TRV
See on the biblical-era map
Study This Verse
Commentary on Acts 16 verses 16–24
Paul and his companions, though they were for some time buried in obscurity at Philippi, yet now begin to be taken notice of.
I. A damsel that had a spirit of divination caused them to be taken notice of, by proclaiming them to be the servants of God. Observe,
1.The account that is given of this damsel: She was puthonissa, possessed with such a spirit of divination as that damsel was by whom the oracles of Apollo at Delphos were delivered; she was actuated by an evil spirit, that dictated ambiguous answers to those who consulted her, which served to gratify their vain desire of knowing things to come, but often deceived them. In those times of ignorance, infidelity, and idolatry, the devil, by the divine permission, thus led men captive at his will; and he could not have gained such adoration from them as he had, if he had not pretended to give oracles to them, for by both his usurpation is maintained as the god of this world. This damsel brought her masters much gain by soothsaying; many came to consult this witch for the discovery of robberies, the finding of things lost, and especially to be told their fortune, and none came but with the rewards of divination in their hands, according to the quality of the person and the importance of the case. Probably there were many that were thus kept for fortune-tellers, but, it should seem, this was more in repute than any of them; for, while others brought some gain, this brought much gain to her masters, being consulted more than any other.
2.The testimony which this damsel gave to Paul and his companions: She met them in the street, as they were going to prayer, to the house of prayer, or rather to the work of prayer there, Act 16:16. They went thither publicly, every body knew whither they were going, and what they were going to do. If what she did was likely to be any distraction to them, or a hindrance in their work, it is observable how subtle Satan is, that great tempter, in taking the opportunity to give us diversion when we are going about any religious exercises, to ruffle us and to put us out of temper when we need to be most composed. When she met with them she followed them, crying, "These men, how contemptible soever they look and are looked upon, are great men, for they are the servants of the most high God, and men that should be very welcome to us, for they show unto us the way of salvation, both the salvation that will be our happiness, and the way to it that will be our holiness."
Now, (1.) This witness is true; it is a comprehensive encomium on the faithful preachers of the gospel, and makes their feet beautiful, Rom 10:15. Though they are men subject to like passions as we are, and earthen vessels, yet, [1.] "They are the servants of the most high God; they attend on him, are employed by him, and are devoted to his honour, as servants; they come to us on his errands, the message they bring is from him, and they serve the purposes and interest of his kingdom. The gods we Gentiles worship are inferior beings, therefore not gods, but these men belong to the supreme Numen, to the most high God, who is over all men, over all gods, who made us all, and to whom we are all accountable. They are his servants, and therefore it is our duty to respect them, and harken to them for their Master's sake, and it is at our peril if we affront them." [2.] "They show unto us the way of salvation." Even the heathen had some notion of the miserable deplorable state of mankind, and their need of salvation, and it was what they made some enquiries after. "Now," saith she, "these men are the men that show us what we have in vain sought for in our superstitious profitless application to our priests and oracles." Note, God has, in the gospel of his Son, plainly shown us the way of salvation, has told us what we must do that we may be delivered from the misery to which by sin we have exposed ourselves.
But, (2.) How came this testimony from the mouth of one that had a spirit of divination? Is Satan divided against himself? Will he cry up those whose business it is to pull him down? We may take it either, [1.] As extorted from this spirit of divination for the honour of the gospel by the power of God; as the devil was forced to say of Christ (Mar 1:24): I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God. The truth is sometimes magnified by the confession of its adversaries, in which they are witnesses against themselves. Christ would have this testimony of the damsel to rise up in judgment against those at Philippi who slighted and persecuted the apostles; though the gospel needed no such testimony, yet it shall serve to add to their commendation that the damsel whom they looked upon as an oracle in other things proclaimed the apostles God's servants. Or, [2.] As designed by the evil spirit, that subtle serpent, to the dishonour of the gospel; some think she designed hereby to gain credit to herself and her prophecies, and so to increase her master's profit by pretending to be in the interest of the apostles, who, she thought, had a growing reputation, or to curry favour with Paul, that he might not separate her and her familiar. Others think that Satan, who can transform himself into an angel of light, and can say anything to serve a turn, designed hereby to disgrace the apostles; as if these divines were of the same fraternity with their diviners, because they were witnessed to by them, and then the people might as well adhere to those they had been used to. Those that were most likely to receive the apostles' doctrine were such as were prejudiced against these spirits of divination, and therefore would, by this testimony, be prejudiced against the gospel; and, as for those who regarded these diviners, the devil thought himself sure of them.
II. Christ caused them to be taken notice of, by giving them power to cast the devil out of this damsel. She continued many days clamouring thus (Act 16:18); and, it should seem, Paul took no notice of her, not knowing but it might be ordered of God for the service of his cause, that she should thus witness concerning his ministers; but finding perhaps that it did them a prejudice, rather than any service, he soon silenced her, by casting the devil out of her. 1. He was grieved. It troubled him to see the damsel made an instrument of Satan to deceive people, and to see the people imposed upon by her divinations. It was a disturbance to him to hear a sacred truth so profaned, and good words come out of such a wicked mouth with such and evil design. Perhaps they were spoken in an ironical bantering way, as ridiculing the apostles' pretensions, and mocking them, as when Christ's persecutors complimented him with Hail, king of the Jews; and then justly might Paul be grieved, as any good man's heart would be, to hear any good truth of God bawled out in the streets in a canting jeering way. 2. He commanded the evil spirit to come out of her. He turned with a holy indignation, angry both at the flatteries and at the reproaches of the unclean spirit, and said, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her; and by this he will show that these men are the servants of the living God, and are able to prove themselves so, without her testimony: her silence shall demonstrate it more than her speaking could do. Thus Paul shows the way of salvation indeed, that it is by breaking the power of Satan, and chaining him up, that he may not deceive the world (Rev 20:3), and that this salvation is to be obtained in the name of Jesus Christ only, as in his name the devil was now cast out and by no other. It was a great blessing to the country when Christ by a word cast the devil out of those in whom he frightened people and molested them so that no man might pass by that way (Mat 8:28); but it was a much greater kindness to the country when Paul now, in Christ's name, cast the devil out of one who deceived people and imposed upon their credulity. Power went along with the word of Christ, before which Satan could not stand, but was forced to quit his hold, and in this case it was a strong hold: He came out the same hour.
III. The masters of the damsel that was dispossessed caused them to be taken notice of, by bringing them before the magistrates for doing it, and laying it to their charge as their crime. The preachers of the gospel would never have had an opportunity of speaking to the magistrates if they had not been brought before them as evil doers. Observe here,
1.That which provoked them was, that, the damsel being restored to herself, her masters saw that the hope of their gain was gone, Act 16:19. See here what evil the love of money is the root of! If the preaching of the gospel ruin the craft of the silversmiths (Act 19:24), much more the craft of the soothsayers; and therefore here is a great outcry raised, when Satan's power to deceive is broken: the priests hated the gospel because it turned men from the blind service of dumb idols, and so the hope of their gains was gone. The power of Christ, which appeared in dispossessing the woman, and the great kindness done to her in delivering her out of Satan's hand, made no impression upon them when they apprehended that they should hereby lose money.
2.The course they took with them was to incense the higher powers against them, as men fit to be punished: They caught them as they went along, and, with the utmost fury and violence, dragged them into the marketplace, where public justice was administered. (1.) They brought them to the rulers, their justices of peace, to do by them as men taken into the hands of the law, the duumviri. (2.) From them they hurried them to the magistrates, the praetors or governors of the city, tois stratēgois - the officers of the army, so the word signifies; but it is taken in general for the judges or chief rulers: to them they brought their complaint.
3.The charge they exhibited against them was that they were the troublers of the land, Act 16:20. They take it for granted that these men are Jews, a nation at this time as much an abomination to the Romans as they had long ago been to the Egyptians. Piteous was the case of the apostles, when it was turned to their reproach that they were Jews, and yet the Jews were their most violent persecutors! (1.) The general charge against them is that they troubled the city, sowed discord, and disturbed the public peace, and occasioned riots and tumults, than which nothing could be more false and unjust, as was Ahab's character of Elijah (Kg1 18:17): Art thou he that troubleth Israel? If they troubled the city, it was but like the angel's troubling the water of Bethesda's pool, in order to healing - shaking, in order to a happy settlement. Thus those that rouse the sluggards are exclaimed against for troubling them. (2.) The proof of this charge is their teaching customs not proper to be admitted by a Roman colony, Act 16:21. The Romans were always very jealous of innovations in religion. Right or wrong, they would adhere to that, how vain soever, which they had received by tradition from their fathers. No foreign nor upstart deity must be allowed, without the approbation of the senate; the gods of their country must be their gods, true or false. This was one of the laws of the twelve tables. Hath a nation changed their gods? It incensed them against the apostles that they taught a religion destructive of polytheism and idolatry, and preached to them to turn from those vanities. This the Romans could not bear: "If this grow upon us, in a little while we shall lose our religion."
IV. The magistrates, by their proceedings against them, caused them to be taken notice of.
1.By countenancing the persecution they raised the mob upon them (Act 16:22): The multitude rose up together against them, and were ready to pull them to pieces. It has been the artifice of Satan to make God's ministers and people odious to the commonalty, by representing them as dangerous men, who aimed at the destruction of the constitution and the changing of the customs, when really there has been no ground for such an imputation.
2.By going on to an execution they further represented them as the vilest malefactors: They rent off their clothes, with rage and fury, not having patience till they were taken off, in order to their being scourged. This the apostle refers to when he speaks of their being treated at Philippi, Th1 2:2. The magistrates commanded that they should be whipped as vagabonds, by the lictors or beadles who attended the praetors, and carried rods with them for that purpose; this was one of those three times that Paul was beaten with rods, according to the Roman usage, which was not under the compassionate limitation of the number of stripes not to exceed forty, which was provided by the Jewish law. It is here said that they laid many stripes upon them (Act 16:23), without counting how many, because they seemed vile unto them, Deu 25:3. Now, one would think, this might have satiated their cruelty; if they must be whipped, surely they must be discharged. No, they are imprisoned, and it is probable the present purpose was to try them for their lives, and put them to death; else why should there be such care taken to prevent their escape? (1.) The judges made their commitment very strict: They charged the jailer to keep them safely, and have a very watchful eye upon them, as if they were dangerous men, that either would venture to break prison themselves or were in confederacy with those that would attempt to rescue them. Thus they endeavoured to render them odious, that they might justify themselves in the base usage they had given them. (2.) The jailer made their confinement very severe (Act 16:24): Having received such a charge, though he might have kept them safely enough in the outer prison, yet he thrust them into the inner prison. He was sensible that the magistrates had a great indignation against these men, and were inclined to be severe with them, and therefore he thought to ingratiate himself with them, by exerting his power likewise against them to the uttermost. When magistrates are cruel, it is no wonder that the officers under them are so too. He put them into the inner prison, the dungeon, into which none were usually put but condemned malefactors, dark at noon-day, damp and cold, dirty, it is likely, and every way offensive, like that into which Jeremiah was let down (Jer 38:6); and, as if this were not enough, he made their feet fast in the stocks. Perhaps, having heard a report of the escape of the preachers of the gospel out of prison, when the doors were fast barred (Act 5:19; Act 12:9), he thought he would be wiser than other jailers had been, and therefore would effectually secure them by fastening them in the stocks; and they were not the first of God's messengers that had their feet in the stocks; Jeremiah was so treated, and publicly too, in the high-gate of Benjamin (Jer 20:2); Joseph had his feet hurt with fetters, Psa 105:18. Oh what hard usage have God's servants met with, as in the former days, so in the latter times! Witness the Book of Martyrs, martyrs in queen Mary's time.
What do you say? Do you believe the demon? Does not he say here, "servants of the most high God"? You say, "They are disturbing our city." He says that they proclaim to you a way of salvation. You say, "They are advocating customs that are not lawful for us to adopt"; see how they do not even listen to the demon but are influenced by greed.
"And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans." They made a charge of treason of it. Why did they not say, Because they cast out the demon, they were guilty of impiety against God? For this was a defeat to them: but instead of that, they have recourse to a charge of treason: like the Jews when they said, "We have no king but Caesar: whoso maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar."
And they proclaim a custom which it is not lawful for us to receive or to observe, since we are Romans. They speak of the faith of Jesus Christ, in whose name the spirit of Python had departed. For the Romans had already decreed that no god should be accepted unless approved by the Senate.
Continue studying Acts 16:21 across the web’s major study libraries — every link below opens this exact verse, chapter, or book on the destination site.
Read & Compare
BibleGatewayThis verse in more than 200 translations and 70 languages.
Bible.comThe YouVersion reader — hundreds of translations, reading plans, and highlights.
ESV.orgCrossway's official English Standard Version reader.
NET BibleThe NET translation with 60,000+ translators' notes on every rendering decision.
STEP BibleTyndale House's free study tool — original text, vocabulary, and scholarly resources.
BibliaLogos Bible Software's free web reader.
USCCBThe New American Bible (Revised Edition) with the U.S. bishops' study notes.
Commentaries
BibleHub CommentariesDozens of classic commentaries on this verse, gathered on one page.
StudyLightMore than 100 commentary sets — the largest collection on the web.
BibleRefPlain-English commentary on what this verse means, verse by verse.
Enduring WordDavid Guzik's free commentary on this chapter, widely used by Bible teachers.
Bible Study ToolsVerse commentary alongside Greek and Hebrew study aids.
Original Language & Research
- BibleHub InterlinearThe verse word by word — original language, transliteration, and English.
- BibleHub LexiconEvery word's original-language definition and Strong's entry.
Blue Letter BibleDeep-study tools — Strong's numbers, concordance, and word studies.
CNTR CollationThe earliest Greek manuscripts of this verse, collated letter by letter.
Sermons, Hymns & Audio
TrulyRandomVerse is not affiliated with these sites and doesn’t control their content. They’re linked because they’re genuinely useful.
SUMMARY
Acts 16:21 details the specific accusation leveled against Paul and Silas in Philippi by the masters of a formerly demon-possessed slave girl. Driven by financial loss rather than genuine concern for public order, these accusers charged the apostles with advocating "customs" that were unlawful for Roman citizens to adopt or observe, cleverly framing the nascent Christian message as a subversive threat to Roman identity and legal traditions in this proud Roman colony.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: This verse is situated within the broader narrative of Paul's second missionary journey, specifically his ministry in Philippi, the first European city where the gospel was preached. The immediate context begins with Paul casting out a spirit of divination from a slave girl in Acts 16:16-18. This act, while liberating for the girl, enraged her masters because it destroyed their source of income. Their response, detailed in Acts 16:19-20, was to seize Paul and Silas and drag them before the city magistrates, fabricating a charge that would resonate with Roman authorities. Verse 21 presents the core of this politically astute, yet disingenuous, accusation, leading directly to the unjust beating and imprisonment described in Acts 16:22-24.
Historical & Cultural Context: Philippi was a significant Roman colony, founded by Augustus, and its citizens took immense pride in their Roman status, enjoying privileges similar to those in Rome itself. Roman law, while generally tolerant of established religions, was highly suspicious of new, unauthorized cults (known as religio illicita) that could potentially disrupt public order, challenge Roman authority, or lead to social unrest. The accusers in Acts 16 understood this legal framework well. They did not accuse Paul and Silas of a religious offense, which might have been dismissed, but rather of introducing "customs" that were "not lawful" for Romans. This charge cleverly exploited the Roman citizens' strong civic identity and loyalty to the Empire, framing the Christian message as a foreign, illicit, and subversive practice that threatened the very fabric of Roman society and its traditions.
Key Themes: Acts 16:21 contributes to several overarching themes within the book of Acts and the broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it powerfully illustrates the theme of Opposition to the Gospel, demonstrating that resistance to the Christian message often stems from economic or social vested interests rather than purely theological disagreement, as seen in the masters' financial loss. Secondly, it highlights the Clash of Worldviews between the kingdom of God and the established earthly powers, laws, and pagan practices of the Roman Empire. Christianity, with its exclusive claims and counter-cultural ethics, was perceived as a direct challenge to the syncretistic Roman religious landscape and its civic order. Lastly, the verse underscores the theme of Strategic Accusation against God's messengers. The accusers' shrewd tactic of appealing to Roman law and identity, rather than religious differences, was designed to ensure a swift and severe response from the magistrates, leading directly to the unjust suffering of Paul and Silas, as further detailed in Acts 16:22-24.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The verse employs several potent literary devices. Irony is evident, as the accusers, motivated by greed and the loss of their exploitative income, feign concern for Roman law and order. Their true motive is economic, yet they frame it as a matter of civic duty and legal propriety. There is also a strong sense of Antithesis, contrasting the "customs" taught by Paul and Silas with what is "lawful" for "Romans." This highlights the fundamental clash between the values and practices of the nascent Christian faith and the established legal and cultural norms of the Roman Empire. Furthermore, the accusation serves as Foreshadowing, hinting at the broader pattern of persecution the early church would face, often disguised as legal or political threats, rather than overt religious opposition.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Acts 16:21 powerfully illustrates the inherent tension between the kingdom of God and the kingdoms of this world. The gospel, by its very nature, challenges established norms, economic interests, and political powers that stand in opposition to God's truth and justice. The accusation, though legally framed, was fundamentally a spiritual conflict, revealing how worldly systems, when threatened, will often resort to misrepresentation and legalistic maneuvering to suppress the truth. This incident underscores that faithfulness to Christ may lead to unjust suffering, but it also demonstrates God's sovereignty in using such opposition to further His redemptive purposes, even converting jailers and establishing churches in the face of adversity.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Acts 16:21 serves as a poignant reminder that the proclamation of the gospel often disrupts the status quo and challenges vested interests, whether economic, social, or political. For believers today, this passage calls for discernment regarding the true sources of opposition to faith. Not all resistance will be overtly spiritual; much of it may stem from discomfort with the ethical, social, or economic implications of living out a Christ-centered life in a world that often operates on different principles. We are called to stand firm in our convictions, even when facing accusations, misrepresentation, or persecution, trusting that God can use even unjust circumstances to advance His kingdom. This passage encourages us to be prepared for the cost of discipleship, to pray for wisdom in navigating complex societal challenges, and to remember that our ultimate allegiance is to Christ, whose kingdom is not of this world.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why were the accusers so concerned about "Roman" identity in Philippi?
Answer: Philippi was a Roman colony, a status that granted its citizens special privileges and a strong sense of loyalty to Rome. Roman law was generally tolerant of existing, approved religions, but viewed new, unauthorized cults (known as religio illicita) with suspicion, especially if they were perceived to disrupt public order or challenge Roman authority. The accusers, having lost their source of income from the slave girl's divination, cleverly framed their complaint not as a religious dispute, but as a matter of civic disloyalty. By emphasizing that Paul and Silas were teaching "customs" that were "not lawful" for "Romans" to adopt or observe, they appealed directly to the magistrates' and citizens' pride in their Roman identity and their commitment to Roman law, ensuring a severe response to what they portrayed as a subversive threat to the colony's stability. This tactic led directly to the unjust treatment of Paul and Silas, as detailed in Acts 16:22-24.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Acts 16:21, with its portrayal of unjust accusation and legalistic maneuvering against God's messengers, finds profound Christ-centered fulfillment in the life and ministry of Jesus Himself. Just as Paul and Silas were accused of teaching "customs" not lawful for Romans, Jesus was similarly accused of subverting Jewish law and Roman authority, ultimately leading to His crucifixion. He was charged with blasphemy by the religious establishment (Matthew 26:65) and with sedition against Caesar by the Roman authorities (John 19:12). The "customs" Jesus taught – the radical ethics of the Kingdom of God, the call to repentance, and the demand for exclusive allegiance to Him – were indeed "unlawful" to the established systems of power and self-interest, just as the gospel was deemed unlawful in Philippi. Jesus, the ultimate innocent one, suffered unjustly at the hands of those who prioritized their own power and traditions over truth, providing the pattern for His followers. His suffering, however, was not a defeat but the very means by which He secured salvation, demonstrating that God's kingdom advances not through worldly power, but through sacrificial love and steadfast endurance in the face of opposition, ultimately triumphing over all earthly accusations and authorities, as seen in His resurrection and ascension (Philippians 2:8-11).