Acts 16:31
in Acts 16They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, you and your household.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be saved, thou and thy house.
KJV
And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
⋯
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)
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ - This was a simple, a plain, and an effectual direction. They did not direct him to use the means of grace, to pray, or to continue to seek for salvation. They did not advise him to delay, or to wait for the mercy of God. They told him to believe at once; to commit his agitated, and guilty, and troubled spirit to the Saviour, with the assurance that he should find peace. They presumed that he would understand what it was to believe, and they commanded him to do the thing.
This site's exposition
Calling for lights
on Acts 16:29-31
Trembling, the jailer asked what he must do to be saved. The answer, to believe in the Lord Jesus, is the book's simplest statement of the gospel. Faith alone is the condition, as Peter argued at the council in chapter 15.
This site's exposition
you and your household
Households come to faith together at 11:14 with Cornelius, at 16:15 with Lydia and at 18:8 with Crispus. A household in this world took in slaves and dependents as well as kin. Verse 32 tells how each one heard the word.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. What then answers Paul? Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, thou and thine house. For this above all, wins men: that one's house also should be saved.
The Medieval Church1 voice
"Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your whole household." Even in prison Paul did not give himself rest, and there he drew the jailer to himself and accomplished this beautiful captivity.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And they said, believe in the Lord Jesus Christ,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved--The brevity, simplicity, and directness of this reply are, in the circumstances, singularly beautiful.
YOU WILL REMEMBER that when the children of Israel were settled in Canaan, God ordained that they should set apart certain cities to be called the Cities of Refuge, that to these the man-slayer might flee for security. If he killed another unawares, and had no malice aforethought, he might flee at once to the City of Refuge; and if he could enter its gates before the avenger of blood should overtake him, he would be secure. We are told by the rabbis that once in the year, or oftener, the magistrates of the district were accustomed to survey the high roads which led to these cities. they carefully gathered up all the stones, and took the greatest possible precautions that there should be no stumbling-blocks in the way which might cause the poor fugitive to fall, or might by any means impede him in his hasty course. We hear, moreover, and we believe the tradition to be grounded in fact, that all along the road there were hand-posts with the word “Refuge” written very legibly upon them, so that when the fugitive came to a crossroad, he might not need to question for a single moment which was the way of escape; but seeing the well-known word “Refuge,” he kept on his breathless and headlong course until he had entered the suburb of the City of Refuge, and he was then at once completely safe. Now, my brothers and sisters, God has prepared for the sons of men a City of Refuge, and the way to it is by FAITH IN CHRIST JESUS. It is needful, however, that very often the ministers of Christ should survey this road, lest there should be any stumbling-blocks in the path of the poor sinner.
4 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century4 voices
A commentator
Charles Spurgeon1834–1892
The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 3372: “Conversion and Character” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition) · Written before 1892.
proposed
THE work of God at Philippi went on very quietly and successfully in the hands of Paul and Silas. It was the commencement of the Gospel in Europe and very auspicious were its circumstances. The good work was intimately connected with Prayer Meetings, which for this reason should always wear a charm for Europeans. Godly women met together for devotion. Paul spoke to them and households were converted and baptized. The work went on delightfully, but the devil, as usual, must put in his foot!
YOU WILL REMEMBER that when the children of Israel were settled in Canaan, God ordained that they should set apart certain cities to be called the Cities of Refuge, that to these the man-slayer might flee for security. If he killed another unawares, and had no malice aforethought, he might flee at once to the City of Refuge; and if he could enter its gates before the avenger of blood should overtake him, he would be secure.
A commentator
Charles Spurgeon1834–1892
The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 3372: “Conversion and Character” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition) · Written before 1892.
proposed
THE work of God at Philippi went on very quietly and successfully in the hands of Paul and Silas. It was the commencement of the Gospel in Europe and very auspicious were its circumstances. The good work was intimately connected with Prayer Meetings, which for this reason should always wear a charm for Europeans. Godly women met together for devotion. Paul spoke to them and households were converted and baptized. The work went on delightfully, but the devil, as usual, must put in his foot! To any who judged according to the sight of the eyes, it must have seemed a most unfortunate circumstance that a poor woman having a spirit of divination came in Paul's way. It was a sad ruffling of the gentle stream of prosperity when, on account of his casting the demon out of her, the Apostle and his companion were dragged by the mob before the magistrates, shamefully beaten and thrown into prison. Now the preacher's mouth would be stopped, as far as the people of Philippi outside the jail gates were concerned. No more of those delightful Prayer Meetings and Bible readings and opening up of the Scriptures. Surely there was cause for the deepest regret. It might have appeared so, but like a great many other incidents connected with Christian work, the matter could not be judged by the outward appearance, for the Lord had a secret and blessed design which was being answered by the apparent disaster! Servants of Jesus Christ, never be discouraged when you are opposed, but when things run counter to your wishes, expect that the Lord has provided some better thing for you! He is driving you away from shallow waters and bringing you into deeper seas where your nets shall bring you larger draughts.
Believe on the Lord Jesus - Receive the religion of Christ, which we preach, and let thy household also receive it, and ye shall be all placed in the sure way to final salvation.
The words behind it
15 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| οἱ | hoi | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| δὲ | de | And | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| εἶπαν· | eipan | they said; | G2036 → | 925 times |
| πίστευσον | pisteuson | do believe | G4100 → | 237 times |
| ἐπὶ | epi | on | G1909 → | 883 times |
| τὸν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| κύριον | kurion | Lord | G2962 → | 711 times |
| Ἰησοῦν | iesoun | Jesus | G2424 → | 908 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| σωθήσῃ | sothese | will be saved | G4982 → | 105 times |
| σὺ | su | you yourself | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ὁ | ho | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| οἶκός | oikos | household | G3624 → | 112 times |
| σου. | sou | of you. | G4771 → | 2973 times |
οἱ<the>
hoiG3588 →19766 times
δὲAnd
deG1161 →2765 times
εἶπαν·they said;
eipanG2036 →925 times
πίστευσονdo believe
pisteusonG4100 →237 times
ἐπὶon
epiG1909 →883 times
τὸνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
κύριονLord
kurionG2962 →711 times
ἸησοῦνJesus
iesounG2424 →908 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
σωθήσῃwill be saved
sotheseG4982 →105 times
σὺyou yourself
suG4771 →2973 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ὁthe
hoG3588 →19766 times
οἶκόςhousehold
oikosG3624 →112 times
σου.of you.
souG4771 →2973 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
John 1:12But to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God—
it leads to
- Galatians 3:26
You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
- Romans 8:14
For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
- 1 John 3:1
Behold what manner of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God. And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is…
- 2 Corinthians 6:17–18
“Therefore come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.”
- Galatians 4:6
And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!”
- Galatians 3:26
Through
John 3:36Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life. Whoever rejects the Son will not see life. Instead, the wrath of God remains on him.”
it leads to
- John 5:24
Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not come under judgment. Indeed, he has crossed over from death to life.
- John 1:12
But to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God—
- 1 Thessalonians 5:9
For God has not appointed us to suffer wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.
- John 5:24
Where this verse is studied
By subject
Faith34 verses
Salvation35 verses
On this page
Studies12
About Acts
This page draws on 11 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); Charles Spurgeon, The New Park Street Pulpit, Sermon No. 293: “The King's Highway Opened and Cleared” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition); Charles Spurgeon, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 3372: “Conversion and Character” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition); J. A. Alexander, The Acts of the Apostles Explained; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Calvin, Commentary upon the Acts of the Apostles; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 36; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts.