Acts 16:11–15

 ¹¹ Therefore, sailing from Troas, we ran a straight course to Samothrace, and the next day came to Neapolis, ¹² and from there to Philippi, which is the foremost city of that part of Macedonia, a colony. And we were staying in that city for some days. ¹³ And on the Sabbath day we went out of the city to the riverside, where prayer was customarily made; and we sat down and spoke to the women who met there. ¹⁴ Now a certain woman named Lydia heard us. She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God. The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul. ¹⁵ And when she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” So she persuaded us. 

Commentary 

Vs. 11-12 ¹¹ Therefore, sailing from Troas, we ran a straight course to Samothrace, and the next day came to Neapolis, ¹² and from there to Philippi, which is the foremost city of that part of Macedonia, a colony. And we were staying in that city for some days. 

With the vision given the Apostle Paul and his entourage now set sail from Troas and make a straight course to Samothrace, and island where the spent the night. And so, the next day they reached the mainland of Macedonia at the port of Neapolis (vs. 11). From there they began a journey on foot going inland to Philippi, (think epistle to the Philippians), the foremost city of that region and a Roman colony. And so, they stayed there for some days as they preached the Gospel and made disciples there. 

Vs. 13 “And on the Sabbath day we went out of the city to the riverside, where prayer was customarily made; and we sat down and spoke to the women who met there.” 

Apparently, there were some who gathered at the city’s riverside on the Sabbath to make prayers. These then would’ve been Jews who by doing so indicates that they did not have a Synagogue there. And so, when Paul and those with him heard that this was where they gathered, they went there and sat down and spoke with the woman who met there. 

Vs. 14-15 ¹⁴ Now a certain woman named Lydia heard us. She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God. The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul. ¹⁵ And when she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” So she persuaded us. 

Now amongst the woman praying there was a certain woman named Lydia who was originally from the city of Thyatira (which was renowned for its fine cloths and dyes) but she had moved to Philippi and established a business there. Now the Scripture says that Lydia worshiped God. And so, when she heard the Apostle Paul speak about the Lord Jesus Christ and the grace of God give to us through Him, the Lord opened her heart and she believed! And so, it was that both she and her whole household were baptized. Now when she had been baptized, she begged Paul and those with him to stay with her, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” Therefore, she persuaded them (vs. 15). And so, with Lydia we see that in preaching or sharing the Gospel to a crowd we are not to look out for the many as coming to Him, (which may or may not happen) but rather to look out for and be attentive too those whom the Lord has opened their hearts to truly believe in Him.

Scripture Quotations 

New King James (1982):Thomas Nelson.