Acts 16:18
in Acts 16She continued this for many days. Eventually Paul grew so aggravated that he turned and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” And the spirit left her at that very moment.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And this she did for many days. But Paul, being sore troubled, turned and said to the spirit, I charge thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And it came out that very hour.
KJV
And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.
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This verse in Acts 16
Commentary
13 notes on this verse"Paul, having become indignant," that is, being aroused and agitated. By shutting her mouth, even though she was speaking the truth, he teaches us not to admit demons to ourselves, even if they take on the appearance of defending the truth, but to block every …
This site's exposition
spirit of divination
on Acts 16:16-18
On the way to the place of prayer they met a slave girl with a spirit of divination, a puthon in the Greek, the Delphic oracle's spirit. She followed Paul and his company for many days, shouting that these men are servants of the Most High God, a true statement from a false source, as when demons spoke of Jesus. Paul commanded it out in the name of Jesus Christ, and it left her at that very moment.
This site's exposition
In the name of Jesus Christ
Paul speaks to the spirit and leaves the girl out of it, and the name does the work, as the seventy found at Luke 10:17. At 19:13 the sons of Sceva borrow the same name without faith and are overpowered. The name belongs to its servants.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
But here it is proper to enquire, both why the demon uttered these things and why Paul rebuked him. In imitation of his Teacher; for so Christ did also rebuke: since it was not his will to have testimony from them. And wherefore did the devil also practise this? Intending to confound the order of things, and to seize upon the dignity of the Apostles, and to persuade many to pay attention to them: which had it happened, they would easily have made themselves appear from hence worthy of credit, and have brought in their own designs. That these things then might not be, and the deceit might not have a beginning, he stops their mouths even when speaking the truth, so that in their falsehoods men should not at all give heed unto them, but stop their ears altogether against the things said by them.
Paul says, that is, stirred up and distressed, having noticed even by her face that she spoke the truth, ordered the demon to come out of her: teaching us that we should not accept demons under the ploy of bearing testimony to the truth, but …
At first then, Paul would not admit it, but scorned it, not wishing to cast himself all at once upon miracles; but when it continued to do this, and pointed to their work "who preach unto us the way of salvation," then he commanded it to come out. For it says, "Paul being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour." "And Paul being grieved," etc. By their clamor and shouting they thought to alarm them the magistrates: saying, "These men do exceedingly trouble our city." What sayest thou? Dost thou believe the demon? Why not here also? He saith, They are "servants of the most high God"; thou sayest, "They exceedingly trouble our city": he saith, "They show us the way of salvation"; thou sayest, "They teach customs which are not lawful for us to receive." Observe, how they do not attend even to the demon, but look only to one thing, their covetousness.
Python is said to be a woman who used to sit upon the tripod of Apollo with its legs spread, then in this way a corrupt spirit from below entering her and passing through her genital parts would fill the woman with madness, and with …
The Medieval Church1 voice
I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. Bar-Jesus, who was an adversary of the faith, was struck blind both in physical weakness and loss of his sight. But he managed to deprive this woman, who though perverted in …
5 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Thus Paul shows the way of salvation indeed, that it is by breaking the power of Satan, and chaining him up, that he may not deceive the world ( Rev. xx. 3 ), and that this salvation is to be obtained in the name of Jesus Christ only, as in his name the devil was now cast out and by no other.
And this she did many days,.... As the apostle and his company passed to and from the oratory, being for that time at Lydia's house; she followed them, and repeated the above words.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
Paul, being grieved - Probably for the reasons assigned above. Turned - to the spirit - Not to the woman; she was only the organ by which the spirit acted. I command thee, in the name of Jesus - Jesus is the Savior; Satan is Abaddon and Apollyon, the destroyer. The sovereign Savior says to the destroyer, Come out of her; and he came out in the same hour. Every circumstance of this case proves it to have been a real possession.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Paul being grieved--for the poor victim; grieved to see such power possessed by the enemy of man's salvation, and grieved to observe the malignant design with which this high testimony was borne to Christ.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
But Paul, being grieved - Being molested, troubled, offended. Paul was grieved, probably: (1) Because her presence was troublesome to him; (2) Because it might be said that he was in alliance with her, and that his pretensions were just like hers; (3) Because what she did was for the sake of gain, and was a base imposition; (4) Because her state was one of bondage and delusion, and it was proper to free her from this demoniacal possession; and, (5) Because the system under which she was acting was a part of a scheme of delusion and imposture, which had spread over a large portion of the pagan world, and which was then holding it in bondage. Throughout the Roman empire the inspiration of the priestesses of Apollo was believed in, and temples were everywhere reared to perpetuate and celebrate the delusion. Against this extensive system of imposture and fraud Christianity must oppose itself; and this was a favorable instance to expose the delusion, and to show the power of the Christian religion over all the arts and powers of imposture. The mere fact that in a very few instances - of which this was one - they spoke the truth, did not make it improper for Paul to interpose. That fact would only tend to perpetuate the delusion, and to make his interposition more proper and necessary. The expulsion of the evil spirit would also afford a signal proof of the fact that the apostles were really from God a far better proof than her noisy and troublesome proclamation of it would furnish. In the name of Jesus Christ - Or, by the authority of Jesus Christ. See the notes on Act 3:6.
The words behind it
28 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| τοῦτο | touto | This | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| δὲ | de | then | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| ἐποίει | epoiei | she was continuing | G4160 → | 569 times |
| ἐπὶ | epi | for | G1909 → | 883 times |
| πολλὰς | pollas | many | G4183 → | 367 times |
| ἡμέρας. | hemeras | days. | G2250 → | 389 times |
| διαπονηθεὶς | diaponetheis | Having been distressed | G1278 → | |
| δὲ | de | then | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| Παῦλος | paulos | Paul | G3972 → | 158 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἐπιστρέψας | epistrepsas | having turned | G1994 → | 36 times |
| τῷ | to | to the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πνεύματι | pneumati | spirit | G4151 → | 378 times |
| εἶπεν· | eipen | he said; | G2036 → | 925 times |
| παραγγέλλω | parangello | I command | G3853 → | 31 times |
| σοι | soi | you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| ὀνόματι | onomati | name | G3686 → | 227 times |
| Ἰησοῦ | iesou | of Jesus | G2424 → | 908 times |
| Χριστοῦ | christou | Christ | G5547 → | 523 times |
| ἐξελθεῖν | exelthein | to come out | G1831 → | 216 times |
| ἀπ᾽ | ap᾽ | from | G575 → | 640 times |
| αὐτῆς. | autes | her. | G846 → | 5565 times |
| καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἐξῆλθεν | exelthen | it came out | G1831 → | 216 times |
| αὐτῇ | autea | on [the] same | G846 → | 5565 times |
| τῇ | tea | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ὥρᾳ. | hora | hour. | G5610 → | 106 times |
τοῦτοThis
toutoG3778 →1381 times
δὲthen
deG1161 →2765 times
ἐποίειshe was continuing
epoieiG4160 →569 times
ἐπὶfor
epiG1909 →883 times
πολλὰςmany
pollasG4183 →367 times
ἡμέρας.days.
hemerasG2250 →389 times
διαπονηθεὶςHaving been distressed
diaponetheisG1278 →
δὲthen
deG1161 →2765 times
ΠαῦλοςPaul
paulosG3972 →158 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἐπιστρέψαςhaving turned
epistrepsasG1994 →36 times
τῷto the
toG3588 →19766 times
πνεύματιspirit
pneumatiG4151 →378 times
εἶπεν·he said;
eipenG2036 →925 times
παραγγέλλωI command
parangelloG3853 →31 times
σοιyou
soiG4771 →2973 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
ὀνόματιname
onomatiG3686 →227 times
Ἰησοῦof Jesus
iesouG2424 →908 times
ΧριστοῦChrist
christouG5547 →523 times
ἐξελθεῖνto come out
exeltheinG1831 →216 times
ἀπ᾽from
ap᾽G575 →640 times
αὐτῆς.her.
autesG846 →5565 times
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἐξῆλθενit came out
exelthenG1831 →216 times
αὐτῇon [the] same
auteaG846 →5565 times
τῇ<the>
teaG3588 →19766 times
ὥρᾳ.hour.
horaG5610 →106 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
Mark 16:17And these signs will accompany those who believe: In My name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues;
it leads to
- Acts 5:16
Crowds also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those tormented by unclean spirits, and all of them were healed.
- 1 Corinthians 12:28
And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, and those with gifts of healing, helping, administration, and various tongues.
- Acts 8:7
With loud shrieks, unclean spirits came out of many who were possessed, and many of the paralyzed and lame were healed.
- Luke 10:17
The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in Your name.”
- John 14:12
Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever believes in Me will also do the works that I am doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.
- Acts 5:16
Through
Acts 3:6But Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!”
it leads to
- Acts 3:16
By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know has been made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through Him that has given him this…
- Acts 4:10
then let this be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from…
- Acts 10:38
how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, because God was with Him.
- Acts 3:16
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies5
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 on Acts; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, Commentary on Acts; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, HOMILIES ON 1 CORINTHIANS 29.3; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 35; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on Acts and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts.