16:1Timothy is the first second-generation Christian mentioned in the New Testament. His mother, Eunice, and grandmother Lois (2 Timothy 1:5) had become believers and had faithfully influenced him for the LORD. Although Timothy's father apparently was not a Christian, the faithfulness of Timothy's mother and grandmother prevailed. Never underestimate the effect of godly parenting on a child.
Life Application Study BibleActsChapter 16
Acts 16
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16Acts 16
Paul’s Second Missionary Journey
1Paul went first to Derbe and then to Lystra, where there was a young disciple named Timothy. His mother was a Jewish believer, but his father was a Greek. 2Timothy The lives of the first Christian missionaries can be described with many words, but boring is not one of them. There were days of great excitement as men and women who had never heard of Jesus responded to the gospel. There were dangerous journeys over land and sea. Heaith risks and hunger were part of the daily routine. And there was open and hostile resistance to Christianity in many cities. Silas was one of the first missionaries, and he found out that serving Jesus Christ was certainly not boring!; Silas’s name appears in Acts at the end of the first church council on the Jewish/Gentile problem. The majority of early Christians were Jews who realized that Jesus was the fulfillment of God’s Old Testament promises to his people; however, the universal application of those promises had been overlooked. Thus, many felt that becoming Jewish was a prerequisite to becoming a Christian. The idea that God could accept a Gentile pagan was t00 incredible. But Gentiles began to accept Christ as Savior, and the transformation of their lives and the presence of God’s Spirit confirmed their conversions. Some Jews were still reluctant, however, and insisted these new Christians take on various Jewish customs. The issue came to a boiling point at the Jerusalem council but was peacefully resolved. Silas was one of the representatives from Jerusalem sent with Paul and Barnabas back to Antioch with an Official letter of welcome and acceptance to the Gentile Christians. Having fulfilled this mission, Silas returned to Jerusalem. Within a short time, however, he was back in Antioch at Paul’s request to join him on his second missionary journey. Paul, Silas, and Timothy began a far-ranging ministry that included some exciting adventures. Paul and Silas spent a night singing in a Philippian jail after being severely beaten. An earthquake, the loosing of their chains, and the resulting panic led to the conversion of their jailer and his family. Later, they narrowly missed another beating in Thessalonica, prevented by an evening escape. In Berea there was more trouble, but Silas and Timothy stayed to teach the young believers, while Paul traveled on to Athens. The team was finally reunited in Corinth. In each place they visited, they left behind a small group of Christians. Silas leaves the story as suddenly as he entered it. Peter mentions him as the co-author of 1 Peter, but we do not know when he joined Peter. He was an effective believer before leaving Jerusalem, and he doubtless continued to minister after his work with Paul was completed, He took advantage of opportunities to serve God and was not discouraged by the setbacks and opposition he met along the way. Silas, though not the most famous of the early missionaries, was certainly a hero worth imitating. • A leader in the Jerusalem church Represented the church in carrying the “acceptance letter” prepared by the Jerusalem council to the Gentile believers in Antioch Was closely associated with Paul from the second missionary journey on a • Sang songs of praise to God while in jail with Paul in Philippi • Worked as a writing secretary for both Paul and Peter • Partnership is a significant part of effective ministry • God never guarantees that his servants will not suffer • Obedience to God will often mean giving up what makes us feel secure Vital statistics ¢ Where: Roman citizen living in Jerusalem
6Occupation: One of the first career missionaries• Contemporaries: Paul, Timothy, Peter, Mark, BarnabasKey verses “So we decided, having come to compiete agreement, to send youofficial representatives, along with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,who have risked their lives for the name of our LORD Jesus Christ.We are sending Judas and Silas to confirm what we have decidedconcerning your question” (Acts 15:25-27).Silas’s story is told in Acts 15:22—19:10. He is also mentioned in 2 Corinthians 1:19;
7Thessalonians 1:1;
9Thessalonians 1:1; 1 Peter 5:12.Jerusalem council had decided that—chapter 15), but he volun-tarily did this to overcome any barriers to his witness for Christ.Sometimes we need to go beyond the call of duty in order tofurther the Kingdom of God.
A Call from Macedonia
6Next Paul and Silas traveled through the area of Phrygia and Galatia, because the Holy Spirit had prevented them from preaching the word in the province of Asia at that time. 7 Then coming to the borders of Mysia, they headed north for the province of Bithynia,* but again the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them to go there. 8So instead, they went on through Mysia to the seaport of Troas. 9 That night Paul had a vision: A man from Macedonia in northern Greece was standing there, pleading with him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us!” So we* decided to leave for Macedonia at once, having concluded that God was calling us to preach the Good News there.
Lydia of Philippi Believes in Jesus
11We boarded a boatat Troas and sailed straight across to the island of Samothrace,and the 36:1", next day we landed at Neapolis. ‘?From there we reached Philippi, a major city of that dis- 4,4. trict of Macedonia and a Roman colony. And we stayed there several days. Phil 1:1 130n the Sabbath we wenta little way outside the city to a riverbank, where we thought I ""°5*? people would be meeting for prayer, and we sat down to speak with some women who had gathered there. 10One of them was Lydia from Thyatira, a merchant of expensive purple 16:14 cloth, who worshiped God. As she listened to us, the LORD opened her heart, and she Fev 11" 2:18, 24 accepted what Paul was saying. ‘She was baptized along with other members of her household, and she asked us to be her guests. “If you agree that I am a true believer in the LORD,” she said, “come and stay at my home.” And she urged us until we agreed. 16:6-7 Phrygia, Galatia, Asia, Mysia, and Bithynia were all districts in what is now Turkey. 16:10 Luke, the writer ot this book, here joined Paul and accompanied him on his journey.
Paul and Silas in Prison
1616 One day as we were going down to the place of prayer, we met a demon-possessed slave girl. She was a fortune-teller who earned a lot of money for her masters, 17She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, and they have come to tell you how to be saved.” 18This went on day after day until Paul got so exasperated that he turned and said to the demon within her, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And instantly it left her. 19Her masters’ hopes of wealth were now shattered, so they grabbed Paul and Silas and dragged them before the authorities at the marketplace. 20“ The whole city is in an uproar because of these Jews!” they shouted to the city officials. 21They are teaching customs that are illegal for us Romans to practice.” 22A mob quickly formed against Paul and Silas, and the city officials ordered them stripped and beaten with wooden rods. 23They were severely beaten, and then they were thrown into prison. The jailer was ordered to make sure they didn’t escape. 24So the jailer put them into the inner dungeon and clamped their feet in the stocks. 25Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. 26Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off! 27The jailer woke up to see the prison doors wide open. He assumed the prisoners had escaped, so he drew his sword to kill himself. 28But Paul shouted to him, “Stop! Don't kill yourself! We are all here!” 29The jailer called for lights and ran to the dungeon and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. 30Then he brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31They replied, “Believe in the LORD Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household.” 32And they shared the word of the LORD with him and with all who lived in his household. 3%Even at that hour of the night, the jailer cared for them and washed their wounds. Then he and everyone in his household were immediately baptized. 34He brought them into his house and set a meal before them, and he and his entire household rejoiced because they all believed in God. 35The next morning the city officials sent the police to tell the jailer, “Let those men go!” 36So the jailer told Paul, “The city officials have said you and Silas are free to leave. Go in peace.” 37But Paul replied, “They have publicly beaten us without a trial and put us in prison— and we are Roman citizens. So now they want us to leave secretly? Certainly not! Let them come themselves to release us!” 38When the police reported this, the city officials were alarmed to learn that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens. 39So they came to the jail and apologized to them. Then they brought them out and begged them to leave the city. 4¢When Paul and Silas left the prison, they returned to the home of Lydia. There they met with the believers and encouraged them once more. Then they left town.
Life Application Notes 18 notes
16:2,3Timothy and his mother, Eunice, were trom Lystra. Eunice had probably heard Paul's preaching when he was there during his first missionary journey (14:6-18). Timothy was the son of a Jewish mother and Greek father—to the Jews, a halfbreed like a Samaritan. So Paul asked Timothy to be circumcised to remove some of the stigma he may have had with Jewish believers. Timothy was not required to be circumcised {the
16:6We don’t know how the Holy Spirit told Paul that he and his companions should not go into Asia. It may have been through a prophet, a vision, an inner conviction, or some other circumstance. To know God’s will does not mean we must hear his voice. He leads in different ways. When you are seeking God’s will, (1) make sure your plan is in harmony with God's Word; (2) ask mature Christians for their advice; (3) check your own motives to see if you are seeking to do what you want or what you think God wants; (4) pray for God to open and close the doors as he desires.
16:7-9The “Spirit of Jesus” is another name for the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit had closed the door twice for Paul, so Paul must have wondered which geographical direction to take in spreading the Good News. Then, in a vision (16:9), Paul was given definite direction, and he and his companions obediently traveled into Macedonia. The Holy Spirit guides us to the right places, but he also guides us away from the wrong places. As we seek God’s will, we need to know what God wants us to do and where he ~ _ PAUL TRAVELS TO MACEDONIA At Troas, Paul received the Macedonian call (16:9), and he, Silas, Timothy, and Luke boarded a ship. They sailed to the island of Samothrace, then on to Neapolis, the port for the city of Philippi. Philippi sat on the Egnatian Way, a main transportation artery connecting the eastern provinces with ltaly. wants us to go, but we also need to know what God does not want us to do and where he does not want us to go.
16:10The use of the pronoun we indicates that Luke, the author of the Gospel of Luke and of this book, joined Paul, Silas, and Timothy on their journey. He was an eyewitness to most of the remaining incidents recorded in this book.
16:12Philippi was the key city in the region of Macedonia (northern Greece today). Paul founded a church during this visit (A.D. 50-51). Later, Paul wrote a letter to the church, the book of Philippians, probably from a prison in Rome (A.D. 61). The letter was personal and tender, showing Paul’s deep love for and friendship with the believers there. in it he thanked them for a gift they had sent, alerted them to a coming visit by Timothy and Epaphroditus, urged the church to clear up any disunity, and encouraged the believers not to give in to persecution.
16:13Inscribed on the arches outside the city of Philippi was a prohibition against bringing an unrecognized religion into the city; therefore, this prayer meeting was held outside the city, beside the river.
16:13,14After following the Holy Spirit's leading into Macedonia, Paul made his first evangelistic contact with a small group of women. Paul never allowed gender or cultural boundaries to keep him from preaching the Good News. He preached to these women, and Lydia, an influential merchant, believed. This opened the way for ministry in that region. God often worked in and through women in the early church.
16:14Lydia was a merchant of purple cloth, so she was probably wealthy. Purple cloth was valuable and expensive. It was often worn as a sign of nobility or royalty. 16:14# Luke highlights the stories of three individuals who became believers through Paul's ministry in Philippi: Lydia, the influential businesswoman (16:14), the demon-possessed slave girl (16:16-18), and the jailer (16:27-30). The Good News was affecting all strata of society, just as it does today.
16:15Why was Lydia’s household baptized after Lydia responded in faith to the Good News? Baptism was a public sign of identification with Christ and the Christian community. Although all members of her household may not have chosen to follow Christ (we don't know), it was now a Christian home.
16:15Lydia practically begged for the opportunity to host Paul and Silas in her home. Rather than seeing the men as a burden and their presence as a disruption of her family and business Toutine, Lydia laid out the welcome mat. The notion of hospitality is related to the word “hospitat.” In other words, we practice hospitality when we generously and cordially throw open the doors of our homes to care for others. in hospitality, we nurture, strengthen, and serve. The result is that others tind physical, spiritual, and emotional help. When they leave us. they are healthier and more whole than when they came. {s this your practice?!s your home a “hospitai” for hurting or needy souls?
16:16This gir!’s fortune-telling ability came from evil spirits. Fortune-telling was a common practice in Greek and Roman Culture. There were many superstitious methods by which people thought they could foretell future events, from interpreting omens in nature to communicating with the spirits of the dead. This young slave girl had an evit spirit, and she made her master rich by interpreting signs and telling people their fortunes. The master was exploiting her unfortunate condition for personal gain.
16:22-25Paul and Silas were stripped, beaten, and placed in stocks in the inner cell. Stocks were made of two boards joined with iron clamps, leaving holes just big enough for the ankles. The prisoner's legs were placed across the lower board, and then the upper board was closed over them. Sometimes both wrists and ankles were placed in stocks. Paul and Silas, who had committed no crime and who were peaceful men, were put in stocks designed for holding the most dangerous prisoners in absolute security. Despite this dismal situation, they praised God, praying and singing as the other prisoners listened. No matter what our circumstances, we should praise God. Others may come to Christ because of our example.
16:23and 1 Corinthians 1:14). Paul wanted to go to the amphitheater to defend his companions, but the other believers wouldn't Jet him go, fearing for his safety. The officials who begged him not to risk his life were government officials responsible for the religious and political order of the region. Paul’s message had reached all levels of society, crossing all social barriers and giving Paul friends in high places.
16:27The jailer drew his sword to kill himself because jailers were responsible for their prisoners and would be held accountabie for their escape.
16:30,31Paul and Sitas’s reputation in Philippi was well known. When the jailer realized his own condition and need, he risked everything to find the answer. The Good News of salvation is simply expressed: Believe in the LORD Jesus, and you will be saved (see Romans 10:9; 1 Corinthians 12:3; Ephesians 2:8, 9: Philippians 2:11). When we recognize Jesus as LORD and trust in him with our entire life, salvation is assured to us. If you have never trusted in Jesus to save you, do so quickly. Your life can be filled with joy, just as the jailer’s was (16:34).
16:31-34Paul and Silas took the family unit seriously. So the offer of salvation was made to the jailer’s entire household — family and servants. Yet it was not the jailer’s faith that saved them; they all needed to come to Jesus in faith and believe in him in the same way the jailer had. His entire family did believe and ail were saved. Pray that God will use you to introduce Jesus to your family and that they will come to believe in him.
16:37,38Paul refused to take his freedom and run. He wanted to teach the city officials in Philippi a lesson and to protect the other believers from the treatment he and Silas had received. The word would spread that Paul and Silas had been found innocent and freed by the leaders, expressing the truth that believers should not be persecuted—especially if they were Roman citizens. Roman citizenship carried with it certain privileges. These Philippian
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was well thought of by the believers* in Lystra and Iconium,?so Pau! wanted him to join them on their journey. In deference to the Jews of the area, he arranged for Timothy to be circumcised before they left, for everyone knew that his father was a Greek. ‘Then they went from town to town, instructing the believers to follow the decisions made by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem. So the churches were strengthened in their faith and grew larger every day. 16:2 Greek brothers; also in 16:40.
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Strengths and accomplishments
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Lessons from his life
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Almost everywhere Paul and Silas traveled, they found people open to the gospel message. I When they arrived in Philippi they met just such a disciple-in-the-making. Her name was Lydia. Lydia’s business as a dealer in fine purple cloth and dye probably means she was wealthy. No husband is mentioned, but she was responsible for a household. Lydia was also a spiritual searcher. She was among the Gentile women who gathered outside Philippi on each Sabbath to pray to the God of the Jews. One eventful day, Paul and Silas visited the group. Lydia’s attendance at the prayer gathering demonstrated her willingness to respond to as much about God as she knew. God responded to her quest by providing her with more truth. When she heard the Good News about Jesus Christ, she listened and believed. She is remembered as Paul's first European convert. Luke described with swift strokes the first two steps in Lydia's life as a disciple: (1) She was baptized, (2) she brought the rest of the members of her household to Paul and they apparently believed as well, because they were baptized as well. Lydia’s response was both inward and outward. She immediately understood that her new faith created all kinds of opportunities for practical application. Then, as now, the gospel had life-changing effects. The first actions of new believers often indicate how deeply they have understood and received the gift of salvation. The Christian life is a gift we continue to receive by sharing it with others. Thinking of Lydia, how would you describe the initial effects of the gospel in your life? When you accepted Christ, what changes did others notice in you? How did Christ's presence affect your behavior? To what degree has your life continued to display that gratefulness you felt when you first believed?
• Successful businesswoman
• The first convert to Christianity in Phitippi, and therefore, Europe
• Brought her entire household to hear about Jesus, and all were baptized as a result
• Provided housing in Philippi for Paul and Silas
Strengths and accomplishments
• God rewards those who honestly seek him:
• One of the marks of conversion is care for others—physically and spiritually
• Where: From Thyatira, living in Philippi
• Occupation: Merchant specializing in costly purple cloth
• Relatives: A household that was baptized with her. “One of them was Lydia from Thyatira, a merchant of expensive purple cloth, who worshiped God. As she listened to us, the LORD opened her heart, and she accepted what Paul was saying” (Acts 16:14).
Lessons from her life Vital statistics Key verse
The events surrounding Lydia’s conversion are found in Acts 16:11-40. eee
16:17, 18 What the slave girl said was true, although the source of her knowledge was a demon. Why did a demon announce the truth about Paul, and why did this annoy Paul? if Paul accepted the demon’s words, he would appear to be linking the Good News with demon-related activities. This would damage his message about Christ. Truth and evil do not mix. 16:19 Faced with the loss of their slave girl's fortune-telling ability, the Philippian entrepreneurs were furious. Never tind that Paul and Silas were speaking eternal truths, never mind that the poor slave girl had been delivered from an awful existence; these men could only bemoan their economic loss! The gospel would also later hurt Ephesian idol makers financially (chapter 19), resulting in a citywide riot. When people care more about their own economic well being than the glory of God and the salvation of lost souls, it is a clear sign of idolatry, greed, and woridliness.
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MINISTRY IN MACEDONIA Luke stayed in Philippi while Paul, Silas, and Timothy continued on the Egnatian Way to Amphipolis, Apollonia, and Thessalonica. But trouble arose in Thessalonica, and they fled to Berea. When their enemies from Thessalonica pursued them, Paul set out by sea to Athens, leaving Silas and Timothy to encourage the believers.