CHAPTER 16

1 Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek:
2 Which was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium.
3 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.

We might well have ended Chapter 15 with the words "Now, that being said..."

Here we have a difference of circumstances and a difference of people.

In Chapter 15, Paul and Barnabas took a trip to Jerusalem.
There, they asserted before the members of the Jerusalem church that salvation included being saved from the ritualistic manner of the old law.
And, that there should be no more reason for blood sacrifices, and no more need for physical circumcision.

There is every indication that Titus, a Gentile believer in Christ, accompanied Paul and Barnabus on that trip to Jerusalem.
(See Acts 15:2, and Galatians 2:3-5)

And, Titus was NOT circumcised.

But, here in Chapter 16, we see that Paul did have Timothy circumcised.
So, what was the difference?

First, Timothy was born of a "Jewess" and a "Greek," making him 1/2 Jew.
Second, Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him in synagogues.
And, all the Jewish people there knew already that Timothy was 1/2 Jew.
There, he would be expected to have been circumcised because of his Jewish heritage.

Timothy was certainly not circumcised to conform to the "law."
He was circumcised to be accepted!

The Christian must become "all things to all men" (See 1Corinthians 9:2) in order that he/she might bring some to a saving knowledge of Jesus.

Of course that does not mean that we become drunks or drug addicts to attract those of that lifestyle to Christ!!
It means we are to become familiar enough with their attitudes and lifestyle to bring them FROM it TO Christ!

One cannot lead an alcoholic, or drug addict to Christ without knowing at least the basics of the addiction power, and the need to be saved from the slavery to that sin.
Neither can one bring an alcoholic or drug addict to Christ by a condemning attitude.
The passion for bringing people to salvation must be accompanied by compassion for the soul!

In different areas of the world, the homogeneous nature of the people is a reflection of their culture.
As Christians, we must have respect to different people's culture so that we can lead them to Christ effectively.

Get to KNOW to whom you speak before you try to persuade!

4 And as they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem.
5 And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily.

The dissension that occured at Antioch concerning circumcision, had spread to other churches as well.
Paul and Timothy delivered to them the statements made by the "apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem."

These declarations helped to "establish" the church in correct doctrine, and to
strengthen their "faith".

It is necessary that leaders of the church hold to truthful doctrine.
By this, believers are strengthened in faith.

Only when believers are strong in truth and faith will they "Increase(d) in number daily!"

6 Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia,
7 After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not.
8 And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas.
9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us.
10 And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavored to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.
11 Therefore loosing from Troas, we came with a straight course to Samothracia, and the next day to Neapolis;
12 And from thence to Philippi, which is the chief city of that part of Macedonia, and a colony: and we were in that city abiding certain days.

Paul and Timothy desired to enter "Bithynia," which was then a large coastal province NOT in Asia Minor.
They certainly traveled through "Asia Minor": Galtia, Phrygia, Pisidia, and Pamphylia.
But, when their desire was to go in a more Northern direction, God intervened.

Paul received a "vision" which sent them in a more Westerly direction to Macedonia.
This vision was of a "man" who was praying that Paul would come over to Macedonia.

Paul and Timothy left Troas, traveling Northeast to "Samothracia, ... Neapolis... And.... Philippi."
Philippi was the main city in the Macedonian area.

Why?
Why did God divert them to a different area?

Perhaps they would not have been accepted in the Northwestern area.
Perhaps they would have met with an untimely death.

As we share the Gospel, let us always be sensitive to the leadership of God's Spirit!

13 And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither.
14 And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.
15 And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us.

In Philippi, there might not have been a synagogue.
Sometimes, the ruler of the city would not allow them to be built.
But, there was a place where Jewish people gathered for prayer.

Paul and Timothy visited this place, and were able to speak to some of the folk there (vs 13 above).

Lydia was probably a Jewish proselyte.
As she listened to Paul, she received Christ as the Messiah Who had come and fulfilled the Scriptures.

We should always be attentive to those around us.
Many may know OF God, but they may not KNOW Him!

Obviously Lydia desired to be baptized, exhibiting her surrender to Christ.
Baptism is a symbol of our dying to self, and being raised by Christ to a new way of life.

After Lydia was baptized, she invited Paul and Timothy to stay at her house.
In fact (vs 15) she "constrained" them ... or she persuaded them forcefully.

Paul and Timothy had no place to stay, and this was her offering to minister to them.
(See Galatians 6:6, and Romans 15:27)

Let us who are brought to Christ be sure to minister graciously to those who helped us come to know Him!

16 And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying:
17 The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation.
18 And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.
19 And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers,
20 And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city,
21 And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans.

This is a rather lengthy story, so I have taken the liberty to break it into two parts.

Let us note the "us" in verse 17.
Not only was Timothy with Paul, but also Luke as Silas.
Luke is telling this story.
Later we'll hear more about Silas.

First, Paul and company were followed by a lady who was "possessed with a spirit of divination..."
The Greek word from which divination is translated is puthon (pronounced poo' thone)
Quite candidly, it IS as it SOUNDS: an unexpected and smelly gas expelled upon someone!
Python was one of the Greek names for the god Apollo.
There were many "temples" to his name in this area.
Reportedly, the high priestess of Apollo pronounced profound soothsayings which the people believed were oracles from the god himself.
Others imitated her with other false prophecies.

Obviously Paul believed this lady to have been "possessed" with an evil spirit from which she received her speech.
What she said was TRUTH, however its orgin was from false pretense.

Probably, the men who made money from her so-called "soothsaying," were quite distraught with her pronouncing the truth:
"These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation."

But they REALLY became distraught when Paul spoke in Jesus' Name for the demon to be driven out!
For THEN, she LOST her soothsaying ability!
They were making money off her false prophcies, and now that income would be GONE!!

These men, in anger, caught Paul and Silas and brought them to the "magistrates" and accused them of being lawbreakers. (vss 20-21)
There are many who would use religion to battle against TRUTH today!
ESPECIALLY when their pocketbooks are assaulted!

Now, lets look at the second part of the story.

22 And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them.
23 And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely:
24 Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.
25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.
26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed.
27 And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.
28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.
29 Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas,
30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
32 And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.
33 And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.
34 And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.
35 And when it was day, the magistrates sent the serjeants, saying, Let those men go.
36 And the keeper of the prison told this saying to Paul, The magistrates have sent to let you go: now therefore depart, and go in peace.
37 But Paul said unto them, They have beaten us openly uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast us into prison; and now do they thrust us out privily? nay verily; but let them come themselves and fetch us out.
38 And the serjeants told these words unto the magistrates: and they feared, when they heard that they were Romans.
39 And they came and besought them, and brought them out, and desired them to depart out of the city.
40 And they went out of the prison, and entered into the house of Lydia and when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them, and departed.

Paul and Silas were beaten, and thrown into prison.
The guard was "charged" to keep them safely.
So, he took them into the "inner prison" and put them in "stocks"
They certainly weren't going to escape on their own power!

But, at midnight, these two men in prison (Paul and Silas) "..PRAYED, and SANG PRAISES unto God!"
No matter how bad circumstances are, we still need to focus on praying and praising God!
After all, He is the ONLY One Who can remove the circumstances!

The praying and singing were a witness to other prisoners (vs 25).

Then, an amazing thing happened!
There was an earthquake!
The earthquake opened all the prison doors and removed all the prisoners shackles!!

Now, friends, THAT is a "God-given" earthquake for sure!
No one was harmed, but the way was made for escape!

The guard, "charged" with keeping the prisoners, assumed they had all escaped.
His situation would warrant he be put to death publicly, and his family embarrassed.
Rather than that happen, he began to take steps to end his own life.

Paul, seeing what the guard was about to do, called to him:
"Do thyself no harm: for we are all here."!!

NO ONE had escaped!
They were still bound by the power of God!

Then, the guard came to Paul.
He realized that there is only ONE God, and it was HE who brought about this miracle.
He saw what Paul and Silas HAD;
And, he WANTED it!!
He said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?!" (vs 30)

Of course Paul and Silas told him "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house."
He did, and they were!
He took Paul and Silas to his home, washed them and called all those in his house to listen as Paul and Silas
"...spake unto him the word of the Lord."

And, they all REJOICED!!
Later, Paul would write in 1Thessalonians 5:16, "Rejoice evermore!"

ALWAYS rejoice in the Lord, for
no matter how bad circumstances become in this life, Jesus is STILL LORD!
He is WORTHY of our praise!
And WHILE we are praising Him, there's no telling what miracles He may perform!!

The next morning, the sergeants came to tell the prison guard to let those men (Paul and Silas) go.
The guard told them, but Paul and Silas declared they were Roman citizens, and had been treated unjustly!
They wanted a PUBLIC apology.

The sergeants went and told the magistrates.
And, the magistrates came to make peace and try and usher Paul and Silas OUT of the city.

Even though the magistrates had no lawful reason to expel them, Paul and Silas agreed -- making peace.

They then went to Lydia's house and "comforted" those there.
They showed them they weren't harmed (except for the beating), and that they were alive.
They recounted to them the prison experience, and encouraged them.

Then, they left.

Sometimes we must leave in order to keep peace.
But let us not leave without bringing comfort to the brethren in Christ!

PLEASE CONTINUE WITH US IN BIBLE STUDY TOMORROW.
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