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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 16:40 mean?

Explanation

The verse Acts 16:40 describes the actions of the Apostle Paul and Silas after their miraculous release from prison in the city of Philippi.

Having been imprisoned for casting a spirit of divination out of a slave girl and after surviving an earthquake that opened the prison doors (as detailed in the earlier parts of Acts 16), they were asked by the authorities to leave the city.

Instead of immediately departing, Paul and Silas visited Lydia’s house where they met with fellow believers.

Lydia, mentioned earlier in Acts 16 as a wealthy convert and the seller of purple cloth, had her home serve as a place of gathering for the local Christian community.

In visiting the brethren, Paul and Silas offered comfort and encouragement after what had undoubtedly been a disturbing and tumultuous time.

After this, they departed, presumably to continue their missionary work.

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Historical Context

Acts 16:40 occurs within the narrative of Paul's Second Missionary Journey (around AD 49-52).

The context of this verse is the establishment of the church in Philippi, a Roman colony in Macedonia.

Earlier in the chapter, Lydia's conversion is mentioned as the first recorded conversion in Europe.

The imprisonment of Paul and Silas comes after they disrupted the economic interests of those using the slave girl for profit.

Although Roman citizens, they were beaten and imprisoned without trial, a breach of their civil rights.

Paul strategically discloses his Roman citizenship at a critical moment after their release had been ordered, leading to a public apology from the authorities and a release on more respectful terms.

Theological Insights

From different theological perspectives, this verse can be interpreted as showing the importance of community and fellowship among believers.

Some may see the comfort provided by Paul and Silas assuring the believers that persecution can be endured with faith.

Others might consider it an example of pastoral care, where leaders are called to comfort and support their flock, especially after hardship.

The house church, as Lydia's home appears to be, is an example of the early Christian’s practice of meeting in private homes rather than dedicated buildings.

There is also a theme of resilience in preaching the gospel regardless of obstacles faced, such as imprisonment.

Practical Applications

Practically, this verse underscores the importance of the fellowship of believers and the need for community support after trials and persecutions. It encourages the faithful to seek out and offer comfort to each other, reaffirming the bond that holds the community together.

Furthermore, the actions of Paul and Silas remind modern readers to prioritize the well-being of others, even after personal hardships.

Cross-References

Acts 16:14-15 details Lydia's conversion and her baptism, demonstrating the beginning of her vital role in the Philippian church.
Acts 16:25-34 narrates Paul and Silas's imprisonment and the subsequent conversion of the Philippian jailer, emphasizing the spread of the gospel even in dire circumstances.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 ("Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do"), which instructs believers to comfort one another, mirroring Paul and Silas's actions.
Hebrews 10:24-25 ("And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching"), emphasizing the importance of gathering and encouraging one another.
Romans 12:13 ("Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality"), which underlines Lydia's role in offering her home for the believers to meet and be comforted.

Language Study

"Prison": Derived from the Greek word "phylakē," which can refer to both a prison and a place of temporary custody.

This term emphasizes the plight faced by Paul and Silas.

"Entered into the house of Lydia": The term "entered" in Greek is "eisēlthon," suggests a deliberate act, tying in with the sense that they made a conscious decision to visit Lydia's house despite the risk.
"Comforted": The Greek word "parakaleō" not only means to comfort but also to exhort or encourage.

It implies a strengthening of resolve or spirit, which provides deeper insight into the kind of support they were offering to the believers.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Acts 16:40 can be contrasted with practices from other ancient religions where gods were not considered to provide comfort or directly intervene in the lives of their followers.

In contrast, the actions of Paul and Silas reflect the Christian ideal of a personal and caring God who is concerned with the suffering of believers.

Additionally, the concept of house churches differs from the grand temples and structured priestly hierarchy that were characteristic of many ancient religions.

Scientific Perspectives

While the verse does not directly relate to scientific matters, the context of the earthquake mentioned earlier in Acts 16 could be of interest.

Modern science would explain the earthquake as a natural tectonic event, while the text presents it as a divine intervention for the release of Paul and Silas.

Additionally, the psychological and social benefits of community support and comfort after traumatic experiences are well-documented in modern psychology, supporting the actions taken by Paul and Silas from a scientific standpoint.

Commentaries

Commentaries on this verse generally reinforce the idea of Christian fellowship and pastoral care.

For example, Matthew Henry’s Commentary emphasizes the “duty of ministers to visit their flocks,” and the importance of standing by fellow Christians in times of affliction.

The Expositor's Greek Testament comments on the strategic wisdom of Paul in first visiting the brethren before leaving the city, thus avoiding any appearance of having been chased away by the authorities.

Additionally, experts point out that Acts 16:40 encapsulates the resilience of the early Christian community and the pastoral responsibilities of its leaders.

Acts 16

Acts 16

What does Acts 16:40 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 16:40 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?