ἐξέρχομαι, exerchomai), which in this context means to go out or away from a place.

The word's use underscores the resolve of the magistrates to maintain public order by removing the perceived source of the disturbance.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In many ancient societies, the mistreatment of foreigners or guests could invoke divine wrath or bad fortune. The magistrates’ fear of negative repercussions may echo this broader cultural understanding.

Moreover, within the Greco-Roman religious context, Paul's ability to survive an earthquake and the subsequent fear and respect from local officials could be seen as a mark of divine favor, parallel to how divine favor was often depicted in other myths and religious narratives.

Scientific Perspectives

The mention of an earthquake in Acts 16 suggests a natural event that occurs in the region. The town of Philippi is located in a seismically active area, which corroborates the biblical description of an earthquake.

commentaries

Biblical scholars and commentators from various traditions offer diverse perspectives on Acts 16:39:

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary emphasizes the magistrates' fear upon realizing their mistake and points out God's sovereign hand in caring for Paul and Silas.
John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible notes that the magistrates' request for Paul and Silas to leave the city was done courteously but also out of fear of further trouble.
The Pulpit Commentary discusses the legal implications of the Roman citizenship of Paul and Silas and how this provided them a degree of protection and ultimately led to the magistrates' apologetic demeanor.

On a final note, most commentaries agree on the providential aspect of the events in Philippi and the demonstration of God's power and sovereignty in caring for His servants.

Acts 16

Acts 16

What does Acts 16:39 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 16:39 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?