ESV Global Study Bible :: Footnotes for Acts 16

Acts 16:1 Probably Timothy, his mother, and his grandmother had been led to Christ during Paul’s first witness in Lystra (14:8–23; see 2 Tim. 1:5). Having a Greek father, Timothy had not been circumcised, though by Jewish law the child of a Gentile father and Jewish mother was considered Jewish.

Acts 16:3 because of the Jews who were in those places. Paul always began in the synagogues. Having an uncircumcised Jew with him would have made any witness to Jews much more difficult.

Acts 16:4 The decisions of the Jerusalem council were addressed specifically to believers in Antioch and throughout Syria and Cilicia (15:23). Since the issue of Gentile converts affected all the churches, Paul reported those decisions as he traveled through other cities as well.

Acts 16:6–7 Paul proceeded farther west into Phrygia. Had he continued in that direction he would have traveled through Asia. The Spirit of Jesus (the Holy Spirit) prevented this, and he went north through Mysia. He was also prevented from witnessing in Bithynia.

Acts 16:8 Troas was an Aegean port 14 miles (23 km) south of ancient Troy. It was the primary Asian harbor for ships destined for Macedonia.

Acts 16:9 a vision . . . a man. See 7:31; 9:10; 10:3; 12:9; 18:9. Though not far from Troas in nautical miles, Macedonia was considered part of Europe.

Acts 16:10 we. Most likely at this point Luke, the author of Acts, joined the missionary group.

Acts 16:11–40 Philippi was the first Macedonian city in which Paul witnessed.

Acts 16:11 Samothrace was an island on the direct route between Troas and Neapolis. It was the port for Philippi, which lay 8.5 miles (14 km) inland. Paul’s ship would likely have stopped (probably simply to anchor offshore for the night) on the north side of Samothrace. Neapolis was on a natural harbor still in use today.

Acts 16:12 Philippi was a Roman colony, the most privileged status for provincial cities.

Acts 16:13 Few Jews lived in Philippi. Like Lydia, the women who attended the prayer meeting may have been God-fearers and not Jews.

Acts 16:14 Lydia came from Thyatira (see notes on Rev. 2:18–29), a city of the province of Asia in the district of Lydia, for which she may have been named. As a seller of purple goods, she would have been wealthy.

Acts 16:15 Lydia’s household likely included servants as well. Her house eventually became the gathering place for Christians (v. 40).

Acts 16:16 a spirit of divination. A demonic spirit who gave information to the slave girl so that she could tell people secrets about their lives. Fortune-telling was forbidden in the OT (Deut. 18:10; 2 Kings 17:17).

Acts 16:18 The words of the fortune-telling girl (v. 17) were true in a formal sense. Paul was greatly annoyed, probably because he did not want it to appear that she was his partner in the gospel. I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. Such a verbal command is consistent with the authority over demons that Jesus himself had (see Matt. 8:16; 12:28) and that he gave to his disciples (Matt. 10:8; Luke 10:17).

Acts 16:19 their hope of gain was gone. Throughout Acts, greed often works against the gospel (8:18–24; 13:8–12; 19:24).

Acts 16:20 The magistrates were responsible for maintaining civil order. Two of these officials were appointed to each Roman colony.

Acts 16:22 gave orders to beat them with rods. Magistrates in Roman cities had attendants who carried bundles of wooden rods bound together. These symbolized the magistrates’ authority and their right to inflict corporal punishment. Paul and Silas were severely beaten with these wooden rods (v. 23; compare 2 Cor. 11:25). There was no fair hearing to gather the facts or to allow Paul and Silas to speak in their own defense (see 1 Thess. 2:2).

Acts 16:25 praying and singing hymns to God. Joy for the honor of suffering for Christ is a common theme in Acts (see 4:24–30).

Acts 16:30 what must I do to be saved? The jailer’s question most likely refers to being saved from God’s judgment, which he would have heard about through listening to his prisoners’ prayers and songs.

Acts 16:31 For belief in Christ as the key to salvation, see 10:43; John 3:16; Rom. 1:16; 10:10–11.

Acts 16:33 baptized . . . he and all his family. The jailer seems to have gathered his whole household to listen to Paul’s message. Christians disagree as to whether the baptism of household members included infants or was confined to older members of the household who were capable of believing.

Acts 16:34 Rejoiced signifies a deep spiritual joy in the NT (compare Luke 10:21; John 8:56; Acts 2:26; 1 Pet. 4:13; Rev. 19:7).

Acts 16:35 Let those men go. Why the magistrates decided to release the two prisoners is not stated.

Acts 16:37 do they now throw us out secretly? No! Paul insisted on being publicly cleared of the charges so the people of Philippi would not continue to believe that he was a troublemaker and a lawbreaker. citizens. Roman law forbade beating or imprisoning a Roman citizen without a formal hearing.