Advanced Commentary

Texts -- Acts 16:1-26 (NET)

Context
Timothy Joins Paul and Silas
16:1 He also came to Derbe and to Lystra . A disciple named Timothy was there , the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer , but whose father was a Greek . 16:2 The brothers in Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him. 16:3 Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him , and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places , for they all knew that his father was Greek . 16:4 As they went through the towns , they passed on the decrees that had been decided on by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the Gentile believers to obey . 16:5 So the churches were being strengthened in the faith and were increasing in number every day .
Paul’s Vision of the Macedonian Man
16:6 They went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia , having been prevented by the Holy Spirit from speaking the message in the province of Asia . 16:7 When they came to Mysia , they attempted to go into Bithynia , but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them to do this, 16:8 so they passed through Mysia and went down to Troas . 16:9 A vision appeared to Paul during the night : A Macedonian man was standing there urging him , “Come over to Macedonia and help us !” 16:10 After Paul saw the vision , we attempted immediately to go over to Macedonia , concluding that God had called us to proclaim the good news to them .
Arrival at Philippi
16:11 We put out to sea from Troas and sailed a straight course to Samothrace , the next day to Neapolis , 16:12 and from there to Philippi , which is a leading city of that district of Macedonia , a Roman colony . We stayed in this city for some days . 16:13 On the Sabbath day we went outside the city gate to the side of the river , where we thought there would be a place of prayer , and we sat down and began to speak to the women who had assembled there. 16:14 A woman named Lydia , a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira , a God-fearing woman, listened to us. The Lord opened her heart to respond to what Paul was saying . 16:15 After she and her household were baptized , she urged us, “If you consider me to be a believer in the Lord , come and stay in my house .” And she persuaded us .
Paul and Silas Are Thrown Into Prison
16:16 Now as we were going to the place of prayer , a slave girl met us who had a spirit that enabled her to foretell the future by supernatural means . She brought her owners a great profit by fortune-telling . 16:17 She followed behind Paul and us and kept crying out , “These men are servants of the Most High God , who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation .” 16:18 She continued to do this for many days . But Paul became greatly annoyed , and turned and said to the spirit , “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her !” And it came out of her at once . 16:19 But when her owners saw their hope of profit was gone , they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the authorities . 16:20 When they had brought them before the magistrates , they said , “These men are throwing our city into confusion . They are Jews 16:21 and are advocating customs that are not lawful for us to accept or practice , since we are Romans .” 16:22 The crowd joined the attack against them , and the magistrates tore the clothes off Paul and Silas and ordered them to be beaten with rods . 16:23 After they had beaten them severely , they threw them into prison and commanded the jailer to guard them securely . 16:24 Receiving such orders , he threw them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks . 16:25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God , and the rest of the prisoners were listening to them . 16:26 Suddenly a great earthquake occurred , so that the foundations of the prison were shaken . Immediately all the doors flew open , and the bonds of all the prisoners came loose .

Pericope

NET

Bible Dictionary

  • Philippi

    [ebd] (1.) Formerly Crenides, "the fountain," the capital of the province of Macedonia. It stood near the head of the Sea, about 8 miles north-west of Kavalla. It is now a ruined village, called Philibedjik. Philip of Macedonia fo...
    [isbe] PHILIPPI - fi-lip'-i (Philippoi, ethnic Philippesios, Phil 4:15): 1. Position and Name: A city of Macedonia, situated in 41ø 5' North latitude and 24ø 16' East longitude. It lay on the Egnatian Road, 33 Roman miles fro...
    [smith] (named from Philip of Macedonia), a city of Macedonia about nine miles from the sea, to the northwest of the island of Thasos which is twelve miles distant from its port Neapolis, the modern Kavalla . It is situated in a plai...
    [nave] PHILIPPI, a city of Macedonia. Paul preaches in, Acts 16:12-40; 20:1-6; 1 Thess. 2:1, 2. Contributes to the needs of Paul, Phil. 4:10-18. Paul sends Epaphroditus to, Phil. 2:25. Paul writes a letter to the Christians of, P...

  • Silas

    [ebd] wood, a prominent member of the church at Jerusalem; also called Silvanus. He and Judas, surnamed Barsabas, were chosen by the church there to accompany Paul and Barnabas on their return to Antioch from the council of the ap...
    [isbe] SILAS - si'-las (Silas, probably contraction for Silouanos; the Hebrew equivalents suggested are shalish, "Tertius," or shelach (Gen 10:24) (Knowling), or sha'ul = "asked" (Zahn)): The Silas of Acts is generally identified w...
    [nave] SILAS, called also Silvanus. Sent to Paul, in Antioch, from Jerusalem, Acts 15:22-34. Becomes Paul's companion, Acts 15:40, 41; 2 Cor. 1:19; 1 Thess. 1:1; 2 Thess. 1:1. Imprisoned with Paul in Philippi, Acts 16:19-40. Driv...

  • Paul

    [ebd] =Saul (q.v.) was born about the same time as our Lord. His circumcision-name was Saul, and probably the name Paul was also given to him in infancy "for use in the Gentile world," as "Saul" would be his Hebrew home-name. He w...
    [smith] (small, little). Nearly all the original materials for the life St. Paul are contained in the Acts of the Apostles and in the Pauline epistles. Paul was born in Tarsus, a city of Cilicia. (It is not improbable that he was bor...
    [nave] PAUL Called also Saul, Acts 8:1; 9:1; 13:9. Of the tribe of Benjamin, Rom. 11:1; Phil. 3:5. Personal appearance of, 2 Cor. 10:1, 10; 11:6. Born in Tarsus, Acts 9:11; 21:39; 22:3. Educated at Jerusalem in the school of Ga...

  • Macedonia

    [ebd] in New Testament times, was a Roman province lying north of Greece. It was governed by a propraetor with the title of proconsul. Paul was summoned by the vision of the "man of Macedonia" to preach the gospel there (Acts 16:9...
    [isbe] MACEDONIA - mas-e-do'-ni-a (Makedonia, ethnic Makedon,): I. THE MACEDONIAN PEOPLE AND LAND II. HISTORY OF MACEDONIA 1. Philip and Alexander 2. Roman Intervention 3. Roman Conquest 4. Macedonia a Roman Province 5. Later Histo...
    [nave] MACEDONIA A country in southeastern Europe. Paul has a vision concerning, Acts 16:9; preaches in, at Philippi, Acts 16:12; revisits, Acts 20:1-6; 2 Cor. 2:13; 7:5. Church at, sends contributions to the poor in Jerusalem, Ro...

  • PAUL, THE APOSTLE, 5

    [isbe] PAUL, THE APOSTLE, 5 - V. Work. 1. Adjustment: There was evidently a tumult in Paul's soul. He had undergone a revolution, both intellectual and spiritual. Before he proceeded farther it was wise to think through the most im...

  • LAW IN THE NEW TESTAMENT

    [isbe] LAW IN THE NEW TESTAMENT - lo The Term "Law" Austin's Definition of Law I. LAW IN THE GOSPELS 1. The Law in the Teaching of Christ (1) Authority of the Law Upheld in the Sermon on the Mount (a) Christ and Tradition (b) Sin o...

  • PHILIPPIANS, THE EPISTLE TO THE

    [isbe] PHILIPPIANS, THE EPISTLE TO THE - fi-lip'-i-anz I. PAUL AND THE CHURCH AT PHILIPPI II. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CHURCH AT PHILIPPI III. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE EPISTLE 1. A Letter 2. A Letter of Love 3. A Letter of Joy 4. Impor...

  • Minister

    [nave] MINISTER, a sacred teacher. Index of Sub-topics Miscellany of Minor Sub-topics; Call of; Character and Qualifications of; Charge Delivered to; Courage of; Duties of; Duties of the Church to; Emoluments of; Faithful, Instanc...

  • ACTS OF THE APOSTLES, 13-OUTLINE

    [isbe] ACTS OF THE APOSTLES, 13-OUTLINE - XIII. Analysis. 1. The connection between the work of the apostles and that of Jesus (Acts 1:1-11). 2. The equipment of the early disciples for their task (Acts 1:12 through 2:47). (a) The ...

  • Lycaonia

    [ebd] an inland province of Asia Minor, on the west of Cappadocia and the south of Galatia. It was a Roman province, and its chief towns were Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe. The "speech of Lycaonia" (Acts 14:11) was probably the ancie...
    [isbe] LYCAONIA - lik-a-o'-ni-a, li-ka-o'-ni-a (Lukaonia (Acts 14:6), Lukaonisti, (Acts 14:11, "in the speech of Lycaonia"); Lycaonia is meant, according to the South Galatian view, by the expression ten Galatiken choran, in Acts 1...
    [nave] LYCAONIA A province of Asia Minor. Paul visits towns of, Acts 14:6-21; 16:1, 2.

  • Timothy

    [ebd] honouring God, a young disciple who was Paul's companion in many of his journeyings. His mother, Eunice, and his grandmother, Lois, are mentioned as eminent for their piety (2 Tim. 1:5). We know nothing of his father but tha...
    [isbe] TIMOTHY - tim'-o-thi (Timotheos (Acts 17:14; 18:5; 19:22; 20:4; Rom 16:21; 1 Cor 4:17; 16:10; 2 Cor 1:1,19; Phil 1:1; 2:19; Col 1:1; 1 Thess 1:1; 3:2,6; 2 Thess 1:1; 1 Tim 1:2,18; 6:20; 2 Tim 1:2; Philem 1:1; Heb 13:23; the ...
    [smith] The disciple thus named was the son of one of those mixed marriages which, though condemned by stricter Jewish opinion were yet not uncommon in the later periods of Jewish history. The father?s name is unknown; he was a Greek...
    [nave] TIMOTHY, called also Timotheus, the companion of Paul. Parentage of, Acts 16:1. Reputation and Christian faith of, Acts 16:2; 1 Cor. 4:17; 16:10; 2 Tim. 1:5; 3:15. Circumcised; becomes Paul's companion, Acts 16:3; 1 Thess. ...

  • Readings, Select

    [nave] READINGS, SELECT. Judah's Defense Gen. 44:18-34 Joseph Revealing His Identity Gen. 45:1-15 The Deliverance of the Israelites from Pharaoh Ex. 14:5-30 Song of Moses When Pharaoh and His Army Were Overthrown Ex. 15:1-1...

  • Conversion

    [ebd] the turning of a sinner to God (Acts 15:3). In a general sense the heathen are said to be "converted" when they abandon heathenism and embrace the Christian faith; and in a more special sense men are converted when, by the i...

  • GALATIANS, EPISTLE TO THE

    [isbe] GALATIANS, EPISTLE TO THE - || I. THE AUTHORSHIP 1. Position of the Dutch School 2. Early Testimony II. THE MATTER OF THE EPISTLE A) Summary of Contents 1. Outline 2. Personal History (Galatians 1:11 through 2:21 (4:12-20; 6...

  • Troas

    [ebd] a city on the coast of Mysia, in the north-west of Asia Minor, named after ancient Troy, which was at some little distance from it (about 4 miles) to the north. Here Paul, on his second missionary journey, saw the vision of ...
    [isbe] TROAS - tro'-as (Troas): The chief city in the Northwest of Asia Minor, on the coast of Mysia in the Roman province of Asia. From here, according to Acts 16:8, Paul sailed. Here, also, according to Acts 20:5-12, Paul raised ...
    [smith] the city from which St. Paul first sailed, in consequence of a divine intimation, to carry the gospel from Asia to Europe. (Acts 16:8,11) It is mentioned on other occasions. (Acts 20:5,6; 2 Corinthians 2:12,13; 2 Timoth...
    [nave] TROAS, a seaport of Mysia, in Asia Minor. Paul visits, Acts 16:8, 11; 20:5, 6; 2 Cor. 2:12; 2 Tim. 4:13.

  • Criminals

    [nave] CRIMINALS Released at feasts, Matt. 27:15, 21; Mark 15:6; Luke 23:17. Confined in prisons, Gen. 39:20-23; Ezra 7:26; Acts 4:3; 12:4, 5; 16:19-40; in dungeons, Gen. 40:15; 41:14; Ex. 12:29; Isa. 24:22; Jer. 37:16; 38:10; Lam...

  • Prisoners

    [nave] PRISONERS Joseph, Gen. 39:20-23; 40; 41:1-44. Jeremiah, Jer. 38:6-28; 39:14. John the Baptist, Matt. 11:2; 14:3-12; Mark 6:17; Luke 3:20. Jesus, Matt. 26:47-75; 27; Mark 14:43-72; 15; Luke 22:47-71; 23; John 18:3-40; 19. ...

  • Mysia

    [ebd] a province in the north-west of Asia Minor. On his first voyage to Europe (Acts 16:7, 8) Paul passed through this province and embarked at its chief port Troas.
    [isbe] MYSIA - mish'-i-a (Musia): A country in the northwestern part of Asia Minor, which formed an important part of the Roman province of Asia. Though its boundaries were always vague, it may be said to have extended on the North...
    [smith] (land of beech trees) (Acts 16:7,8) was the region about the frontier of the provinces of Asia and Bithynia. The term is evidently used in an ethnological, not a political, sense.
    [nave] MYSIA A province of Asia Minor. Paul visits, Acts 16:7, 8.

  • PERSECUTION

    [isbe] PERSECUTION - pur-se-ku'-shun (@diogmos] (Mt 13:21; Mk 4:17; 10:30; Acts 8:1; 13:50; Rom 8:35; 2 Cor 12:10; 2 Thess 1:4; 2 Tim 3:11)): 1. Persecution in Old Testament Times 2. Between the Testaments 3. Foretold by Christ 4. ...

  • ACTS OF THE APOSTLES, 1-7

    [isbe] ACTS OF THE APOSTLES, 1-7 - a-pos'-ls: I. TITLE II. TEXT III. UNITY OF THE BOOK IV. THE AUTHOR V. CANONICITY VI. DATE VII. SOURCES USED BY LUKE VIII. THE SPEECHES IN THE ACTS IX. RELATION OF ACTS TO THE EPISTLES X. CHRONOLOG...
more

Arts

Hymns

(Note: In "active" or "on" condition, the hymns music will be played automatically when mouse hover on a hymns title)
  • Berkumandang Suara dari Seberang [KJ.425] ( Send the light / There's a Call Comes Ringing )
  • [Act 16:9] Christian Brother, O’er The Main
  • [Act 16:9] Come Over And Help Us
  • [Act 16:9] Cry, As Of Pain, A
  • [Act 16:9] Cry From Macedonia, A
  • [Act 16:9] God Of The Nations, Hear Our Call
  • [Act 16:9] Hark! What Mean Those Lamentations
  • [Act 16:9] He Expecteth
  • [Act 16:9] Hear The Wail
  • [Act 16:9] Missionary Marseillaise, The
  • [Act 16:9] Over The Rolling Sea
  • [Act 16:9] Over There
  • [Act 16:9] Through Midnight Gloom From Macedon
  • [Act 16:9] Thy Brother Calls To Thee

Questions

Sermon Illustrations

Evangelistic Activities in Acts; Wealthy People in the New Testament; Cry From Above and Beneath and Without

Resources/Books

Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • The psalmist's confidence that the Lord would protect him was strong.31:3-4 David believed God would free him from his present entangling problems because the Lord had promised to help the righteous in their afflictions.31:5 ...
  • Mark said that Jesus appeared to the Eleven on this occasion. However, John qualified that statement by explaining that Thomas was absent (John 20:24). Mark was speaking of the Eleven as a group.16:14 This event evidently hap...
  • Several factors indicate that the writer of this Gospel was the same person who wrote the Book of Acts. First, a man named Theophilus was the recipient of both books (Luke 1:3; Acts 1:1). Second, Acts refers to a previous wor...
  • 1:28 The fact that Gabriel greeted Mary as he did and did not greet Zechariah the same way shows Mary's favored position. Gabriel's greeting was customary: Hail! or Greetings! (Gr. chaire). Mary was highly "favored"(Gr. kecha...
  • This incident completes a cycle in John's Gospel. Jesus performed His first sign in Cana (2:1), and now He returned and did another miracle there (v. 46). There is even a second reference to Capernaum (2:12; 4:46). John's acc...
  • Two lines of argument lead to the conclusion that Luke, the friend, fellow missionary, and physician of Paul wrote this book under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. First, there is the internal evidence, the passages writte...
  • Longenecker identified five phenomena about the structure of Acts that the reader needs to recognize to appreciate what Luke sought to communicate."1. It begins, like the [Third] Gospel, with an introductory section of distin...
  • I. The witness in Jerusalem 1:1-6:7A. The founding of the church 1:1-2:461. The resumptive preface to the book 1:1-52. The command to witness 1:6-83. The ascension of Jesus 1:9-114. Jesus' appointment of a twelfth apostle 1:1...
  • The key to the apostles' successful fulfillment of Jesus' commission was their baptism with and consequent indwelling by the Holy Spirit. Without this divine enablement they would only have been able to follow Jesus' example,...
  • 2:37 The Holy Spirit used Peter's sermon to bring conviction, as Jesus had predicted (John 16:8-11). He convicted Peter's hearers of the truth of what he said and of their guilt in rejecting Jesus. Their question arose from t...
  • Luke now moved from describing what took place on a particular day to a more general description of the life of the early Jerusalem church (cf. 4:32-5:11; 6:1-6). Interestingly he gave comparatively little attention to the in...
  • 4:23-28 After hearing the apostle's report, the Christians sought the Lord (Gr. Despota, sovereign ruler) in prayer."Three movements may be discerned in this prayer of the early church: (1) God is sovereign (v. 24). (2) God's...
  • The popularity and effectiveness of the apostles riled the Sadducees just as Jesus' popularity and effectiveness had earlier.5:17-18 The high priest "rose up"(Gr. anastas, cf. v. 34) taking official action as leader of the Sa...
  • 5:41 Rather than emerging from their beating repentant, the apostles went home rejoicing. They did not enjoy the beating, but they considered it an honor to suffer disgrace for the sake of Jesus' name (cf. 3:6; 16:25). Jesus ...
  • The scene shifts back to life within the church (cf. 4:32-5:11). Luke wrote this pericope to explain some administrative changes that the growth of the church made necessary. He also wanted to introduce the Hellenistic Jews w...
  • 9:10-12 Evidently Ananias was not a refugee from Jerusalem (22:12) but a resident of Damascus. He, too, received a vision of the Lord Jesus (v. 17) to whom he submitted willingly (cf. 1 Sam. 3:4, 10). Jesus gave Ananias speci...
  • Notice that "church"is in the singular here. This is probably a reference to the Christians throughout Palestine--in Judea, Galilee, and Samaria--not just in one local congregation but in the body of Christ. Saul's departure ...
  • Luke recorded that Jesus came to bring deliverance to the Jews and to the whole world (Luke 4:14-30). In his Gospel, Luke told the story of Jesus' personal ministry, primarily to the Jews. In Acts the emphasis is mainly on Je...
  • Luke recorded the events of Paul's first missionary journey to document the extension of the church into new territory and to illustrate the principles and methods by which the church grew. He also did so to show God's supern...
  • 13:42-43 Paul's message created great interest in the hearts of many people who listened to him. He and Barnabas continued clarifying the gospel for their inquirers during the following week.565Here "the grace of God"refers t...
  • 14:21b-22 The missionaries confined their labors to the Galatian province on this trip. They did not move farther east into the kingdom of Antiochus or the province Cilicia that Paul may have evangelized previously during his...
  • 16:1 Paul and Silas probably crossed the Taurus Mountains at a pass called the Cilician Gates (modern Gülek Bogaz). Alexander the Great had marched east through this pass to conquer the vast Persian Empire four centuries...
  • Luke recorded Paul's vision of the Macedonian man to explain God's initiative in encouraging Paul and his companions to carry the gospel farther west into Europe.". . . this section [6:6-10] makes it overwhelmingly clear that...
  • Luke devoted more space to Paul's evangelizing in Philippi than he did to the apostle's activities in any other city on the second and third journeys even though Paul was there only briefly. It was the first European city in ...
  • 17:1 Paul, Silas, Timothy, and perhaps others left Philippi and headed southwest on the Egnatian Road. Luke evidently stayed in Philippi since he again described Paul's party as "they"instead of "we"(cf. 20:5-6). Paul and Sil...
  • Most Greeks rejected the possibility of physical resurrection.721Many of them believed that the most desirable condition lay beyond the grave where the soul would finally be free of the body (e.g., Platonists). The response o...
  • 18:12 An inscription found at Delphi in Central Greece has enabled scholars to date the beginning of Gallio's term as proconsul to July 1, 51 A.D.740Gallio was a remarkable Roman citizen from Spain. His brother, the Stoic phi...
  • Paul had attempted to reach the province of Asia earlier (16:6). Now the Lord permitted him to go there but from the west rather than from the east. Luke recorded his initial contact in Ephesus in this section to set the scen...
  • Luke did not record Paul's activities in Antioch, but we may safely assume he gave another report to the church as he had done when he returned from his first journey (14:27-28). Paul probably remained in Antioch from the spr...
  • The purpose of this pericope (18:24-28) seems primarily to be to bring us up to date on what had transpired in Ephesus since Paul left that city.755Luke also introduced his readers to another important servant of the Lord to ...
  • Luke's account of Paul's third missionary journey is essentially a record of Paul's ministry in Ephesus, the city he probably tried to reach at the beginning of his second journey (cf. 16:6)....
  • 19:8 Paul followed his standard procedure of preaching to the Jews in the synagogue at Ephesus as long as possible. Here the Jews were more tolerant than they had been in some other towns that Paul had evangelized, and he was...
  • The following incident throws more light on the spiritual darkness that enveloped Ephesus as well as the power of Jesus Christ and the gospel.19:13 "But"introduces a contrast to the good miracles that "God was performing . . ...
  • "The panel is introduced by the programmatic statement of 19:21-22 and concludes with the summary statement of 28:31. Three features immediately strike the reader in this sixth panel: (1) the disproportionate length of the pa...
  • This incident reveals more about the effects of the gospel on Ephesian society and religion (cf. vv. 13-20)."Luke's purpose in presenting this vignette is clearly apologetic, in line with his argument for the religio licitast...
  • "This report of Paul's return visit to Macedonia and Achaia is the briefest account of an extended ministry in all of Acts--even more so than the summary of the ministry at Ephesus (cf. 19:8-12). Nevertheless, it can be fille...
  • "From 20:5 through the end of Acts (28:31), Luke's narrative gives considerable attention to ports of call, stopovers, and time spent on Paul's travels and includes various anecdotes. It contains the kind of details found in ...
  • 21:17-19 As he had done before, Paul related to a group of elders what God had done on his missionary journeys among the Gentiles (14:27; cf. 18:23). This undoubtedly helped the Jerusalem church accept the gift that Paul had ...
  • 21:27-28 The Jews from Asia, possibly from Ephesus, were obviously unbelievers. They charged Paul with the same kind of crimes the unbelieving Jews had accused Stephen of committing (6:11, 13-14). The Jews permitted Gentiles ...
  • 22:23-24 Claudius Lysias could not understand why the Jews reacted as they did. If he did not understand Aramaic, his confusion would have been even greater. He could not tolerate a riot, so he decided to get the truth from P...
  • Paul was undoubtedly wondering how he would ever get out of the mess in which he found himself. At this critical moment, during the night of the next day (Gr. te epiouse nykti), the Lord appeared to him again (cf. 9:4-6; 16:9...
  • Paul was a Roman citizen who had appealed to Caesar and had gained the respect (to say the least) of his centurion escort. Therefore he was able to reside in a private rented residence with a Roman guard (v. 30).This is the e...
  • Paul's innocence of anything worthy of punishment is clear from his living a relatively comfortable life in Rome for the following two years (60-62 A.D.).977Paul was able to preach (Gr. kerysso, to proclaim as a herald) the k...
  • Sequence of Paul's ActivitiesDateEventReferenceBirth in TarsusActs 22:3Early life and theological education in Jerusalem under GamalielActs 22:334Participation in Stephen's stoning outside JerusalemActs 7:57-8:134Leadership i...
  • Albright, William Foxwell. The Archaeology of Palestine. 1949. Revised ed. Pelican Archaeology series. Harmondswroth, Middlesex, England: Penguin Books, 1956.Alexander, Joseph Addison. Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles. ...
  • Sequence of Paul's ActivitiesDateEventReferenceBirth in TarsusActs 22:3Early life and theological education in Jerusalem under GamalielActs 22:334Participation in Stephen's stoning outside JerusalemActs 7:57-8:134Leadership i...
  • At this point Paul moved back from specific situations to basic principles his readers needed to keep in mind when thinking about marriage (cf. vv. 1-7). He drew his illustrations in this section from circumcision and slavery...
  • The extent to which the apostle was willing to lay aside his rights comes out in this pericope. Since Paul chose not to receive pay for his ministry in Corinth, he was free from the restrictions that patronage might impose. T...
  • This salutation contains the three elements common in all of Paul's epistles and other correspondence of his day: the writer, the addressees, and a greeting."This salutation exhibits undoubted resemblances in form to secular ...
  • "Stripes"or "beatings"are punishments delivered with a whip or lash (cf. 11:24-25)."Imprisonments"in Paul's day involved confinement and discomfort (cf. 11:23)."Tumults"are "riots"(cf. Acts 13:50; 14:15; 16:19; 19:29; 21:30)....
  • Paul was not only proud of the Corinthians but he also rejoiced over the Christians in Macedonia, the Corinthians' neighbors to the north. This joy connects the present section with the former one.8:1-2 Paul tactfully began h...
  • To answer his critics and prove the extent of his own service and sufferings for Christ, Paul related many of his painful experiences as an apostle.11:16 Paul apologized again for having to resort to mentioning these experien...
  • "The most uncontroverted matter in the study of Galatians is that the letter was written by Paul, the Christian apostle whose ministry is portrayed in the Acts of the Apostles."1The Apostle Paul directed this epistle to the c...
  • The apostle warned his readers not to think that they could satisfy the demands of the Mosaic Law by obeying only a few of its commands. Only complete compliance satisfies its demands.5:1 Paul's readers were in danger of retu...
  • The name of the city of Philippi was originally Krinides (lit. springs). It stood about 10 miles inland from the Aegean Sea in the Roman province of Macedonia. In 356 B.C. Philip II, king of Macedonia and father of Alexander ...
  • Paul began this epistle by identifying himself and his companion and by wishing God's richest blessings on his readers."Almost all letters from the Greco-Roman period began with a threefold salutation: The Writer, to the Addr...
  • The apostle proceeded to express his sincere gratitude to God for his friends in Philippi. He did this to assure them of God's continuing working for them and his satisfaction with their partnership in the work of the gospel....
  • At this point Paul's thinking turned from what had already occurred because of his imprisonment to what he anticipated happening in the future. He referred to this so his readers would uphold him in their prayers and feel enc...
  • The first sub-section (1:27-30) begins with a topic sentence that expresses Paul's desire for the Philippians. Then he proceeded to explain and to illustrate what constitutes a worthy walk (2:1-4:9)."With this section we come...
  • 3:4b For the sake of the argument Paul adopted the Judaizers' attitude of confidence in the flesh. He did this to show that his rejection of Jewish advantages was not because he lacked them.1083:5 Circumcision of the flesh wa...
  • 3:20 The reason we should follow Paul's example and not that of these sensualists is that as Christians we have a citizenship in heaven as well as one on earth. Our heavenly citizenship and destiny are far more important than...
  • 4:2 Euodia ("Success") and Syntyche ("Lucky") were evidently two women in the Philippian congregation.145"For the Pauline letters, this is a remarkable moment indeed, since Paul does here what he seldom does elsewhere in conf...
  • 2:17-18 Paul and his companions had to leave Thessalonica prematurely, and for Paul the separation was an especially sorrowful one. He compared it to being bereft (lit. orphaned). He felt torn from his spiritual children. How...
  • 3:1-2 Paul returned to the report of his plans (2:17-18). He explained that by the time he, Silas, and Timothy had reached Athens they felt they could not stay away from their young converts in Thessalonica any longer. They d...
  • Timothy apparently became a Christian as a result of Paul's missionary work in Lystra (Acts 14:6-23). He joined Paul on the second missionary journey when the apostle's evangelistic team passed through that area where Timothy...
  • Paul began this very personal letter with a customary salutation to set the tone for what followed. The salutation reveals that this was not just a personal letter, however, as was Paul's epistle to Philemon, but it was also ...
  • The Ephesian church already had elders long before Paul wrote this letter (Acts 20:17-35)."If our identification of the false teachers as elders is correct, then Paul's reason for this set of instructions is that Timothy must...
  • A. The Holy Spirit fell on men and women on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4).B. Women prayed with men (Acts 1:14; 12:12).C. Women had various ministries of hospitality, service and good works (Dorcas, Acts 9:36; Mary, the mo...
  • Having just encouraged his readers with a reminder of God's help for the faithful (1:14) the writer next urged his readers to be faithful. He did so to warn them of the possibility of retrogressing spiritually and consequentl...
  • James' three questions in these verses all expect positive answers, as is clear in the construction of the Greek text.2:5 Since God has chosen the poor of this world to be the recipients of His blessings it is inconsistent fo...
  • Thyatira, the smallest of the seven cities but the one that received the longest letter, lay about 45 miles to the southeast of Pergamum. It was famous for its textiles, especially the production of purple dye (cf. Acts 16:14...

Expositions Of Holy Scripture (Maclaren)

  • And after [Paul] had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them. 11. Therefore we came with a straight course.'--Acts 1...
  • And on the sabbath day we went forth without the gate, by a river side, where we supposed there was a place of prayer; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which were come together.'--Acts 16:13 (R.V.).THIS is the first ...
  • And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the market place unto the rulers, 20. And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do excee...
Back to Commentary Page
Display Bible



Universal Search:

NET Only
Exact Search
Commentary
Study Dictionary
Word Study
Lexicon
Study Maps System
Sermon Illustrations
Expository
Arts
Resource
Daily Bible Reading
Training Video
Classic NET Bible
iPhone NET Bible
Mobile Bible
TIP #14: Use the Discovery Box to further explore word(s) and verse(s). [ALL]
created in 0.08 seconds
powered by
bible.org - YLSA