Acts 16 Commentary

Paul and his team visit the Galatian churches he planted years earlier. In Lystra, a well-respected believer named Timothy joins them. Timothy’s mother is Jewish, but his father was Greek. Before Timothy sets out with Paul, he undergoes circumcision, so that his witness to other Jews will be acceptable. The letter from the apostles and elders in Jerusalem is handed out to all the Galatian churches: Gentile believers do not need to become circumcised or submit to the Mosaic Law. The churches are strengthened by Paul’s visit.

The Holy Spirit tells Paul not to preach the gospel in the province of Asia or Bithynia. With these limitations in place, Paul and his team make their way to the edge of Anatolia to a port city named Troas. In Troas, Paul sees a vision of a Macedonian man asking for Paul’s help.

Having received a vision telling him to go to Macedonia, Paul and his team sail across the Aegean Sea from Troas to Neapolis. They journey on foot to Philippi, an important city in that part of Macedonia. They go to a river where women are praying and worshipping God. Paul and the others preach the gospel to these women. One of the women, Lydia, a purple fabrics merchant, believes in the gospel, along with her household. She and her household are baptized. Lydia insists that Paul and the others stay in her house while in Philippi.

There is a slave-girl in Philippi who is demon-possessed. The owners of the girl make money off of her possession, because the demon in her speaks fortunes. She follows Paul and his team, shouting that they serve God and preach about how to be saved. The possessed slave does this for multiple days, until Paul, fed up, casts the demon out of her. The girl’s masters are outraged at the damage this will do to their income. They drag Paul and Silas to the chief magistrates of the city. These men accuse Paul and Silas of teaching the Roman populace to do things that are against Roman law. Egged on by the crowd, the magistrates have Paul and Silas stripped, beaten, and imprisoned.

Paul and Silas sing hymns and pray to God while in prison. God sends an earthquake that opens the cell doors and throws the chains off of the prisoners. The jailer rushes in, thinking his prisoners have escaped, and draws his sword to kill himself to avoid punishment. Paul tells him not to harm himself; all the prisoners are accounted for. The jailer asks Paul and Silas what he must do to be saved. He takes Paul and Silas into his house. They preach the gospel to the jailer and the members of his house. All believe, and are baptized. Paul and Silas’s wounds are cleaned, and they are given food. The jailer rejoices.

The following morning, the chief magistrates send for Paul and Silas to be released. Paul refuses to leave the prison. He tells the magistrates’ messengers to inform them that he and Silas are Roman citizens, and that they were unlawfully beaten and jailed. If the magistrates want to release them, they have to come to the prison in person and bring them out. The magistrates are terrified at this news, and personally bring Paul and Silas out of the jail. They beg the preachers to leave Philippi. Paul complies, but first he goes to Lydia’s house and encourages the new church of Philippian believers.