Acts 16:1
in Acts 16Paul came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where he found a disciple named Timothy, the son of a believing Jewish woman and a Greek father.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And he came also to Derbe and to Lystra: and behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewess that believed; but his father was a Greek.
KJV
Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek:
⋯
This verse in Acts 16
Commentary
9 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Then came he - That is, Paul in company with Silas. Luke does not give us the history of Barnabas, but confines his narrative to the journey of Paul. To Derbe and Lystra - See the notes on Act 14:6. And behold, a certain disciple named Timotheus - It was to this disciple that Paul afterward addressed the two epistles which bear his name. It is evident that he was a native of one of these places, but whether of Derbe or Lystra it is impossible to determine.
This site's exposition
named Timotheus
on Acts 16:1-3
Then came he to Derbe and Lystra, and behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman which was a Jewess, and believed, but his father was a Greek, mixed parentage that under Jewish reckoning by the mother's line still counted the boy a Jew who had never been circumcised. Well reported of by the brethren at Lystra and Iconium, Timothy is chosen by Paul to go forth with him, and Paul himself circumcised him because of the Jews which were in those quarters, a missionary accommodation rather than any concession on the council's ruling just settled in the previous chapter, since Titus the Gentile at Galatians 2:3 was pointedly not compelled to the same rite. The bench reads the two cases together as consistent, Paul removing a needless offense to open synagogue doors for Timothy while refusing the same demand where it was pressed as a condition of salvation.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
"And when they had gone round these nations, he came to Derbe and Lystra." When Paul had gone round the above-mentioned nations, he came to Derbe and Lystra, and there found a certain Timothy, a disciple born of a Gentile father. Wishing to take him …
"And, behold a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek: which was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium." Great was the grace of Timothy. When Barnabas departed, he finds another, equivalent to him. Of him he saith, "Remembering thy tears and thy unfeigned faith, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and in thy mother Eunice." His father continued to be a Gentile, and therefore it was that (Timothy) was not circumcised. Observe the Law already broken.
The Medieval Church1 voice
Remarkably, the Jews so neglected the law that they gave their daughters in marriage to Greeks and married Greek women.
The Reformation1 voice
I answer, that we must principally look unto the judgment of the godly, as they be sole meet witnesses, and do alone rightly discern well and wisely according to the Spirit of God; and that we ought to attribute no more to the wicked than to blind men.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Then came he to Derbe and Lystra,....
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
His would be one of "the souls of the disciples confirmed" at the apostle's second visit, "exhorted to continue in the faith, and" warned "that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God" (Ac 14:21, 22). the son of a certain . . .
A certain disciple - Bishop Pearce would read the latter part of this verse and the beginning of the next thus - A certain disciple named Timotheus, (the son of a certain Jewish woman that believed, but of a father who was a Greek), who was well reported of by the brethren, etc. This Timothy was the same person to whom St. Paul wrote those two noble epistles which are still extant. His mother’s name was Eunice, as we learn from 2Ti 1:5. What his father’s name was we know not; he was either a mere heathen, or, at most, only a proselyte of the gate, who never submitted to circumcision: had he submitted to this rite, he would, no doubt, have circumcised his son; but the son being without it is a proof that the father was so too. Some MSS. state that Timothy’s mother was now a widow; but this does not appear to be well founded.
The words behind it
23 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Κατήντησεν | katentesen | He came | G2658 → | 13 times |
| δὲ | de | then | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| καὶ | kai | both | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| εἰς | eis | to | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| Δέρβην | derben | Derbe | G1191 → | 3 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| εἰς | eis | to | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| Λύστραν. | lustran | Lystra. | G3082 → | 6 times |
| καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἰδοὺ | idou | behold | G2400 → | 200 times |
| μαθητής | mathetes | a disciple | G3101 → | 260 times |
| τις | tis | certain | G5100 → | 528 times |
| ἦν | en | was | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| ἐκεῖ, | ekei | there, | G1563 → | 105 times |
| ὀνόματι | onomati | named | G3686 → | 227 times |
| Τιμόθεος, | timotheos | Timothy, | G5095 → | 24 times |
| υἱὸς | huios | [the] son | G5207 → | 377 times |
| γυναικὸς | gunaikos | of a woman | G1135 → | 211 times |
| Ἰουδαίας | ioudaias | Jewish | G2453 → | 192 times |
| πιστῆς, | pistes | believing, | G4103 → | 67 times |
| πατρὸς | patros | father | G3962 → | 410 times |
| δὲ | de | however | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| Ἕλληνος· | hellenos | a Greek; | G1672 → | 25 times |
ΚατήντησενHe came
katentesenG2658 →13 times
δὲthen
deG1161 →2765 times
καὶboth
kaiG2532 →9120 times
εἰςto
eisG1519 →1755 times
ΔέρβηνDerbe
derbenG1191 →3 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
εἰςto
eisG1519 →1755 times
Λύστραν.Lystra.
lustranG3082 →6 times
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἰδοὺbehold
idouG2400 →200 times
μαθητήςa disciple
mathetesG3101 →260 times
τιςcertain
tisG5100 →528 times
ἦνwas
enG1510 →2333 times
ἐκεῖ,there,
ekeiG1563 →105 times
ὀνόματιnamed
onomatiG3686 →227 times
Τιμόθεος,Timothy,
timotheosG5095 →24 times
υἱὸς[the] son
huiosG5207 →377 times
γυναικὸςof a woman
gunaikosG1135 →211 times
ἸουδαίαςJewish
ioudaiasG2453 →192 times
πιστῆς,believing,
pistesG4103 →67 times
πατρὸςfather
patrosG3962 →410 times
δὲhowever
deG1161 →2765 times
Ἕλληνος·a Greek;
hellenosG1672 →25 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
2 Timothy 1:5I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am convinced is in you as well.
it leads to
- 1 Timothy 1:5
The goal of our instruction is the love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and a sincere faith.
- 2 Timothy 3:15
From infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
- 1 Timothy 4:6
By pointing out these things to the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, nourished by the words of faith and sound instruction that you have followed.
- 1 Timothy 1:5
Through
1 Corinthians 4:17That is why I have sent you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which is exactly what I teach…
it leads to
- 1 Corinthians 16:10
If Timothy comes, see to it that he has nothing to fear while he is with you, for he is doing the work of the Lord, just as I am.
- 1 Timothy 1:2
To Timothy, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
- 1 Corinthians 7:17
Regardless, each one should lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him and to which God has called him. This is what I prescribe in all the churches.
- 1 Corinthians 16:10
Through
Acts 18:5And when Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself fully to the word, testifying to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ.
it leads to
- 2 Corinthians 5:14
For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that One died for all, therefore all died.
- Acts 18:28
For he powerfully refuted the Jews in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ.
- 2 Corinthians 5:14
Where this verse is studied
About Acts
Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
- PersonNew TestamentTimothyThe young disciple from Lystra, son of a believing Jewish mother and a Greek father, who joined Paul on the second journey and bec…
- PlaceLycaoniaLystraThe Lycaonian town where Paul healed a lame man, the crowd tried to sacrifice to him and Barnabas as gods and then stoned him and…
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Acts of the Apostles; Cassiodorus, Complexiones on the Acts of the Apostles; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Calvin, Commentaries; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 34; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts.