Acts 16:16

14 Now a certain woman named Lydia heard us. She was a seller of purple from the city of ^aThyatira, who worshiped God. ^bThe Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul.

15 And when she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” So ^ashe persuaded us.

Paul and Silas Imprisoned

16 Now it happened, as we went to prayer, that a certain slave girl ^apossessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters ^bmuch profit by fortune-telling.

17 This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, “These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.”

18 And this she did for many days. But Paul, ^agreatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” ^bAnd he came out that very hour.

19 But ^awhen her masters saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and ^bdragged them into the marketplace to the authorities.

20 And they brought them to the magistrates, and said, “These men, being Jews, ^aexceedingly trouble our city;

Commentaries:

Forerunner Commentary
What is the Forerunner Commentary?

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Acts 16:17 >>

What Does Acts 16:16 Mean?

Acts 16:16-18

A woman possessed by a demon begins to follow Paul and his party, calling them "servants of the Most High God" (verses 16-17). Though this is true, it greatly distresses Paul because the Jews might conclude that he consorted with soothsayers, unlawful according to Leviticus 19:31; 20:6; and Deuteronomy 18:9-14. From their point of view, the Gentiles might consider the religion Paul preached to be as pagan as all the other religions of the time. Thus, Paul commands the demon to leave the woman in the name of Jesus Christ (Acts 16:18).

Her employers, who made quite a profit by her fortune telling, are not pleased because her supernatural abilities disappeared with the demon. So they haul Paul and Silas before the city courts (verse 18).

Mark Schindler
Ingratitude

Other Forerunner Commentary entries containing Acts 16:16:

Leviticus 19:31
Mark 1:24-25
Luke 4:34-35

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Acts 16:17 >>

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Paul and Silas Imprisoned

What Does Acts 16:16 Mean?

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