Acts 16:15
in Acts 16And when she and her household had been baptized, she urged us, “If you consider me a believer in the Lord, come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us.
KJV
And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us.
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This verse in Acts 16
Commentary
12 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
And when she was baptized - Apparently without any delay. Compare Act 2:41; Act 8:38. It was usual to be baptized immediately on believing. And her household - Greek: her house ὁ οἶκος ἀυτῆς ho oikos autēs, her family. No mention is made of their having believed, and the case is one that affords a strong presumptive proof that this was an instance of household or infant baptism. Because: (1) Her believing is particularly mentioned. (2) It is not intimated that they believed. (3) It is manifestly implied that they were baptized because she believed.
This site's exposition
along the river
on Acts 16:13-15
The place of prayer by the river suggests Philippi lacked the ten Jewish men needed for a synagogue. There Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from Thyatira, became Europe's first convert, and her house its first church.
This site's exposition
come and stay at my house
Lydia makes her request rest on their judgment of her faith, and the missionaries accept her house. Her hospitality began a partnership. Philippians 4:15 says the church at Philippi alone shared with Paul in giving and receiving.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
A commentator
Ammonius of AlexandriaCATENA ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 16.14 · Written before 300.
proposed
Observe that instruction came first, and then, after the disciples heard the word, baptism followed. But if someone dares to say, "Behold! God saves only those whom he wants to save, he has compassion on and opens only the hearts of those he wants," as …
A commentator
John ChrysostomCATENA ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 16.13 · Written in the 5th century.
proposed
Notice again the absence of pride. She was a woman, and she was lowly and a manual laborer. Note, however, that the woman was a lover of wisdom. The first evidence of this is her testimony that God called her. See how the writer of the story was not ashamed to report the habits of life.… And as for us, let us not be ashamed of these students or of any student of these things. Peter stays with the tanner, and Paul with the dealer in purple and a foreign one for that matter. Where is their pride? Therefore let us pray to God that he may open our heart. In fact God opens those hearts that want to be opened, as he can see those that are hardened. The opening is God's part, being attentive hers: this is something that is, in fact, both human and divine.
"And when she was baptized," it says, "she and her household" - mark how he persuaded all of them - "she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us": then look at her wisdom, how she importunes the Apostles, how full of humility her words are, how full of wisdom. "If ye have judged me faithful," she says. Nothing could be more persuasive. Who would not have been softened by these words? She did not request, did not entreat simply: but she left them to decide, and yet exceedingly forced them: "And she constrained us," it says, by those words. And again in a different way: for see how she straightway bears fruit, and accounts it a great gain. "If ye have judged me," that is, That ye did judge me is manifest, by your delivering to me such holy mysteries: and she did not dare to invite them before this. And she was baptized, and receives the Apostles with such earnestness of entreaty; with more than that used by Abraham. And she speaks of no other token than that whereby she was saved: she says not, "If ye have judged me" a great, a devout woman; but what? "faithful to the Lord": if to the Lord, much more to you. "If ye have judged me": if ye do not doubt it. And she says not, Abide with me, but, "Come into my house and abide": with great earnestness she says it. Indeed a faithful woman!
The Medieval Church1 voice
"If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord." See how wise this woman is: first she herself testified that God had called her. Notice also her modesty. She is a simple woman; she sold fabrics dyed in purple. And Luke is not …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
She was baptized and her family - Who can believe that in so many families there was no infant? Or that the Jews, who were so long accustomed to circumcise their children, would not now devote them to God by baptism? She entreated us - The souls of the faithful cleave to those by whom they were gained to God.
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And when she was baptized,....
Him, that was a disciple of Christ, Paul took to be his disciple, that he might further train him up in the knowledge and faith of Christ; he took him to be brought up for Christ. That his mother was a Jewess originally, but believed in Christ; her name was Eunice, his grandmother's name was Lois.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Here also is the first mention of a Christian household. Whether it included children, also in that case baptized, is not explicitly stated; but the presumption, as in other cases of household baptism, is that it did.
If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord - The meaning seems to be this: If my present reception of the Gospel of Christ be a proof to you that I have been faithful to the Lord, in the light previously imparted, and that I am as likely to be faithful to this new grace as I have been to that already received, and, consequently, not likely by light or fickle conduct to bring any discredit on this Divine work, come into my house, and abide there. It is wrong to suppose that this woman had not received a measure of the light of God before this time. And she constrained us - She used such entreaties and persuasions that at last they consented to lodge there.
The words behind it
25 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ὡς | hos | When | G5613 → | 500 times |
| δὲ | de | then | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| ἐβαπτίσθη | ebaptisthe | she was baptized | G907 → | 76 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ὁ | ho | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| οἶκος | oikos | house | G3624 → | 112 times |
| αὐτῆς, | autes | of her, | G846 → | 5565 times |
| παρεκάλεσεν | parekalesen | she begged | G3870 → | 108 times |
| λέγουσα· | legousa | saying; | G3004 → | 1325 times |
| εἰ | ei | If | G1487 → | 508 times |
| κεκρίκατέ | kekrikate | you have judged | G2919 → | 114 times |
| με | me | me | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| πιστὴν | pisten | faithful | G4103 → | 67 times |
| τῷ | to | to the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| κυρίῳ | kurio | Lord | G2962 → | 711 times |
| εἶναι, | einai | to be, | G1511 → | 123 times |
| εἰσελθόντες | eiselthontes | having entered | G1525 → | 194 times |
| εἰς | eis | into | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| τὸν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| οἶκόν | oikon | house | G3624 → | 112 times |
| μου | mou | of mine | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| μένετε· | menete | do remain; | G3306 → | 118 times |
| καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| παρεβιάσατο | parebiasato | she persuaded | G3849 → | |
| ἡμᾶς.¶ | hemas | us. | G3165 → | 1936 times |
ὡςWhen
hosG5613 →500 times
δὲthen
deG1161 →2765 times
ἐβαπτίσθηshe was baptized
ebaptistheG907 →76 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ὁthe
hoG3588 →19766 times
οἶκοςhouse
oikosG3624 →112 times
αὐτῆς,of her,
autesG846 →5565 times
παρεκάλεσενshe begged
parekalesenG3870 →108 times
λέγουσα·saying;
legousaG3004 →1325 times
εἰIf
eiG1487 →508 times
κεκρίκατέyou have judged
kekrikateG2919 →114 times
μεme
meG3165 →1936 times
πιστὴνfaithful
pistenG4103 →67 times
τῷto the
toG3588 →19766 times
κυρίῳLord
kurioG2962 →711 times
εἶναι,to be,
einaiG1511 →123 times
εἰσελθόντεςhaving entered
eiselthontesG1525 →194 times
εἰςinto
eisG1519 →1755 times
τὸνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
οἶκόνhouse
oikonG3624 →112 times
μουof mine
mouG3165 →1936 times
μένετε·do remain;
meneteG3306 →118 times
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
παρεβιάσατοshe persuaded
parebiasatoG3849 →
ἡμᾶς.¶us.
hemasG3165 →1936 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
Hebrews 13:2Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.
it leads to
- Matthew 25:35
For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you took Me in,
- Genesis 18:1
Then the LORD appeared to Abraham by the Oaks of Mamre in the heat of the day, while he was sitting at the entrance of his tent.
- 1 Peter 4:9
Show hospitality to one another without complaining.
- Romans 12:13
Share with the saints who are in need. Practice hospitality.
- Matthew 25:43
I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, I was naked and you did not clothe Me, I was sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’
- Matthew 25:35
Through
Acts 16:33At that hour of the night, the jailer took them and washed their wounds. And without delay, he and all his household were baptized.
it leads to
- 1 Corinthians 1:16
Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that I do not remember if I baptized anyone else.
- 1 Corinthians 1:16
Through
Acts 11:14He will convey to you a message by which you and all your household will be saved.’
it leads to
- Acts 10:22
“Cornelius the centurion has sent us,” they said. “He is a righteous and God-fearing man with a good reputation among the whole Jewish nation. A holy angel instructed him to request your presence in…
- Acts 16:31–34
They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, you and your household.”
- Acts 10:22
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Acts
This page draws on 12 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); Ammonius of Alexandria, CATENA ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 16.14; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homilies on the Acts of the Apostles; John Chrysostom, CATENA ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 16.13; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 35; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts.