Acts 16 Studies

For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each chapter is divided into a number of studies and each study or passage has a simple four-Part, verse-by-verse approach, to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage: Acts 16:1-5

1 Paul came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where a disciple named Timothy lived, whose mother was Jewish and a believer but whose father was a Greek. 2 The believers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him. 3 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. 4 As they travelled from town to town, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to obey. 5 So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.

A. Find Out:    

1. Where did Paul go? v.1a
2. What are we told about Timothy’s background? v.1b,2
3. What had to be done and why? v.3
4. What did they do as they went from place to place? v.4
5. With what outcome? v.5

B. Think:

1. To whom is Paul travelling and why?
2. How is the Jewish aspect still so prominent?
3. What is the state of the church in Asia Minor at this time?

C. Comment:

Paul goes back to those places on the mainland where he had established churches before, with the clear aim of encouraging and building them up, while also bringing the message from the church in Jerusalem that they did not need to be over concerned to conform to Jewish laws, especially those pertaining to circumcision. At this point we feel there is an inconsistency for we see Paul had Timothy circumcised out of consideration for the Jews in the area, that he would not be a stumbling block to them. What is the answer?

The answer is that Paul knew, and insisted, that circumcision was not necessary for salvation. He emphasised that in his letter to the Galatians, the people he is now going to. Circumcision was not part of the salvation package, just faith in Christ. We cannot please God and win our way into His presence by doing things, only by belief in Jesus. BUT, for the sake of the Gospel, to take away any stumbling block before the Jews, to ensure the Gospel is not hindered by petty concerns, Paul ensures the Jewish team going to the Jews, fully complies with everything the Jews might be concerned about. This is grace. It is not necessary for salvation, but if it means this particular people group will be more open to receive the Gospel then he will ensure they all comply.

D. Application:

1. Salvation may not demand we do certain things but grace towards others may require us to go the extra mile.
2. Salvation is by faith alone, and works follow on afterwards.

Passage: Acts 16:6-10

6 Paul and his companions travelled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. 7 When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. 8 So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. 9 During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, ‘Come over to Macedonia and help us.’ 10 After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

A. Find Out:

1. Where did they travel? v.6a
2. What did the Holy Spirit do? v.6b
3. What did the Spirit subsequently do? v.7
4. So where did they go? v.8
5. What happened to Paul at night? v.9
6. So what did they do, concluding what? v.10

B. Think:

1. What 3 sets of guidance did they receive on this part of the trip?
2. What do you think they must have felt as this was happening?
3. What difficulties are there in divine guidance?

C. Comment:

So far the apostles seems to have simply gone where it naturally seemed right for them to go, and God seemed quite happy with that. Suddenly all that changes.

s they are working their way northwards in Asia Minor, they are suddenly aware that the Holy Spirit is seeking to stop them preaching in the small province simply known as Asia in the north. So they move westwards to the next province known as Mysia and prepare to cross over into the northern province of Bithynia but again the Holy Spirit gives them a strong impression that this is not what they should do. When this sort of thing happens to you here are two ways you can react: first, you can be negative and get frustrated or, second, you can be positive and say, ‘Well the Lord is shutting this door, so He obviously has a different door for us to go through’ and just keep on looking. The latter course seems to have been what the apostles did for, rather than turning round and going home, they simply push on westwards until they run out of land.

It is at this point that Paul had a vision (not a dream) calling them to cross the water into what we now call Europe . This is to be a major new initiative in the missionary plan of God.

D. Application:

1. God’s guidance comes in many forms, each needing faith.
2. When we are stopped it is so that we can be started elsewhere.

Passage: Acts 16:11-15

11 From Troas we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, and the next day we went on to Neapolis. 12 From there we travelled to Philippi, a Roman colony and the leading city of that district of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days.

13 On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. 14 One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshipper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message. 15 When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. ‘If you consider me a believer in the Lord,’ she said, ‘come and stay at my house.’ And she persuaded us.

A. Find Out:

1. Where did they next travel? v.11,12
2. Where did they go on the Sabbath and why? v.13a
3. What did they do there? v.13b
4. What are we told about Lydia? v.14
5. What happened to her? v.15a
6. What also did she do? v.15b

B. Think:

1. Also read Phil 1:3-6, 4:15
2. What was the apostolic strategy at Philippi?
3. How was that similar to what they had used before?

C. Comment:

Responding to the vision they cross the sea into Macedonia and travel on to Philippi a “leading city of that district”, i.e. they went where they knew there were plenty of people, especially Jews. Having been there a few days they found there was (obviously) no synagogue but, as there was a designated place of prayer outside the city, on the Sabbath they went there to see who turned up. It seems it was mostly women who came to pray, obviously Jewish as it was the Sabbath, and so Paul starts sharing the message with them. At least one of them, a business woman named Lydia responds to the message, together with other members of her household.

Being next to the river, the first thing they do with new believers is baptize them. This is the standard practice. After being publicly initiated into the newly formed church (church comes into being as soon as believers are created and the Spirit indwells them – they ARE the church there), Lydia invites them to stay at her home. Hospitality is her gift back to them. [Note in passing that Luke has joined Paul’s team now – see the “we” of verse 10 onwards – so there are at least Paul, Silas, Luke and Timothy in the team now]

D. Application:

1. Share the Gospel with those who are already interested, who perhaps     show signs of being religious, but who don’t yet know Jesus.
2. Baptism is to follow conversion.

Passage: Acts 16:16-24

16 Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. 17 She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, ‘These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.’ 18 She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so annoyed that he turned round and said to the spirit, ‘In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!’ At that moment the spirit left her.

19 When her owners realised that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the market-place to face the authorities. 20 They brought them before the magistrates and said, ‘These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar 21 by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practise.’

22 The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. 23 After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. 24 When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.

A. Find Out:

1. What was the fortune-telling girl doing? v.16,17
2. How did Paul eventually react and what happened? v.18
3. What did her owners do? v.19
4. What did they say about Paul & Silas? v.20,21
5. What happened to them? v.22,23a
6. Where did they end up? v.23b,24

B. Think:

1. Why do you think the girl was crying out as she was?
2. What was required of Paul to act as he did?
3. What does what then happened teach us about the Christian life?

C. Comment:

The apostles remain in Philippi, presumably sharing the Gospel at the “place of prayer”. One day they are met by a fortune telling girl, a slave owned by men who make money out of her. This girl calls out about them, and kept on doing this day after day. What she says is right but it seems it is coming more as mockery than as declaration. Eventually Paul has had enough. He has either been told, or discerns, that she has an evil spirit that is working through her, and senses that this is the time God wants her to be delivered, and so with a word of authority he delivers her from the spirit.

Note that it says that “Paul became so troubled” that he acted. There are times when, in grace, we try to put up with the attacks of the enemy, but there comes a time when we are so disturbed by what is happening that it is as if we are forced to act, and then God does something dramatic! The effect of this deliverance was quite dramatic: the enemy rose up in anger against them, the owners of the girl, presumably a gang, grabbed the apostles and bundled them into the market place before the magistrates. They, without checking the facts, had them beaten and thrown into prison. Not a happy ending! Life can be like that, but that is not the end of the story!

D. Application:

1. Be ready to stand against a counter attack when you’ve had victory.
2. God is never defeated!

Passage: Acts 16:25-34

25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. 27 The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul shouted, ‘Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!’

29 The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 He then brought them out and asked, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’

31 They replied, ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved – you and your household.’ 32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. 33 At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. 34 The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God – he and his whole household.

A. Find Out:

1. What were Paul & Silas doing at midnight? v.25
2. What then happened? v.26
3. What did the jailor think had happened? v.27
4. When Paul stopped him what did he ask? v.28-30
5. What did Paul reply and with what effect? v.31-33
6. What was the outcome for the apostles? v.34

B. Think:

1. What appears to be the apostles state in prison?
2. What effect did the earthquake have?
3. How did Paul capitalize on that?

C. Comment:

Having been severely thrashed and then put in stocks in a dungeon, you might expect the apostles to feel quite down. If they are they are showing it in a good way – praying and worshipping out loud. They are being a continual witness to those around them, the other prisoners there. In the midst of that God intervenes! (so you think the earthquake was a coincidence?)

The jailor wakes and is distraught and prepares to take his own life. The apostles instead of quickly making their escape lead the man to salvation. They made the most of the situation for kingdom purposes. The end result is that the jailor and his family come to the Lord, and the apostles are free in his home.

The question that arises from this story is how do we react when in trying circumstances? Can God find us relying upon him like these men, calling on Him and receiving His grace for the circumstances? In the middle of a crisis do we see the needs of others also in crisis and reach out to them with God’s love? Do we take any and every such opportunity to share the Gospel and lead others in distress to salvation?

D. Application:

1. In the most trying of circumstances God’s grace is available for us to be a  blessing to others.
2. We may not be very good at this yet, but God wants us to learn to     receive His grace more and more for such situations.

Passage: Acts 16:35-40

35 When it was daylight, the magistrates sent their officers to the jailer with the order: ‘Release those men.’ 36 The jailer told Paul, ‘The magistrates have ordered that you and Silas be released. Now you can leave. Go in peace.’

37 But Paul said to the officers: ‘They beat us publicly without a trial, even though we are Roman citizens, and threw us into prison. And now do they want to get rid of us quietly? No! Let them come themselves and escort us out.’

38 The officers reported this to the magistrates, and when they heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, they were alarmed. 39 They came to appease them and escorted them from the prison, requesting them to leave the city. 40 After Paul and Silas came out of the prison, they went to Lydia’s house, where they met with the brothers and sisters and encouraged them. Then they left.

A. Find Out:

1. What happened in the morning? v.35,36
2. What was Paul’s reply? v.37
3. What effect did this have? v.38
4. So what did they do? v.39
5. So what did Paul & Silas do? v.40

B. Think:

1. What were the magistrates initially indicating in this passage?
2. What injustice does Paul highlight?
3. Why do you think Paul eventually left the city?

C. Comment:

When morning arrives, the order comes from the magistrates that they are to be released, an indication from the magistrates that a) they are in control and b) they are happy to let the apostles off with no further punishment. Apparently magnanimous. Not so according to Paul! He is not going to let this blatant injustice be passed by so easily. The day before it had not been Paul and Silas who were in the wrong but they had been punished without any proper hearing and in any person’s book that was just negligent abuse of power by the magistrates. Not only that, Paul was a Roman citizen, which meant that he was guaranteed a trial in any Roman held territory, and he hadn’t had it! No, these men were clearly in the wrong.

The interesting thing to notice at this point is that when the magistrates came apologetically and asked them to leave the town, presumably for the sake of the peace of the town, Paul and Silas comply. They take their time doing it, but they comply. We might have been tempted to make a point and stay on preaching the Gospel, but these two ambassadors of God are simply happy to move on to the next place. They have established the church there and so now perhaps it is wiser to leave the church to stand on its own and move on.

D. Application:

1. With opposition will always come further opportunity to move on.
2. There are times to stand up for justice and times to remain quiet. We     need to ask God for wisdom to know when to fight what battles.