Acts 16 Acts 16:1–8 Paul having circumcised Timothy, and taken him for his companion, passeth through divers countries, Acts 16:9–13 and is directed by a vision to go into Macedonia. Acts 16:14–15 He converteth Lydia, Acts 16:16–18 and casteth out a spirit of divination.

Derbe and Lystra; of these cities see Acts 14:6. Timotheus; who was known unto Paul from his childhood, 2 Tim. 1:5, and accompanied him in many journeys, 2 Tim. 3:10–11, and is called by him, his work-fellow, Rom. 16:21.

Though Timothy was well known unto Paul, yet he would not ordain him without the testimony of others concerning him, of his holy life, and knowledge in the Scripture, 2 Tim. 3:15, which he did excel in.

Circumcised him because of the Jews, who could not yet be persuaded that the law of circumcision was abrogated. Paul, who became all things to all men, that he might save some, circumcised Timothy that he might not offend the Jewish converts, 1 Cor. 9:22, but would not circumcise Titus, Gal.

The decrees; the determination of the council, mentioned Acts 15:20, Acts 15:29. Ordained of the apostles and elders; by common consent, and not of one only, whosoever he were.

Established in the faith; being rightly persuaded in the nature and use of things indifferent; and, in general, of things necessary to be believed. And increased in number daily; so that this visitation of the churches had a double benefit. First, it strengthened them that were already converted.

Phrygia and Galatia were parts of Asia Minor. They were forbidden of the Holy Ghost by some revelation, though the manner is not known, to preach the word in Asia, for that time; though afterwards Paul preached there about two years together, Acts 19:10.

Mysia; a little country near Troas. Bithynia; another province nigh unto the same place, over against Thracia, bordering upon the Black Sea. The Spirit; the Spirit of Jesus, or of God, as some copies read.

Either the relics of the famous city of Troy, or the country thereabouts, in which the city of Antigonia was built.

A man; an angel in the appearance and likeness (in habit and demeanour) of one of that country. Macedonia; a Grecian province in Europe, extending to the Archipelago.

Immediately; as soon as God’s will was manifested, they make no delay, not objecting against the journey. We endeavoured to go; St. Luke, the penman of this book was one of them that went, (the others were Paul, Silas, and Timotheus), and therefore speaks in the plural number.

Samothracia; an island so called, because the inhabitants came partly out of Thrace, and partly from Samos. This Neapolis was a city in the confines of Thrace and Macedonia.

Philippi; a city so called from Philip, the father of Alexander the Great, who repaired a ruined town, and caused it to be called by his name. The chief city of that part of Macedonia; or the first city in the passage from Samothracia unto Macedonia.

In those places where there were not enough to build a synagogue, or could not obtain leave to do it, the Jews in those countries chose more private places to meet in, which usually were near rivers, or by the seaside, removed from the noise and observance of the multitude; and these places were…

Lydia; so called from the country of that name, she being born at Thyatira, a city therein, and now lived with her family at Philippi. Worshipped God; being a proselyte, and one of them who had left the heathenish idolatry, and owned the one only and true God; but as yet unacquainted with the…

And her household; when Lydia had right to baptism, by reason of her faith in Jesus Christ, all her family, whom she could undertake to bring up in the knowledge of Christ, were admitted to that ordinance also; as all the servants, and such others as were born in his house, or bought with his…

Went to prayer; went towards the place where their public prayers were usually made. Of divination; or, of Python, the name of Apollo, from the place where he was worshipped, (which was afterwards called Delphi), and from whom all evil spirits, that pretended to divination, were called Pythons; as…

The devil might be forced by God to confess this; or, he might do it voluntarily by God’s permission: First, To draw men on to believe him in other things, being he commended the servants of God, and spake the truth in this. Secondly, That, by flattering St.

St. Paul was grieved, either for the maid’s sake, who suffered so much by her being possessed with this spirit, or, for their sakes who were seduced by him. St.

Her masters; for she was a servant, or slave; and being very advantageous, might have many that had a share in her. Their gains; the profit could not but be considerable, for they were to come with the rewards of divination in their hands, as they did to Balaam, Num. 22:7.

Magistrates, the same who are called rulers; and the word here shows, that they were under the power of the sword, and ruled by the Romans; though the rulers spoken of in the former verse might be the civil magistrates of the city, and the magistrates here mentioned might be the commanders of the…

There was at Philippi, as appears Acts 16:12, a colony of the Romans, and they were governed by their laws, by which they might make no innovation in religion without the consent of the senate, and afterwards of their emperors; which here these persecutors allege.

The multitude; generality and unanimity alone cannot authorize opinions or practices. Rent off their clothes; Paul’s and Silas’s clothes, to disgrace them the more, or in order unto their being scourged; though some think that the magistrates rent their own clolhes, in detestation of the pretended…

Laid many stripes upon them; partly by the lictors or executioners, and partly by the furious rabble. The jailer; this jailer’s name (of whose conversion we read hereafter) was Stephanas, as may appear if you compare 1 Cor. 1:16 with what follows by St. Luke in this story.

Thus they dealt with Joseph, Gen. 39:20, compared with Ps. 105:18, and with Jeremiah, and with John Baptist. Sanctorum sors est, et non moleste ferenda.

No time or place where prayer is not acceptable unto God, and prevalent with him; nay, it sounds the sweeter when on the waters of affliction a good man pours it forth unto God.

Suddenly; how soon is prayer answered, when the fulness of time is come! So nigh is God unto all that call upon him, Ps. 34:17, Ps. 145:18. There was a great earthquake; an earthquake did usually precede some wonderful matter, as Matt. 28:2.

Awaking out of his sleep, by the earthquake, which being upon an extraordinary occasion, could not fail to do all that God intended by it. Would have killed himself, for fear of suffering a more cruel death; for all jailers, who let any prisoner escape, were to suffer the same punishment that the…

The other prisoners were smitten with amazement; neither did they mind (or it might have been kept from them) that the doors were opened, and their chains loosed: but as for the apostles, the same God who wrought this deliverance for them, might inform them of the intent of it; that by this means…

He called for a light, or lights, which prisons are not usually without. Came trembling: what a sudden and great change can God make! he comes trembling to those feet which he had put into the stocks so lately.

Brought them out, into his own apartment in the prison, or to some more open and free place. Sirs; a term of respect given by the Romans and Grecians to such whom they honoured, as now the jailer did these seemingly most contemptible men.

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ; this is the sum of the gospel. Christ, apprehended by faith, serves for wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, as 1 Cor. 1:30.

Expounding more at large that which they had briefly propounded in the foregoing verse, as concerning the natures and offices of Christ; especially his suffering for our sins, and rising again for our justification.

The same hour of the night; he did not delay to show forth the fruits of his faith, and real conversion. And washed their stripes; which his stripes had made, using such means as might assuage their pain, and heal their wounds. He and all his: See Poole on “Acts 16:15”, See Poole on “Acts 16:32”.

Into his house; which was close unto, or a separate part of, the prison, into which they did ascend, being before in a low dungeon. He set meat before them; Paul and Silas had been long fasting, and in any season of the night it was a mercy to them to have a table spread for them.

The serjeants; their messengers, or officers, which did carry a mace, or a rod, from whence they had their name. Saying, Let those men go; probably being terrified with the earthquake, which if it had not been general, they could not yet have heard of.

Told this saying to Paul; being glad that he might release them. Neither does he bid them go, as desirous to be rid of them; but, not requiring any fees, he lets them go to preach the gospel, and fulfill their ministry, with his prayers and good wishes.

Paul said unto them, the officers who were sent to the prison with the message about their liberty. They have beaten us; the magistrates, who commanded them to be beaten, are justly charged with the beating of them, as if they had themselves done it.

For the Romans (under whom these magistrates were) made it by their laws to be treason thus to abuse any of their citizens. God overruled their fear of man for the deliverance of his servants.

Two things the magistrates had to desire of them: 1. That they would excuse the wrong done unto them, which they feared lest the Romans might revenge. 2. That, to avoid further mischiefs, (as they thought), they would leave the city.

Entered into the house of Lydia; of whom, Acts 16:14. They do not shun dangers, so as to neglect their duty. They comforted them, in respect of the tribulation they had endured, and were still to endure; or exhorted them to prepare for suffering, and to submit unto God in it, and to make a holy use…