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Acts 16:1–3. He reached Derbe and Lystra. And behold, there was a certain disciple named Timothy, whose mother was a Jew and whose father was a Greek, and to whom the brethren who were in Lystra and Iconium testified. Paul wanted to take him with him; and he took it and circumcised it for the sake of the Jews who were in those places; for everyone knew about his father that he was a Greek. It is remarkable that the Jews disregarded the law so much that they married their daughters to Hellenes and married Hellenes. “Taking him, he circumcised him for the sake of the Jews.” Paul's wisdom is worthy of great surprise. He, who so opposed the circumcision of the pagans and who gave impetus to everything until the issue was resolved, circumcised his disciple. Not only did he not forbid others to do this, but he even does it himself. In every undertaking he had the benefit in mind and did nothing without a purpose. And one must be surprised how else Paul disposed him to circumcision. "For the sake of the Jews who were in those places." Because they would not dare to listen to the word of God from the uncircumcised. So what? Pay attention to the justification for this action. Paul circumcised Timothy in order to destroy circumcision; he did not support circumcision, but wanted to fulfill the greatest and most pleasant task for all the apostles, because if Timothy had not been circumcised and at the same time been a teacher of the Jews, then everyone would have recoiled from him. If the Jews already blamed Paul so much for Trophimus of Ephesus, because they thought that Paul led him into the church (and he was from the Greeks), then what would Paul himself have had to endure if an uncircumcised man had been with him as a teacher? But look: he is justified in the opinion of the apostles, and he speaks in the church about the fulfillment of this justification. He did everything for the salvation of the Jews. Perhaps it can be pointed out that Peter also hid behind the guise of Judaism... And this did not harm the apostles at all, but on the contrary, the fact that the Jews had such teachers who, in their opinion, kept the law, served as the reason for their conversion and the beginning of their faith in Christ. Acts 16:4–12. As they passed through the cities, they commanded the faithful to observe the regulations established by the Apostles and elders in Jerusalem. And the churches were established by faith and increased in number daily. Having passed through Phrygia and the Galatian country, they were not allowed by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia. Having reached Mysia, they decided to go to Bithynia; but the Spirit did not allow them. Having passed Mysia, they descended into Troas. And Paul had a vision at night: a certain man, a Macedonian, appeared asking him and saying: come to Macedonia and help us. After this vision, we immediately decided to go to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord was calling us to preach the gospel there. So, starting from Troas, we arrived straight to Samothrace, and the next day to Naples, and from there to Philippi: this is the first city in that part of Macedonia, a colony. We stayed in this city for several days. It is said that “they instructed the faithful to observe the definitions,” they conveyed not the secrets of the incarnation, but the instructions to “abstain from things sacrificed to idols, and blood, and things strangled, and fornication” (Acts 15:29) - everything that concerns the structure of a correct life. “They were not permitted by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia.” Why they were forbidden to preach in Asia, he does not say about this, but he said that they were forbidden to do so, teaching us to obey and not demand an account and showing that they often acted like human beings. The Spirit forbids the apostles to preach in Asia and Bithynia, since he foresaw that the heresy of the Doukhobors would take possession of the inhabitants there. “There was a vision to Paul at night: a certain man, a Macedonian, appeared, asking him and speaking.” No longer through an Angel, like Philip and Cornelius, but in a vision, Paul receives revelation - in a more human way. Where it is easy to convince, there it is in a more human way, and where great effort is required, there revelation comes in a more Divine form. It should be noted that Luke was also in these cities with Paul. This is evident from the fact that the latter unites his personality with the former when he says: “we decided to leave... we arrived straight away... we stayed. Acts 16:13–15. On the Sabbath day we went out of the city to the river, where, as usual, there was a house of prayer, and, sitting down, we talked with the women who had gathered there. And a certain woman from the city of Thyatira, named Lydia, a merchant of purple, who worshiped God, listened; and the Lord opened her heart to listen to what Paul said. When she and her household were baptized, she asked us, saying: if you have recognized me as faithful to the Lord, then enter my house and live with me. And she convinced us. There, due to the small number of Jews, there was no synagogue, and the especially devout of them secretly gathered outside the city “by the river.” As a more carnal people, the Jews, where there was no synagogue, prayed outside it, designating a place for this - they also prayed on Saturdays, when the people usually gathered. “If you have declared me faithful to the Lord.” Look how wise the wife is: first she herself testified that God called her. Pay attention also to her modesty. This is a simple woman, she sold fabrics dyed purple. And Luke is not ashamed to mention her craft. She did not say: “If you have seen that I am a great woman,” or “I am a godly woman,” but says: “If you have recognized me as faithful to the Lord.” If to the Lord, then much more to you. She didn’t just ask them to come to her house, but left the matter to their will, although she strongly insisted on her desire. Acts 16:16–21. It happened that when we were going to the house of prayer, we met a servant girl possessed by a spirit of divination, who through divination brought great income to her masters. Walking after Paul and after us, she shouted, saying: these men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation. She did this for many days. Paul, indignant, turned and said to the spirit: in the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her. And the spirit left at that same hour. Then her masters, seeing that the hope of their income had disappeared, seized Paul and Silas and dragged them to the square to the leaders. And they brought it to the commanders and said: These people, being Jews, are disturbing our city and preaching customs that we Romans should neither accept nor practice. What spirit was the maid possessed by? He is called, according to the place, the god Python. He wanted to lead the apostles into temptation. Otherwise, this is the woman, Pythia, about whom they say that she sat on Apollo’s tripod, spreading her legs, and that an evil spirit, rising from a recess under the tripod, penetrated her and drove her into a frenzy; then she would fly into a rage, foam at the mouth and, in a state of such frenzy, utter incoherent words. “Walking after Paul and after us, she shouted, saying: these men are the servants of the Most High God.” O unclean spirit! If you know that they “proclaim... the way of salvation,” then why don’t you move away from them? “Paul was indignant,” that is, being excited and agitated. Having blocked her lips, although she spoke the truth, he teaches us not to allow demons to come to us, even if they pretend to defend the truth, but to block them from any reason for temptation and not to listen to anything they say. If Paul had paid attention to the testimony of this spirit, it would have deceived many of the believers. Therefore, Paul at first not only did not accept, but rejected his testimony, not wanting to increase the number of his signs. But when the spirit persisted, then Paul commanded him to come out of the woman. So, the spirit acted cunningly, but Paul acted intelligently. “Her masters, seeing that the hope of their income had disappeared.” Everywhere the cause of evil is money. In order to enrich themselves, the gentlemen of the woman wanted her to be possessed by a demon. Look: they don’t even want to know the demon, but are absorbed in their one passion - the love of money. The demon said: “These people are the servants of the Most High God,” and they say that “these people... are disturbing our city,” the demon said that they “proclaim to us the way of salvation,” and the servants’ masters say that they “preach customs that... should not... be accepted.” Acts 16:22–34. The people also rebelled against them, and the commanders, tearing off their clothes, ordered them to be beaten with sticks. And, having given them many blows, they threw them into prison, ordering the prison guard to guard them tightly. Having received such an order, he threw them into the inner prison and hammered their feet into a block. Around midnight, Paul and Silas, praying, sang praises to God; the prisoners listened to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundation of the prison shook; immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were loosened. The prison guard, waking up and seeing that the doors of the prison were open, drew a sword and wanted to kill himself, thinking that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul cried out with a loud voice, saying, Do not do yourself any harm, for we are all here. He called for fire, ran into the prison and fell in trepidation to Paul and Silas. And, leading them out, he said: my lords! what should I do to be saved? They said: Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you and your whole house will be saved. And they preached the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And, taking them at that hour of the night, he washed their wounds and immediately was baptized himself and all his household. And, having brought them to his house, he offered a meal and rejoiced with all his house that he had believed in God. It was Paul's business to perform miracles and teach, and Silas took part with him in dangers. Take note that the demons also know that the crucified Jesus is the Most High God, and Paul is His servant, which he himself affirmed, saying: “Paul is the servant of Jesus Christ” (Rom. 1:1). “Suddenly there was a great earthquake.” The doors opened, the prison guard woke up. What happened amazed him. But the prisoners did not see this, otherwise they would all have fled. And so that the guard would not think that this happened by itself, the doors opened after the earthquake. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you and your whole house will be saved.” And in prison Paul did not give himself any rest, and then he attracted the prison guard to himself and accomplished this wonderful captivity. “Taking them at that hour of the night, he washed their wounds.” The guard washed his wounds with it, and he himself was washed from his sins. “And he rejoiced with all his house because he believed in God,” although he received nothing but good words and good hopes. Acts 16:35–40. When the day came, the governors sent city servants to say: let those people go. The prison guard announced this to Paul: the commanders have sent to release you; therefore come out now and go in peace. But Paul said to them: We, Roman citizens, were publicly beaten without trial and thrown into prison, and now we are being secretly released? no, let them come and take us out themselves. The city servants recounted these words to the governors, and they were frightened when they heard that these were Roman citizens. And, having arrived, they apologized to them and, taking them out, asked them to leave the city. They, leaving the prison, came to Lydia and, seeing the brothers, taught them, and set off. And after the governors ordered, Paul does not leave the prison, but, for the edification of Lydia, who sold scarlet, and others, he intimidates the governors, so that they would not think that they were released at someone else’s request. He even accuses the governors of publicly beating them - them, who were not accused of anything and, moreover, Roman citizens. You see: they often acted as is typical of ordinary people. Paul said this (that they were Roman citizens and were not accused of anything) so that it would not seem that he was being released as a harmful person and accused of anything. As for the prison guard, this is Stephen, whom Paul mentions in the Epistle to the Corinthians: “he baptized... also Stephen’s house” (1 Cor. 1:16). “Coming out of prison, they came to Lydia and, seeing the brothers, taught them, and set off.” The woman who had shown them hospitality should not have been left in a state of anxiety and concern; and they, despite the promptings of the governor, did not want to leave without visiting the common woman and other persons whom they called brothers. Oh, how great is their humility and love! You might be interested in: