Acts 16

Paul returned to churches that he and Barnabas had established on their previous journey.

Paul had Timothy circumcised to enhance Timothy’s acceptance and effectiveness as a Jew in Jewish circles. This was not the same as Titus, who was a full Gentile ("Greek"; Galatians 2:3).

Elsewhere Paul clarified that it makes no difference to God whether one is circumcised or not circumcised (Romans 2:25–29; Galatians 5:6; 6:15). Paul was prepared to use any legitimate means to communicate the good news about Jesus to different audiences (1 Corinthians 9:20–21).

Paul and Silas faithfully communicated the decisions of the Jerusalem council. The wisdom of the decision was indicated as the churches were strengthened in their faith and grew larger every day (compare 2:41; 4:4; 5:14; 6:1; 9:31; 21:20).

God directed the missionaries’ travels: The Holy Spirit had prevented them from proceeding westward into the province of Asia, the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them to go north to Bithynia, and then Paul had a vision calling them to go northwest over the Aegean Sea to Macedonia.

In the book of Acts, God's Spirit guided his servants in many ways, including:

• through visions from God (see also 9:10; 10:9–16; 22:18),

• direct intuition (compare 8:29, 39; 10:19; 20:22),

• advice from other believers (compare 15:29),

• guidance through prayer (13:2, 4),

• understanding through Scripture (28:25–27), and

• prophecy (11:28).

The Holy Spirit's guidance helped them accomplish their mission to be Christ's witnesses (1:8; see also 4:8, 31; 11:24; 13:9).

Troas was a major port on the Aegean Sea and an important city in the Roman Empire. Paul often visited major cities like Troas, Athens, Corinth, and Ephesus. Once the Christian faith was established in larger cities, local Christian workers could continue to share the good news with smaller nearby communities (for example, Epaphras took the message from Ephesus to Colossae (Colossians 1:7; 4:12–13).

a vision: See "Visions" Theme Note.

we: The shift from they to we suggests that Luke traveled with Paul from Troas to Philippi (16:10–17). Later, Luke joined Paul again at Philippi and sailed with him to Troas. Then they went to Miletus, and from Miletus to Jerusalem (20:5–15; 21:1–18).

After Paul spent two years in prison in Caesarea, Luke traveled with him to Rome (27:1–28:16).

• Samothrace is a small island with many mountains. It is west or northwest of the Hellespont (the strait between Asia Minor and Europe). It is about 32 kilometers (20 miles) from the coast of Thrace.

• Neapolis, now known as Kavala, was the seaport for Philippi and the eastern end of the famous Via Egnatia (the Egnatian Way), which extended from Rome to Asia.

At Philippi, about 17 kilometers (10 miles) from the coast of Neapolis, Paul began his mission work in Europe.

The Jewish community at Philippi was too small to have a synagogue, which required ten adult males. Instead, Jews met for prayer in an open space by the Gangites (now called Angista) River that provided privacy, quiet, and water for Jewish purification rites.

Luke shares stories of three people in Philippi affected by the gospel:

• a wealthy woman (16:14–15),

• a demon-possessed slave girl exploited for money (16:16–21), and

• a middle-ranking officer (16:23–36).

• The first person whose life Christ changed in Philippi was Lydia. She was a successful business owner from Thyatira (modern Akhisar). This city in western Asia Minor was well-known for exporting fine fabrics, woven cloth, and linen items. Lydia accepted the gospel message, and Paul baptized her and her household (compare 16:32–33).

• One of Lydia’s first actions as a true believer in the Lord was to extend hospitality to the visiting missionaries. Hospitality is an important Christian virtue (see Matthew 25:31–46; Romans 12:13; 16:23; 1 Timothy 3:2; Titus 1:8; Hebrews 13:2; 1 Peter 4:9; 3 John 1:5–8; compare Genesis 18:1–8; 19:1–3; 24:23–33).

• The second example of a changed life in Philippi is a slave girl who had a spirit that enabled her to tell the future (a demon that gave her special knowledge).

• Even though the demon inside her spoke the truth, Paul, like Jesus, did not allow it to share the Christian message (compare Mark 1:25, 34; 3:11–12; Luke 4:35, 41). The Lord commanded that his disciples, not those who oppose the message, should proclaim the gospel (Acts 1:8; 9:15; 26:15–18; Matthew 28:18–20; Luke 24:46–49; John 20:21; see Acts 22:15).

• As in the ministry of Jesus, the gospel sometimes threatened existing business interests (see also 19:25–27; Mark 5:1–20). Those who were exploiting the slave girl attacked the Christian missionaries and dragged them to the authorities as criminals. They blamed them for causing trouble, used racial bias ("These men are Jews"), and appealed to the Philippians’ pride ("us Romans"). The Philippians were proud Roman citizens of a Roman colony.

• customs that are unlawful: By law, Jews were not permitted to make converts of Romans.

They took all necessary security measures. They wanted to guarantee that Paul and Silas did not escape after they stripped and beat them with wooden rods (see 22:24–26; 2 Corinthians 6:5; 11:23–25). However, as at Christ’s tomb, human efforts could not stop God's intervention (Matthew 27:65).

Paul and Silas, like the apostles suffering abuse in Jerusalem, were full of joy. They rejoiced because God considered them "worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name" (5:41).

The strong earthquake reminds us of the great earthquake that happened at the resurrection of Jesus (Matthew 28:2–3).

The Roman jailer knew he could lose his life if the prisoners he guarded escaped. This was a common practice (12:19; 27:42; compare Code of Justinian 9.4.4).

Luke’s third story in Philippi is of the Philippian jailer who, shaken by what had happened, responded in faith when challenged to accept the Lord Jesus and be saved. He was baptized with his household and rejoiced in his newfound faith as he reached out with hospitality to the preachers.

Paul and Silas impressed the jailer with their cheerful faith, calm attitude during the crisis, and concern for his safety (16:25, 28). Whatever the jailer had understood of Paul's message before the crisis, God inspired him to cry out for help.

Paul and Silas directed the jailer to a faith in Christ that brings blessing both to him and to his family. The whole household received Christian instruction, and their response was expressed in baptism and the offering of hospitality to Paul and Silas.

• Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, so it was illegal to beat and imprison them (16:22–24). When the city officials learned this, they were understandably alarmed because they had broken Roman law.

• Let them come themselves and escort us out!: Paul used his rights as a Roman citizen to save his reputation and protect the Christian message from receiving a bad name. Luke wanted to show that Christianity should have the same status as Judaism in the Roman Empire as a legal religion.

  The Christian faith was not at odds with Roman citizenship. It was important to note that Paul used his rights as a Roman citizen. He was willing to use his privileges as a citizen to promote Christianity in a hostile world (comparing 22:25–27).

This meeting in Lydia’s home encouraged the Philippian Christians. They had to deal with the results of the missionaries’ work in their city.