Acts 16:3 - Forerunner Commentary

Acts 16:3

Timothy Joins Paul and Silas

1 Then he came to ^aDerbe and Lystra. And behold, a certain disciple was there, ^bnamed Timothy, ^cthe son of a certain Jewish woman who believed, but his father was Greek.

2 He was well spoken of by the brethren who were at Lystra and Iconium.

3 Paul wanted to have him go on with him. And he ^atook him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in that region, for they all knew that his father was Greek.

4 And as they went through the cities, they delivered to them the ^adecrees to keep, ^bwhich were determined by the apostles and elders at Jerusalem.

5 ^aSo the churches were strengthened in the faith, and increased in number daily.

The Macedonian Call

6 Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of ^aGalatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in¹ Asia.

7 After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit them.

8 So passing by Mysia, they ^acame down to Troas.

9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A ^aman of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.”

10 Now after he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go ^ato Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them.

Lydia Baptized at Philippi

11 Therefore, sailing from Troas, we ran a straight course to Samothrace, and the next day came to Neapolis,

12 and from there to ^aPhilippi, which is the foremost city of that part of Macedonia, a colony. And we were staying in that city for some days.

13 And on the Sabbath day we went out of the city to the riverside, where prayer was customarily made; and we sat down and spoke to the women who met there.

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.

Verse Comparison: Acts 16:3

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American Standard Version
Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and he took and circumcised him because of the Jews that were in those parts: for they all knew that his father was a Greek.

Amplified® Bible
Paul desired Timothy to go with him [as a missionary]; and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews that were in those places, all of whom knew that his father was a Greek.

Contemporary English Version
and Paul wanted him to go with them. But Paul first had him circumcised, because all the Jewish people around there knew that Timothy's father was Greek.

Darby English Version
Him would Paul have go forth with him, and took [him and] circumcised him on account of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew his father that he was a Greek.

Good News Bible
Paul wanted to take Timothy along with him, so he circumcised him. He did so because all the Jews who lived in those places knew that Timothy's father was Greek.

International Standard Version
Paul wanted this man to go with him, so he took him and had him circumcised because of the Jews who lived in those places, for everyone knew that his father was a Greek.

King James Version
Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and took and circumcised him because of the Jews which were in those quarters: for they knew all that his father was a Greek.

New American Standard Bible
Paul wanted this man to go with him; and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those parts, for they all knew that his father was a Greek.

New International Version
Paul wanted to take him along on the journey, so he circumcised him because of the Jews who lived in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek.

New King James Version
Paul wanted to have him go on with him. And he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in that region, for they all knew that his father was Greek.

N.A.S.B. in E-Prime
Paul wanted this man to go with him; and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who lived in those parts, for they all knew that his father had Greek ancestry.

Young's Literal Translation
this one did Paul wish to go forth with him, and having taken `him', he circumcised him, because of the Jews who are in those places, for they all knew his father -- that he was a Greek.

New English Translation
Paul wanted Timothy¹ to accompany him, and he took² him and circumcised³ him because of the Jews who were in those places,⁴ for they all knew that his father was Greek.⁵

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