Acts 16:19-40 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Acts 16:16-24

Paul and his companions, though they were for some time buried in obscurity at Philippi, yet now begin to be taken notice of. I. A damsel that had a spirit of divination caused them to be taken notice of, by proclaiming them to be the servants of God. Observe, 1. The account that is given of this damsel: She was pythonissa, possessed with such a spirit of divination as that damsel was by whom the oracles of Apollo at Delphos were delivered; she was actuated by an evil spirit, that dictated... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Acts 16:25-34

We have here the designs of the persecutors of Paul and Silas baffled and broken. I. The persecutors designed to dishearten and discourage the preachers of the gospel, and to make them sick of the cause and weary of their work; but here we find them both hearty and heartened. 1. They were themselves hearty, wonderfully hearty; never were poor prisoners so truly cheerful, nor so far from laying their hard usage to heart. Let us consider what their case was. The praetors among the Romans had... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Acts 16:35-40

In these verses we have, I. Orders sent for the discharge of Paul and Silas out of prison Acts 16:35, 36. 1. The magistrates that had so basely abused them the day before gave the orders; and their doing it so early, as soon as it was day, intimates that either they were sensible the terrific earthquake they felt at midnight was intended to plead the cause of their prisoners, or their consciences had smitten them for what they had done and made them very uneasy. While the persecuted were... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Acts 16:16-24

16:16-24 When we were on our way to the place of prayer.. it happened that a certain slave-girl who had a spirit which made her able to give oracles met us. By her soothsaying she provided much gain for her owners. As she followed Paul and us she kept shouting, "These men are the slaves of the most high God and they are proclaiming the way of salvation to you." She kept doing this for many days. Paul was vexed at this and he turned and said to the spirit, "In the name of Jesus Christ I order... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Acts 16:25-40

16:25-40 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. Immediately the doors were opened and everyone's bonds were loosed. When the jailer woke up and saw the doors of the prison standing open he drew his sword and he was going to kill himself, for he thought that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouted to him, "Do yourself no harm, for... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 16:19

And when her masters saw ,.... As they might by her sedateness and composure; she not being wild and frantic, and not having such motions and agitations she had whilst under the possession of the evil spirit: that the hope of their gains was gone ; the Syriac version adds, "out of her"; namely, the evil spirit which was the ground and foundation of all their hope of gains, they expected to acquire for themselves; that being gone, they had no more work to do, nor tricks to play, nor... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 16:20

And brought them to the magistrates ,.... The same as before; wherefore the Syriac version omits them there, and reads them both together here, calling them the magistrates and chief men of the city; though the word here used, properly signifies military captains, captains of the Roman militia: but that they were the same with the Decuriones, or ten men before mentioned, appears from what Harpocratian says F11 Lexicon, p. 274. , that every year were chosen "ten στρατηγοι ,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 16:21

And teach customs ,.... The Vulgate Latin and Ethiopic versions read in the singular number, "custom or law"; referring to the doctrine of salvation by Christ, in whose name the spirit of divination was cast out of the maid, and whom they took for a new deity; and so concluded that the apostle and his company were introducing a new religious law or custom, the worship of another God: which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans ; for the city of Philippi was a... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 16:22

And the multitude rose up together against them ,.... The crowd of people that were gathered together in the court on this occasion; being no doubt spirited up by the proprietors of the maid, out of whom the spirit of divination was cast, and encouraged by the rulers, and being provoked at the hearing of unlawful customs being introduced among them; and the magistrates rent off their clothes ; not their own clothes, as did the high priest, Mark 14:63 but the clothes of Paul and Silas;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 16:23

And when they had laid many stripes upon them ,.... Even above measure, as in 2 Corinthians 11:35 . They cast them into prison ; designing doubtless to inflict some greater punishment upon them, after they had further examined into their affairs: charging the jailer to keep them safely ; suggesting, that he must be answerable for them, should they escape, either through his favour or his negligence; and they might rather give this strict charge, because they perceived that they... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Acts 16:16-24

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Acts 16:25-34

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Acts 16:35-40

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Acts 16:16-24

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Acts 16:25-40

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 16:19

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 16:20

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 16:21

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 16:22

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 16:23

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