Acts 16:17

The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation. THE SAME FOLLOWED PAUL AND US, AND CRIED, SAYING, THESE MEN ARE THE SERVANTS OF THE MOST HIGH GOD, WHICH SHOW UNTO US THE WAY OF SALVATION. Glorious testimony this, but given for a hellish end: see the note at ....

16-24 Satan, though the father of lies, will declare the most important truths, when he can thereby serve his purposes. But much mischief is done to the real servants of Christ, by unholy and false preachers of the gospel, who are confounded with them by careless observers. Those who do good by drawing men from sin, may expect to be reviled as troublers of the city. While they teach men to fear God, to believe in Christ, to forsake sin, and to live godly lives, they will be accused of teaching bad customs....

Verse Acts 16:17. _THESE MEN ARE THE SERVANTS_, c.] It is astonishing how such a testimony could be given in such a case every syllable of it _true_, and at the same time full, clear, and distinct. But mark the deep design and artifice of this evil spirit: 1. He well knew that the Jewish law abhorred all _magic, incantations, magical_ _rites_, and _dealings_ with _familiar spirits_; he therefore bears what was in itself a true testimony to the apostles, that by it he may destroy their credit, and ruin their usefulness. The Jews, by this testimony, would be led at once to believe that the apostles were in compact with these demons, and that the miracles they wrought were done by the agency of these wicked spirits, and that the whole was the effect of _magic_; and this, of course, would harden their hearts against the preaching of the Gospel. 2.

THE SAME FOLLOWED PAUL ... - Why she did this, or under what presence, the sacred writer has not informed us. It may have been: * That as she prophesied for gain, she supposed that Paul and Silas would reward her if she publicly proclaimed that they were the servants of God. Or, * Because she was conscious that an evil spirit possessed her, and she feared that Paul and Silas would expel that spirit, and by proclaiming them to be the servants of God she hoped to conciliate their favor. Or, * More probably it was because she saw evident tokens of their being sent from God, and that their doctrine would prevail; and by proclaiming this she hoped to acquire more authority, and a higher reputation for being herself inspired. Compare Mark 5:7....

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

THE SAME FOLLOWED PAUL AND US,.... Silas, Luke, and Timothy; the Arabic version reads, "the same followed Paul and Silas"; as they were going to the oratory: AND CRIED, SAYING, THESE MEN ARE THE SERVANTS OF THE MOST HIGH GOD; not of Python, or Apollo, as she and her masters were; or of any of the deities of the Gentiles; nor of sin, nor of Satan, nor of men, but of the one only true and living God, one of whose titles is עליון, "Elion", the "Most High", Genesis 14:22 and these men were his servants, not merely by right of creation, as all men are, or should be; nor only through the power of divine grace upon their souls, bringing them into a willing obedience to him, as all the saints are; but by office, being ministers of the word: wherefore it follows, WHICH SHOW UNTO US THE WAY OF SALVATION; which is not by the works of men; for by the

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

MOST HIGH GOD (_ See Scofield) - (Matthew 7:22). _ This marks the "spirit", (Acts 16:18); as being a demon. SALVATION See note, (_ See Scofield) - (Romans 1:16). _...

ACTS 16:17 u`mi/n {B} The second person plural pronoun, which is more appropriate to the context, is supported by weighty evidence....

CHAPTER 16 _ 1. In Derbe and Lystra again. Timotheus (Acts 16:1)._ 2. The Preaching forbidden in Asia (Acts 16:6). 3. The Vision of the Man from Macedonia (Acts 16:9). 4. The Gospel in Europe (Acts 16:13). Read in connection with the first verses of this chapter 1 Timothy 1:18; 1Ti 4:14; 2 Timothy 1:5; 2 Timothy 3:15. The circumcision of Timothy, the offspri