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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 16:4 mean?

Explanation

Acts 16:4 speaks about the process of establishing and communicating church decrees amongst the early Christian communities.

As Paul and his companions traveled through the cities on their missionary journey, they passed on instructions which had been decided upon by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem.

These decrees (or decisions) were likely related to the conclusions of the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15), which addressed the issue of whether Gentile converts to Christianity needed to follow Jewish laws and customs, particularly circumcision.

Literal Meaning:

"As they went through the cities": indicates Paul’s missionary travels.
"They delivered them": Paul and his companions were passing on information.
"The decrees": refers to the decisions made by the apostles and elders.
"For to keep": suggests that these decrees were to be observed by the churches.
"That were ordained": indicates these instructions were officially established and should be followed.

Deeper Meaning: This verse reflects the early church's effort to maintain unity and doctrinal consistency across different congregations, many of which were geographically and culturally diverse.

Top Rated Acts Books

Historical Context

The verse is situated in the context of Paul's second missionary journey, around AD 49-52.

The decisions referred to were likely the outcome of the Jerusalem Council, described in Acts 15, where the early church leaders met to discuss the relationship between Jewish traditions and the growing Gentile Christian population.

The decree probably allowed Gentile converts to be exempt from the full rigors of the Mosaic Law, particularly circumcision, while outlining a few essential practices to be observed for the sake of unity with the Jewish Christians.

Theological Insights

From a theological perspective, Acts 16:4 highlights several key themes:

Apostolic Authority: The decrees are noted to be ordained by the apostles and elders, emphasizing the authority of the early church leaders.
Unity of the Church: The transmission of decrees underscores the importance of doctrinal unity within the diverse early church communities.
Gentile Inclusion: The content of the decrees likely reflects the outcome of the Council's decision not to burden Gentile believers with the entire Mosaic Law, which is an essential development in Christian theology regarding salvation and the law.

Different Christian traditions may emphasize various aspects of this verse, with some focusing on the historical aspect of early church unity, while others may discuss the implications of apostolic succession and authority.

Practical Applications

Acts 16:4 invites contemporary Christians to consider:

Respect for Leadership: The principle of respecting and adhering to the teachings of church leaders and councils.
Seeking Unity: The importance of striving for unity in beliefs and practices within the church community, despite cultural and doctrinal differences.
Embracing Diversity: Encouraging believers to embrace diversity while maintaining core doctrinal truths.

Cross-References

Acts 15:28-29: "For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;"
Ephesians 4:3-6: "Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."
1 Corinthians 14:33: "For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints."

Language Study

"Decrees" (δόγματα - dogmata): Often used in the context of decrees made by a ruler or council.

In this case, it implies the authoritative decisions of the Jerusalem Council.

"Ordained" (κεκρίκασιν - kekríkasin): This is the perfect active indicative form of "κρίνω" (krino), meaning "to judge" or "to decree." The perfect tense implies that decision has enduring relevance.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Similar to the way the early church made efforts to resolve doctrinal disputes and provide guidance to its congregations, many other religions also have comparable mechanisms to establish and communicate religious laws and guidelines.

For instance, Jewish tradition has the Sanhedrin, the ancient high court in Jerusalem, which made binding decisions for the Jewish people.

In a broader sense, many cultures have mechanisms for maintaining societal order and cohesion, whether through religious councils or secular governance.

Scientific Perspectives

This verse itself does not directly intersect with scientific understandings, as it deals primarily with historical and theological concepts.

However, the study of early Christian history, including the spread of decrees and the growth of the church, can be enriched through archaeological discoveries and sociological research into the dynamics of early religious communities.

Commentaries

Commentators have offered various insights into Acts 16:4:

John Calvin: Emphasizes the importance of the decrees as a means of preventing strife and maintaining the order of the Church.
Matthew Henry: Stresses the unity of the church and the obedience the churches showed in receiving the decrees.
**F.F.

Bruce**: Offers historical analysis on the Jerusalem Council and the significance of the decisions made therein for Gentile believers.

Acts 16

Acts 16

What does Acts 16:4 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 16:4 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?