Acts 16:16-31
1599 Geneva Bible
16 [a]And it came to pass that as we went to prayer, a certain maid having a spirit [b]of divination, met us, which gat her masters much vantage with divining.
17 She followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which show unto you the way of salvation.
18 And this did she [c]many days: but Paul being grieved, turned about, and said to the spirit, I command thee in the Name of Jesus Christ, that thou come out of her. And he came out the same hour.
19 [d]Now when her masters saw that the hope of their gain was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the Magistrates.
20 [e]And brought them to the governors, saying, These men which are Jews trouble our city,
21 [f]And preach ordinances, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, seeing we are Romans.
22 [g]The people also rose up together against them, and the governors rent their clothes, and commanded them to be beaten with rods.
23 And when they had beaten them sore, they cast them into prison, commanding the Gaoler to keep them surely,
24 Who having received such commandment, cast them into the inner prison, and made their feet [h]fast in the stocks.
25 [i]Now at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sung Psalms unto God: and the prisoners heard them.
26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundation of the prison was shaken: and by and by all the doors opened, and every man’s bands were loosed.
27 [j]Then the keeper of the prison waked out of his sleep, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew out his sword and would have killed himself, supposing the prisoners had been fled.
28 [k]But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we all are here.
29 Then he called for a light, and leaped 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 in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thine household.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Acts 16:16 Satan transformeth himself into an Angel of light, and coveteth to enter by undermining, but Paul openly letteth him, and casteth him out.
- Acts 16:16 This is a proper note of Apollo, which was wont to give answers to them that asked him.
- Acts 16:18 Paul made no haste to this miracle, for he did all things as he was led by the Spirit.
- Acts 16:19 Covetousness of lucre and gain is an occasion of persecuting the truth. In the mean season, God sparing Timothy, calleth Paul and Silas as the stronger, to battle.
- Acts 16:20 Covetousness pretendeth a desire of common peace and godliness.
- Acts 16:21 It is an argument of the devil, to urge the authority of ancestors without any distinction.
- Acts 16:22 An Example of evil Magistrates to obey the fury and rage of the people.
- Acts 16:24 Because he would be more sure of them, he set them fast in the stocks.
- Acts 16:25 The prayers of the godly do shake both heaven and earth.
- Acts 16:27 The merciful Lord, so oft as he listeth, draweth men to life, even through the midst of death, and whereas justly they deserved great punishment, he showeth them great mercy.
- Acts 16:28 In means which are especially extraordinary, we ought not to move our foot forward, unless that God goes before us.
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.
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