Acts 16:13

And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither. AND ON THE SABBATH - the first after their arrival, as the words imply, WE WENT OUT OF THE CITY - or, according to what is clearly the true reading, 'outside the (city) gate' [ poleoos (G4172) is the received reading, according to E G H, etc. But 'Aleph (') A B C D, and the Vulgate, and other versions, have pulees (G4439)]. BY A RIVER-SIDE - not the Strymon, as some good critics think, for this was too far away, but one of the small streams which gave name to the place ere the city was founded. The Gangas is that which recent travelers judge most...

− 13._In the day of the Sabbaths. _No doubt the Jews sought some place which was solitary and by the way, when they were disposed to pray, because their religion was then everywhere most odious. And God, by their example, meant to teach us what great account we ought to make of the profession of faith; that we do not forsake it either for fear of envy or of dangers. They had, indeed, in many places synagogues, but it was not lawful for them to assemble themselves publicly at Philippi, which was a free city of Rome. − (180) Therefore, they withdraw themselves into a secret corner, that they may pray to God where they could not be espied; and yet there were those who did grudge even at this, so that they might think that it might both cause trouble and danger, but they prefer the worship of God before their own quietness and commodity. Furthermore, we may gather by this word Sabbath, that...

6-15 The removals of ministers, and the dispensing the means of grace by them, are in particular under Divine conduct and direction. We must follow Providence: and whatever we seek to do, if that suffer us not, we ought to submit and believe to be for the best. People greatly need help for their souls, it is their duty to look out for it, and to invite those among them who can help them. And God's calls must be complied with readily. A solemn assembly the worshippers of God must have, if possible, upon the sabbath day. If we have not synagogues, we must be thankful for more private places, and resort to them; not forsaking the assembling together, as our opportunities are. Among the hearers of Paul was a woman, named Lydia. She had an honest calling, which the historian notices to her praise. Yet though she had a calling to mind, she found time to improve advantages for her soul. It wil...

Verse Acts 16:13. _BY A RIVER SIDE, WHERE PRAYER WAS WONT TO BE MADE_] ου Οὑ ενομιζετο προσευχη ειναι, _where it was said there was a proseucha_. The proseucha was a _place_ of _prayer_, or a _place_ used for _worship_, where there was no synagogue. It was a large building uncovered, with seats, as in an amphitheatre. Buildings of this sort the Jews had by the sea side, and by the sides of rivers. See this subject considered at large in _Clarke's note on "_Luke 6:12_"_. It appears that the apostles had _heard_ from some of the Gentiles, or from some of the Jews themselves, that there was a _place of prayer_ by the river side; and they went out in quest of it, knowing that, as it was the Sabbath, they should find some Jews there. Spake unto the

AND ON THE SABBATH - There is no doubt that in this city there were Jews; In the time of the apostles they were scattered extensively throughout the known world. BY A RIVER SIDE - What river this was is not known. It is known, however, that the Jews were accustomed to provide water, or to build their synagogues and oratories near water, for the convenience of the numerous washings before and during their religious services. WHERE PRAYER - Where there was a place of prayer, or where prayer was commonly offered. The Greek will bear either, but the sense is the same. Places for prayer were erected by the Jews in the vicinity of cities and towns, and particularly where there were not Jewish families enough, or where they were forbidden by the magistrate to erect a synagogue. These proseuchoe, or places of prayer, were simple enclosures made of stones, in a grove o

EXPOSITION ACTS 16:1 _And he came also _for _then came he, _A.V._ _and T.R.; _to Lystra _for _Lystra, _A.V._; Timothy _for _Timotheus, _A.V._; of a Jewess _for _of a certain woman which was a Jewess, _A.V. and T.R.; _which _for _and, _A.V. For DERBE and LYSTRA, see Acts 14:1. and notes. This time St. Paul visited Derbe first, whereas before he came from Lystra to Derbe (Acts 14:6, Acts 14:8, Acts 14:21). WAS THERE; viz

AND ON THE SABBATH,.... That is, as the Syriac version renders it, "on the sabbath day"; the Jewish sabbath, the seventh day of the week; though the words may be rendered, "on a certain day of the week" agreeably to Acts 20:7 where the first of the sabbath means the first day of the week; but be this as it will, on this day, WE WENT OUT OF THE CITY BY A RIVER SIDE; perhaps the river Strymon, which was near; the Alexandrian copy and some others, and the Vulgate Latin version read, WITHOUT THE GATE; and the Syriac version, "without the gates of the city"; all to the same sense: it looks as if there was no synagogue of the Jews in this place, or otherwise the apostle and his companions would have gone into that, according to their custom; and this the rather seems to be the case, since it is so particularly remarked, that at Thessalonica, the next place they sta

Acts 16:9. _And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us._ Our dreams often follow the leading thoughts of the day; or, if not of the day, yet the chief thoughts that are upon the mind. Paul dreams about mission work, for his heart is in it. I should not wonder if some before me, who are deeply engaged in earnest Christian work, have often dreamt about their Sunday-school, or their mission-station. Where the mind goes when we are awake, it often goes when we are asleep. This vision that appeared to Paul was supernatural; and was an indication of what God wanted him to do. Acts 16:10. And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavored to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord ha

WAS WONT might legally, that is, a legal meeting-place for Jews where there was no synagogue....

ACTS 16:13 evnomi,zomen proseuch,n {C} In view of the wide range of variables in lexicography, syntax, palaeography, and textual attestation, the difficulties presented by this verse are well-nigh baffling. Was evnomi,zeto, supported by the later Byzantine text, original and subsequently altered, as Ropes argued, in order to avoid the less usual sense of the verb (evnomi,zeto = “according to custom”; evnomi,zomen = “we thought”; evdo,kei = “it seemed”)? How shall the following proseuch,@n# be spelled and construed? The nominative as subject of an impersonal verb, though not impossible, is certainly not as common as the accusative, especially with...