Acts 16:3

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.

Commentaries:

Barnes' Notes

<< Acts 16:2

Acts 16:4 >>

Him would Paul have ... - This was an instance of Paul' s selecting young men of piety for the holy ministry. It shows:

(1) That he was disposed to look up and call forth the talent in the church that might be usefully employed. It is quite evident that Timothy would not have thought of this had it not been suggested by Paul. The same thing education societies are attempting now to accomplish.

(2) That Paul sought proper qualifications, and valued them. Those were:

(a)That he had a good reputation for piety, etc., Acts 16:2. This he demanded as an indispensable qualification for a minister of the gospel I Timothy 3:7, "Moreover he (a bishop) must have a good report of them which are without." Compare Acts 22:12.

(b)Paul esteemed him to be a young man of talents and prudence. His admitting him to a partnership in his labors, and his entrusting to him the affairs of the church at Ephesus, Proverbs this.

(c)He had been carefully trained in the holy Scriptures. A foundation was thus laid for usefulness. And this qualification seems to have been deemed by Paul of indispensable value for the right discharge of his duties in this holy office.

And took and circumcised him - This was evidently done to avoid the opposition and reproaches of the Jews. It was a measure not binding in itself (compare Acts 15:1, Acts 15:28-29), but the neglect of which would expose to contention and opposition among the Jews, and greatly retard or destroy his usefulness. It was an act of expediency for the sake of peace, and was in accordance with Paul' s uniform and avowed principle of conduct, I Corinthians 9:20, "And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews." Compare Acts 21:23-26.

**Other Barnes' Notes entries containing Acts 16:3:**

Acts 15:1
Acts 19:22
1 Corinthians 4:17
1 Corinthians 9:20
1 Corinthians 16:10
Galatians 2:3
Galatians 2:3
Galatians 5:2
Galatians 5:11
Galatians 5:11
Philippians 2:19
Philippians 3:2
Philippians 3:5
Colossians 1:1

<< Acts 16:2

Acts 16:4 >>

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