16 Now it happened, as we went to prayer, that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling. 17 This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, “These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.” 18 And this she did for many days. But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And he came out that very hour. 19 But when her masters saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to the authorities. 20 And they brought them to the magistrates, and said, “These men, being Jews, exceedingly trouble our city; 21 and they teach customs which are not lawful for us, being Romans, to receive or observe.” 22 Then the multitude rose up together against them; and the magistrates tore off their clothes and commanded them to be beaten with rods. 23 And when they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to keep them securely. 24 Having received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.
Commentary
Vs. 16 “Now it happened, as we went to prayer, that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling.”
And so, it was with Lydia and her household saved that the Apostle Paul and those with him continued to go to place of prayer where people customarily gathered. Now it was on a certain day while doing so that there met them a certain slave girl who was possessed with a spirit of divination, whom the Scripture says brought much profit to her masters by fortune telling. Now throughout the Scripture the mention of demons, and or entering people, or their enabling people to do certain this is a reality. However, there is a grave personal cost that comes to those who seek such things for themselves, in that they themselves will become slaves to, and often be tormented by such things. Therefore, Scripture warns and commands us all to stay clear of all such things. For demon worship will lead to demon possession. Now how this girl came to such a state we are not told, but what we are told that she being a slave girl and being demon possessed with a spirit of divination was being used by her masters to make profit for themselves.
Vs. 17-18 17 This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, “These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.” 18 And this she did for many days. But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And he came out that very hour.
This girl then continued to follow Paul and those with him for many days, crying out and saying that, “These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.” Vs. 17 Therefore Paul being greatly annoyed with her ongoing harassment of them turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And he came out that very hour (vs. 18). What we then see by his doing so is the Authority and Power of God given to His Apostles to do such things. And so, this woman was not saved, (that would’ve required a personal decision on her part), she was simply released from her spiritual bondage, which as we will see made her useless to those who were profiting from her.
Vs. 19 “But when her masters saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to the authorities.”
Her masters upon seeing that their hope of making any more profit from her fortune telling was now gone, they turn on Paul and Silas, seize them and drag them into the marketplace taking them to the authorities. Hoping then to exact some kind of revenge on them, through them.
Vs. 20-21 20 And they brought them to the magistrates, and said, “These men, being Jews, exceedingly trouble our city; 21 and they teach customs which are not lawful for us, being Romans, to receive or observe.”
And so not being able to charge them with setting free an enslaved girl from her demon possession, they must find something that would rile and arouse the wrath of the magistrates against them. And in this they first charge them with being Jews (who were a minority in their community who lived separated lives from the Gentiles), who they said were now exceedingly troubling their city, that is they charged Paul and Silas with teaching customs which were not lawful for them being Romans to receive nor observe. None of which was true, (but that is what Satan’s own does, they lie about and slander the servants of God), for all they had done was preach the Gospel, telling people to turn from their idols and turn to the Living God so that they might be healed and be saved. Nonetheless those who seized them knew that by charging Paul and Silas with doing such things, they would rile up not only their magistrates, but also everyone else who lived there.
Vs. 22-24 22 Then the multitude rose up together against them; and the magistrates tore off their clothes and commanded them to be beaten with rods. 23 And when they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to keep them securely. 24 Having received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.
And so, when the people and magistrates in the marketplace heard these things, they all rose up against Paul and Silas. And the magistrates tore of their clothes and commanded them to be beaten with rods (vs. 22). Having then laid many strips (i.e., severe wounds) on them, they threw Paul and Silas into prison, commanding the jailer to keep them securely (vs. 23). The jailer then having received such a charge from the magistrates put Paul and Silas into the inner prison fastening their feet with stocks (vs. 24). This though will not have the desired effect, in that neither Paul nor Silas will be silenced by imprisonment. For the Gospel always goes out in power, for wherever we are, and no matter what condition we are in, God will always make a witness for Himself through us, to one and to all.
Scripture Quotations
New King James (1982):Thomas Nelson.
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