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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Acts 16:6-15

In these verses we have, I. Paul's travels up and down to do good. 1. He and Silas his colleague went throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, where, it should seem, the gospel was already planted, but whether by Paul's hand or no is not mentioned; it is likely it was, for in his epistle to the Galatians he speaks of his preaching the gospel to them at the first, and how very acceptable he was among them, Gal. 4:13-15. And it appears by that epistle that the judaizing teachers had then... read more

Matthew Henry

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

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Acts 16:6-10

16:6-10 They went through the Phrygian and Galatian territory, but they were prevented by the Holy Spirit from speaking the word in Asia. When they had gone through Mysia they tried to go into Bithynia.; and the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them to do so. So they passed by Mysia and came down to Troas. During the night a vision appeared to Paul. A man from Macedonia stood and urged him, "Cross over into Macedonia and help us." When he saw the vision he immediately sought to go forth into... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Acts 16:11-15

16:11-15 When we had set sail from Troas we had a straight run to Samothrace. On the next day we reached Neapolis and from there we came to Philippi which is the chief city of that section of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We spent some days in this city. On the Sabbath day we went outside the gates along the riverside where we believed there was a place of prayer. We sat down and were talking with the women who met together there. A woman whose name was Lydia, who was a purple seller from the... 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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 16:10

And after he had seen the vision ,.... And considered it, and related it to his companions: and when they had well weighed it, and the circumstances of it: immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia ; they determined upon it, and took all the proper methods, and made the necessary provisions for it. Here Luke, the writer of this history, first appears, saying, "we endeavoured"; whether he came with the apostle from Antioch, since he is commonly said to have been a physician of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 16:11

Therefore loosing from Troas ,.... Or setting sail from thence, which, as before observed, was the Hellespont; which was a narrow sea that divided Asia from Europe, now called Stretto di Gallipoii, or Bracci di St. Georgio: and so Pliny F17 Nat. Hist. l. 5. c. 30. speaking of Troas says, it lies near the Hellespont; and Jerom F18 De locis Hebraicis, fol. 96. K. calls it a maritime city of Asia; and it further appears to be on the sea coast, by what is said in Acts 20:6 , for... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 16:12

And from thence to Philippi ,.... This place is by Appianus called Datos, which was its original name; and by Diodorus Siculus, Crenidae F3 Ptolom. Geograph. l. 3. c. 13. , from the fountains of water, which were many and wholesome, that were about it; and it had its name Philippi, from Philip king of Macedon, father of Alexander the great, who rebuilt it F4 Pausaniae Eliac. 2. l. 6. p. 352. Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 4. c. 11. : it is now vulgarly called Chrixopolis, that is,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 16:13

And on the sabbath ,.... That is, as the Syriac version renders it, "on the sabbath day"; the Jewish sabbath, the seventh day of the week; though the words may be rendered, "on a certain day of the week" agreeably to Acts 20:7 where the first of the sabbath means the first day of the week; but be this as it will, on this day, we went out of the city by a river side ; perhaps the river Strymon, which was near; the Alexandrian copy and some others, and the Vulgate Latin version read, ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 16:14

And a certain woman, named Lydia ,.... Whether this woman was a Jewess or a Gentile, is not certain, her name will not determine; she might be called so from the country of Lydia, which was in Asia minor, and where was Thyatira, her native place; Horace makes frequent mention of one of this name F7 Carm. l. 1. ode 8, 13, 25. & l. 3. ode 9. and it might be a Jewish name; we read of R. Simeon ben Lydia F8 Juchasin, fol. 105. 1. ; and as these seem to be Jewish women that met at... read more

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