Acts 16:11-15

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

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

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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 16:15

And when she was baptized ,.... In water, in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, according to the commission of Christ, by the apostle, or some one of his companions; by whom she was instructed into the nature and use of this ordinance; and very likely it was performed in that river, by the side of which the oratory stood, where they were assembled: and her household ; they were baptized also, being converted at the same time; these seem to be her menial servants, who came along... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 16:11

Loosing from Troas - Setting sail from this place. With a straight course to Samothracia - This was an island of the Aegean Sea, contiguous to Thrace, and hence called Samothracia, or the Thracian Samos. It is about twenty miles in circumference, and is now called Samandrachi by the Turks, who are its present masters. And the next day to Neapolis - There were many cities of this name; but this was a sea-port town of Macedonia, a few miles eastward of Philippi. Neapolis signifies the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 16:12

And from thence to Philippi - This was a town of Macedonia, in the territory of the Edones, on the confines of Thrace, situated on the side of a steep eminence. It took its name from Philip II., king of Macedon. It is famous for two battles, fought between the imperial army, commanded by Octavianus, afterwards Augustus, and Mark Antony, and the republican army, commanded by Brutus and Cassius, in which these were successful; and a second, between Octavianus and Antony on the one part, and... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 16:13

By a river side, where prayer was wont to be made - Οὑ ενομιζετο προσευχη ειναι , where it was said there was a proseucha . The proseucha was a place of prayer, or a place used for worship, where there was no synagogue. It was a large building uncovered, with seats, as in an amphitheatre. Buildings of this sort the Jews had by the sea side, and by the sides of rivers. See this subject considered at large in the note on Luke 6:12 ; (note). It appears that the apostles had heard from... read more

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