Paul and Silas in Prison

By prof. A.P. Lopukhin

Acts of the Apostles, chapter 16. Paul in Lystra, Derbe, and Troas (vv. 1–8), The Vision of the Macedonian and the Journey to Macedonia (vv. 9–11), Paul in Philippi. The Conversion of Lydia (vv. 12–15), The Casting Out of the Spirit of Sorcery (vv. 16–18), The Imprisonment, the Miracle, and the Conversion of the Guard (vv. 19–40)

Acts. 16:1. He came to Derbe and Lystra. And, behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a certain Jewish woman who believed, but his father was a Greek;

For Derbe and Lystra, see Acts. 14:6.

“He was there,” that is, in Lystra, not in Derbe, as the testimony of the Lystranites about Timothy indicates.

“a certain disciple,” that is, a Christian. This disciple’s mother (named Eunice—2 Tim. 1:5) was a Jewish believer, and his father was a “Greek,” that is, a Gentile (cf. Acts 11:20), who apparently remained so even after his wife and son converted to Christ (cf. Acts 16:3).

Mixed marriages of Jewish women with Gentiles were apparently common among the Jews of the diaspora, and these marriages were not dissolved even when one of the spouses accepted Christianity by mutual consent (cf. 1 Cor. 7:1ff.)

Acts 16:2. This disciple had a good reputation among the brothers in Lystra and Iconium.

Timothy was well-reported-on by the brothers, that is, recommended as a good Christian. The “brothers” are not only those “at Lystra,” but “and at Iconium” (see Acts 13:51), in the neighboring city, which shows Timothy’s considerable popularity and his unquestionable qualities.

Acts 16:3. Paul wanted to take him with him; and when he had taken him, he circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places; for they all knew that his father was a Greek.

“Paul wanted to take him with him” – as a companion and collaborator in the preaching work. Not only because of his qualities, but also because of his origin, which made him close to both the Gentiles and the Jews, Paul found him especially suitable for his apostolic work among both.

“Having taken him” – of course, with his consent, “he circumcised him because of the Jews,” apparently himself, and not through someone else, which was allowed to every Israelite. Why did the apostle decide on such an unusual act with a young Christian, which seems contrary to both his convictions and the decision of the apostolic council? (Acts 15:29).

“for the sake of the Jews,” that is, for the sake of those who had not yet converted to Christ, and who might be embarrassed and deviate from Christianity due to the fact that the apostle’s assistant was uncircumcised.

Thus, Paul’s action is explained not by dogmatic motives, but by Paul’s wise adaptability: “I have become all things to all people, so that by all means I might save some. To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might gain Jews” (1 Cor. 9:20-22).

This action does not contradict the provisions of the apostolic council either, because it is completely voluntary on the part of Paul and Timothy.

Blessed. Theophylact writes: “The wisdom of Paul is worthy of great wonder. He, who had spoken so much against the circumcision of the Gentiles and had done everything until the matter was settled, circumcised his disciple. .. In every work he had in mind the benefit and did nothing without a purpose! .. “For the sake of the Jews” he did this, because they could not possibly dare to hear the word of God from an uncircumcised man.

Acts. 16:4. And as they went through the cities, they commanded the faithful to keep the commandments, which were ordained of the apostles and elders in Jerusalem.

“And as they went through the cities,” i.e., in the regions of Pisidia, Lycaonia, and Pamphylia, where churches had been founded during the previous journey of Paul and Barnabas (Acts. 13:14), “they,” i.e., Paul, Silas, and Timothy, “commanded,” i.e. orally, and perhaps in writing through copies of the original letter of the apostolic council, “to keep the decrees decreed by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem” regarding the optionality of the Moisaic law in Christianity.

Acts. 16:5. And so the churches were strengthened in the faith and multiplied in number daily.

The apostles’ visit and fellowship with them contributed to the strengthening of the churches in the faith and to the increase in the number of believers.

Acts. 16:6. When they had gone through Phrygia and the country of Galatia, they were not permitted by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia.

“When they had gone through Phrygia and the country of Galatia” – these are the interior regions of Asia Minor. It was at this time that the churches were founded here, to which the apostle later wrote special epistles (to the Galatians, the Colossians).

“Asia” – the so-called proconsular Asia – the entire western coast of Asia Minor on the Mediterranean Sea, with the provinces of Mysia, Lydia and Caria.

“they were not permitted by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia”. What were the operations of the Holy Spirit, by external manifestations or internal revelations, and for what reasons the apostles were forbidden to preach here, the historian does not say. In any case, it is evident that the apostles distinguished these operations of the Spirit from their own assumptions, intentions, or plans.

“Mission” and “Bithynia” are northwestern regions of Asia Minor, bordering the Sea of ​​Marmara and the Black Sea. After vain attempts to preach here, the apostles received in the seaside missionary city of Troas a clear revelation from the Holy Spirit to carry their preaching activity from Asia to Europe.

Acts. 16:7. And when they had come to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia; but the Spirit did not permit them.

Acts. 16:8. And passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas.

Acts. 16:9. During the night a vision appeared to Paul: there stood before him a man of Macedonia, who pleaded with him and said: Come over to Macedonia and help us!

Paul’s vision occurred “in the night,” as did Peter’s vision (Acts 10:10–17), but it was not a dream, although it occurred “in the night,” but a “vision” while awake.

“a man of Macedonia stood before him,” that is, in the form of a Macedonian; according to some assumptions this was the Angel of the Macedonian people (Dan. 10:13, 20, Dan. 12:1).

Paul can recognize that this is a Macedonian, either by the special clothing that he may have seen on Macedonian merchants in his native trading city of Tarsus, or by his words, with which he invites him to go to Macedonia.

“in Macedonia” – a large region located on the northwestern coast of the then Aegean Sea (archipelago).

“Help us” – the nature of the help is not specified, but the apostles correctly interpret it as a request to preach the gospel in the region of Macedonia. Humanity without Christ is doomed and in a helpless state; therefore, preaching Christ to those who do not yet know Him means helping them to escape from destruction and enter the Kingdom of Christ.

Acts. 16:10. After this vision, we immediately wanted to go to Macedonia, because we understood that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel there.

“We understood,” that is, we decided to go. Here, with the expression “we,” the historian for the first time includes himself among the companions and collaborators of the apostle Paul and in this tone continues to narrate the events, with some interruptions, to the end of the book as a direct eyewitness and participant in these events.

It is likely that he joined the apostle Paul in Troas, which is why he now tells the story in the first person – we.

Acts. 16:11. So, having sailed from Troas, we arrived straight at Samothrace, and the next day at Naples,

“Samothrace” – an island in the Aegean Sea, northwest of Troas, about 55-60 versts from the European coast.

“Naples”, a coastal city on the Strymon Gulf, is the first European city that Paul and his companions arrive in.

Neither here nor in Samothrace does the apostle begin preaching, but rather hastens to the “first city” of what was then Macedonia – “Philippi”, 14 versts northwest of Naples.

Acts. 16:12. and from there to Philippi, which in this part of Macedonia is the first city – a Roman colony. In this city we stayed several days.

The city of “Philippi” was built by Philip, the Macedonian king, father of Alexander the Great, on the site of the settlement of Crenida, fortified by Philip because of its proximity to Thrace and named after him.

The chronicler calls Philippi “the first city in this part of Macedonia and a Roman colony.” This name “first,” not in the sense of a capital city, is explained by the fact that Macedonia was then divided into four parts or districts, and the one in which Philippi was located was called the first district or first Macedonia. The capital of this part of Macedonia was “Amphipolis” (Acts 17:1), and not Philippi, which is called “the first city,” apparently only in a topographical sense, as the first Macedonian city to which the preachers were to come in order to fulfill God’s will to visit Macedonia.

“Roman colony” – Philippi is a Roman colony from the time when Octavian Augustus moved the supporters of Antony to this city and gave the city the so-called right of Italian jurisdiction – jus italicum.

Acts. 16:13. And on the Sabbath we went out of the city by a river, where prayer was customary; and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together.

“And on the Sabbath” – the day of the Jews’ meetings in the synagogue (see Acts 13:14).

“Outside the city by a river”. It is difficult to determine which river is meant here: it is unlikely that we are talking about the great Strymon River, which was at least a day’s journey from the city; rather, it is a small stream in this area rich in streams and rivulets.

“Where they were accustomed to pray”. In Greek: οὗ ἐνομίζετο προσευέὴ εἶναι; in the Slavic translation: “idezhe мняшеся молитвенница быти”. It is more accurate to say: where it was decided that prayer would be.

In such places there were not always buildings, sometimes these were simply open places where the Jews gathered at the time appointed for prayer. So St. John Chrysostom also claims: “the Jews prayed not only where there was a synagogue, but also outside it, designating a special place for this”. The proximity of the river was preferred because it was convenient for performing the customary pre-prayer ablutions and purifications.

“And when we sat down, we spake unto the women which came together.” It seems that the Jewish community in Philippi was very small (which may have been why there was no synagogue) and consisted mostly of women, probably married to Gentiles (Acts 16:1).

Acts 16:14. And a certain woman of the city of Thyatira, named Lydia, a seller of purple, a devout woman, was listening; and the Lord opened her heart to attend unto the things which were spoken by Paul.

“city of Thyatira” – a Macedonian colony in the Asia Minor province of Lydia (see Acts 16:6–8)

“who sold purple” – πορφυρόπωλις, a seller of purple, who sold purple or scarlet cloth, cloth, garments, and gowns. It was in the province of Lydia and in Thyatira that the manufacture of these goods flourished, according to the testimony of the ancients.

“God-fearing” here means a proselyte (see note on Acts 13:16).

Acts 16:15. And when she and her household were baptized, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide. And she persuaded us.

Acts 16:16. And as we went to prayer, a certain maidservant having a spirit of divination met us, and brought her masters much gain by soothsaying.

“When we went to the house of prayer.” In Greek: πορευομένων ἡμῶν εἰς προσευήὴν. In the Slavic translation: “coming to us to prayer” (Acts 16:13), i.e., to the usual place designated for her. This probably happened on one of the following Sabbaths (cf. Acts 16:17).

“who had a spirit of prophecy.” In Greek: ἔχουσαν πνεῦμα πύθωνος. Literally: had the spirit of Python, the Pythian serpent, the Pythian deity. In the Slavic translation: “having a spirit of divination,” i.e., the ability to predict, to see what is hidden from ordinary people and to predict the future.

Acts. 16:17. As she followed Paul and us, she cried out and said: These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.

“These men are servants of the Most High God.” Against his will and with evil intentions, the prophetic spirit confesses the greatness of God preached by the apostles, similar to Mark 1:23–24. St. John Chrysostom denounces the demon for this particularly evil intention: “Why did the demon say this, and Paul forbade him? For he did this with evil intent, and the apostle acted wisely, because he did not want the people to trust him. If Paul had accepted this testimony, the demon would have seduced many of the believers. He had decided to speak about the deeds of the apostles, in order to arrange his own affairs and use Paul’s condescension to the destruction of the people.”

Acts. 16:18. This she did for many days. And Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit: In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her. And the spirit came out of her that very hour.

“Paul, grieved.” The apostle was weary (διαπονηθεὶς, more precisely burdened) by the fact that the enemy of God and men, with his apparent confession, offered as if support for the gospel preaching. However, he recognized him with his divinely enlightened spiritual gaze and drove him out of the witchcraft shop.

Acts. 16:19. Then her masters, seeing that their hope of profit was gone, seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to the rulers.

“They seized Paul and Silas,” probably as the chief preachers of the new faith. Luke and Timothy are not subjected to their fate in view of their hitherto more modest role in the incident.

Acts. 16:20. And when they had brought them before the magistrates, they said: These men, who are Jews, are disturbing our city

The apostles are accused of disturbing the public peace by preaching customs contrary to the Romans. In this way the accusers have “turned the case into a state crime” (St. John Chrysostom).

“who are Jews” is an expression with a tinge of contempt, in contrast to which the arrogant: “of us Romans” is further emphasized. It seems to follow from this that the accusers do not distinguish Christianity from Judaism and have no idea of ​​it as a separate religion.

Acts. 16:21. and preach customs that we, as Romans, should neither accept nor observe.

“Customs that… should neither accept nor observe.” By this is meant the strict prohibition of the Romans introducing foreign religious customs, contrary to the pagan religion. In particular, this was said apparently under the fresh impression of the famous decree of the emperor Claudius on the expulsion of the Jews from Rome (see Acts 18:2), which is why this argument had such a decisive impact.

Acts. 16:22. Then the crowd rushed upon them, and the magistrates tore their clothes and ordered them to be beaten with rods;

“the crowd rushed upon them.” This is the first mention in the book of Acts of persecution against the apostles by the pagans themselves. Apparently, incited by the masters of the healed servant girl and excited by the exaggerated reports of the anti-Roman preaching of the Jewish apostles, the people expressed their excitement before the magistrates by shouts or demands and threats against the preachers. The magistrates, in turn, hastily allowed the prisoners to be flogged, for which Paul later so wisely taught them a lesson (Acts 16:37-39).

Paul and Silas silently endure public humiliation, although they could have avoided it immediately by invoking their right as Roman citizens, which exempted them from corporal punishment. But they preferred to remain silent, rejoicing in this disgrace for the glory of God, for the name of Christ (cf. Acts 5:41) and postponing the proclamation of their rights until their final victory.

Acts. 16:23. and after they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to guard them carefully.

Acts. 16:24. Having received such a command, the jailer threw them into the inner prison, and their feet were fastened in the stocks.

Acts. 16:25. And at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and praising God, and the prisoners were listening to them.

Acts. 16:26. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison shook; immediately all the doors opened, and everyone’s chains fell off.

In fulfillment of the order for stricter security for the prisoners, the jailer threw them “into the inner prison”, where especially important criminals were kept, and their feet were fastened “in a stake” (in Greek, simply wood: εἰς τὸ ξύλον) – a large and heavy wooden block with holes. But “the stricter the prison, the more glorious the miracle!” (John Chrysostom).

“Suddenly there was a great earthquake” – not as a natural phenomenon, but as a miracle performed by the Lord for the glorification of His name and the deliverance of His servants – the apostles. The miraculous nature of the earthquake is manifested precisely in the fact that not only Paul and Silas, but also all the other prisoners of the prison “the chains fell off”, which gave everyone the opportunity to immediately leave through the prison doors opened by the earthquake. It is also astonishing that this tremor did not seem to spread beyond the prison area.

Acts 16:27. And the jailer, waking up and seeing the prison doors open, drew his sword and was about to kill himself, for he thought that the prisoners had escaped.

“He was about to kill himself” because he feared that he would be severely punished for the escape of the prisoners.

Acts 16:28. But Paul cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Do nothing wrong, for we are all here.”

Struck by the miracle, the prisoners, who had just listened to the prayers and songs of the apostles, could hardly have thought of escaping, at least because they had not had time to recover from the incomprehensible shock.

Acts 16:29. He called for a light, rushed in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas;

“He fell down trembling before Paul and Silas.” His fear of losing the prisoners now changed to fear of keeping them, for he felt that he was dealing not with criminals but with the beloved of the gods.

Acts 16:30. and brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

“brought them out,” that is, into the outer prison (Acts 16:23) or perhaps into the prison yard, but more probably into his prison chamber, where the apostle could preach the word of the Lord not only to the jailer himself, but also to “all that were in his house” (Acts 16:32).

Acts 16:31. And they answered, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, thou and thy household.

Acts 16:32. And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house.

Acts. 16:33. Having taken them in that hour of the night, he washed their wounds and immediately baptized himself and all his household;

“washed their wounds”, inflicted on them with rods in the marketplace, trying to alleviate their suffering and as if to make amends for the guilt of those who had beaten them, or – according to the interpretation of St. John Chrysostom – washed them, “giving them thanks and honor in this way”.

Acts. 16:34. and having brought them into his house, he set a table for them and rejoiced with all his household because he had believed in God.

Acts. 16:35. And when it was day, the magistrates sent the city officers, saying, Let those men go.

Perhaps the magistrates (στρατηγοὶ) had been informed of the events that had taken place in the prison during the night, or perhaps they themselves had thought that injustice had been done to the apostles, and therefore they ordered them to be released.

Acts. 16:36. And the keeper of the prison said to Paul, The magistrates have sent to let you go; therefore come out now, and go in peace.

Acts. 16:37. But Paul said to them, After they have beaten us publicly uncondemned, and have cast us into prison, being Romans, do they now release us secretly? No, let them come themselves and bring us out.

The apostles had been publicly disgraced, and Paul now publicly demanded their release and acquittal, not from ambition or caprice, but for the most obvious restoration of their innocence. If they had been released secretly from prison, not everyone would have understood that they had left with their honor restored, and many would probably have interpreted their departure as an escape or some other humiliating act.

According to Roman laws (Lex Valeria and Lex Porsiä Liv. 10, 9, 8), Roman citizenship exempted its holders from corporal punishment. The treatment of the apostles by the governors in this case was all the more criminal because it took place without any trial or investigation. And yet the apostle Paul, without threatening the offenders with punishment according to the law, limited himself to demanding that the dishonor inflicted on them be publicly removed.

How did the apostles acquire the rights of Roman citizens? From what follows (Acts 22:25-28), it is clear that Paul was either born with these rights, received from one of his ancestors, or by special merit, or by purchase, which was also possible. The same is probably true of Silas.

Acts 16:38. The city officials reported these words to the magistrates; and they were afraid when they heard that they were Roman citizens.

Acts 16:39. And they came and made their excuses to them, and brought them out, and begged them to depart from the city.

“They begged them to depart from the city” voluntarily, so as not to cause a further uproar among the people.

Acts 16:40. And they, coming out of the prison, went to the Lydians, and when they saw the brethren, they comforted them, and departed.

“went to the Lydians” – see Acts. 16:14-15.

“and departed.” In all probability only Paul and Silas, without Luke and Timothy, who seemed to have remained for some time in Philippi, probably with the aim of establishing a new community of believers there. This is also indicated by the change of speech in the subsequent narrative (Acts, chapter 17, where the pronoun “they” is again used, not we, etc.).

Timothy is mentioned again soon after (in Beroea, Acts 17:14); therefore, if he did not leave Philippi with Paul and Silas, we can assume that he rejoined them in Beroea, leaving Philippi shortly after Paul and Silas.

Source in Russian: Explanatory Bible, or Commentaries on all the books of the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments: In 7 volumes / Ed. prof. A.P. Lopukhin. – Ed. 4th. – Moscow: Dar, 2009, 1232 pp.