Acts 16:40
in Acts 16After Paul and Silas came out of the prison, they went to Lydia’s house to see the brothers and encourage them. Then they left the city.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And they went out of the prison, and entered into the house of Lydia: and when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them, and departed.
KJV
And they went out of the prison, and entered into the house of Lydia: and when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them, and departed.
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This verse in Acts 16
Commentary
9 notes on this verse"Having departed from the prison, they came to Lydia and, having seen the brethren, instructed them, and departed." It was not fitting to leave in a state of anxiety and concern the woman who had shown them hospitality; and they, despite the urgings of the …
This site's exposition
besought them
on Acts 16:39-40
They came and besought them, and brought them out, and desired them to depart out of the city, the magistrates who had ordered the beating now personally pleading with the men they had wronged, the reversal complete from mob violence to civic apology. They went out of the prison, and entered into the house of Lydia, returning to the same home where the church in Philippi had begun, and when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them, and departed, the young congregation strengthened even as its founders leave the city. The chapter that opened with Timothy joining the mission closes with a church already gathered and comforted in Europe's first congregation.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
A commentator
Ammonius of AlexandriaCATENA ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 16.40 · Written before 300.
proposed
How great was their modesty and charity! Paul and Silas would not have put up with leaving, even though they had been dismissed by the magistrates, if they had not been able to go to the poor woman and the others, whom they called brothers, …
And they went out of the prison, and entered into the house of Lydia: and when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them, and departed. And they went to the house of Lydia, and having confirmed her, so departed. For it was not right to leave their hostess in distress and anxiety. But they went out, not in compliance with the request of those rulers, but hasting to the preaching: the city having been sufficiently benefited by the miracle: for it was fit they should not be there any longer. For in the absence of them that wrought it, the miracle appeared greater, itself crying out more loudly: the faith of the jailer was a voice in itself.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Paul's Adoption of Timothy. 1 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: 2 Which was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:94%@v1-3
And they went out of the prison,.... In a public manner, with great honour and reputation, at the request of the magistrates that put them there: and entered into the house of Lydia; whom Paul had baptized, Act 16:
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Entered into the house of Lydia - This was the place of their residence while at Philippi: see Act 16:15. They comforted them, and departed - The magistrates were sufficiently humbled, and the public at large, hearing of this circumstance, must be satisfied of the innocency of the apostles. They, therefore, after staying a reasonable time at the house of Lydia, and exhorting the brethren, departed; having as yet to go farther into Macedonia, and to preach the Gospel in the most polished city in the world, the city of Athens. See the succeeding chapter.
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)
And they went out of the prison--Having attained their object--to vindicate their civil rights, by the infraction of which in this case the Gospel in their persons had been illegally affronted--they had no mind to carry the matter farther. Their citizenship was valuable to them only as a shield against unnecessary injuries to their Master's cause.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
They comforted them - They exhorted them, and encouraged them to persevere, notwithstanding the opposition and persecution which they might meet with. And departed - That is, Paul and Silas departed. It would appear probable that Luke and Timothy remained in Philippi, or, at least, did not attend Paul and Silas. For Luke, who, in Act 16:10, uses the first person, and speaks of himself as with Paul and Silas, speaks of them now in the third person, implying that he was not with them until Paul had arrived at Troas, where Luke joined him from Philippi, Act 20:5-6. In Act 17:14, also, Timothy is mentioned as being at Berea in company with Silas, from which it appears that he did not accompany Paul and Silas to Thessalonica. Compare Act 17:1, Act 17:4. Paul and Silas, when they departed from Philippi, went to Thessalonica, Act 17:1.
The words behind it
16 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ἐξελθόντες | exelthontes | Having gone forth | G1831 → | 216 times |
| δὲ | de | then | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| ἀπὸ | apo | out of | G575 → | 640 times |
| τῆς | tes | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| φυλακῆς | phulakes | prison | G5438 → | 47 times |
| εἰσῆλθον | eiselthon | they came | G1525 → | 194 times |
| πρὸς | pros | to | G4314 → | 700 times |
| τὴν | ten | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Λυδίαν· | ludian | Lydia; | G3070 → | |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἰδόντες | idontes | having seen [them] | G1492 → | 374 times |
| παρεκάλεσαν | parekalesan | they exhorted | G3870 → | 108 times |
| τοὺς | tous | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀδελφοὺς | adelphous | brothers | G80 → | 343 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἐξῆλθαν.¶ | exelthan | departed. | G1831 → | 216 times |
ἘξελθόντεςHaving gone forth
exelthontesG1831 →216 times
δὲthen
deG1161 →2765 times
ἀπὸout of
apoG575 →640 times
τῆςthe
tesG3588 →19766 times
φυλακῆςprison
phulakesG5438 →47 times
εἰσῆλθονthey came
eiselthonG1525 →194 times
πρὸςto
prosG4314 →700 times
τὴν<the>
tenG3588 →19766 times
Λυδίαν·Lydia;
ludianG3070 →
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἰδόντεςhaving seen [them]
idontesG1492 →374 times
παρεκάλεσανthey exhorted
parekalesanG3870 →108 times
τοὺςthe
tousG3588 →19766 times
ἀδελφοὺςbrothers
adelphousG80 →343 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἐξῆλθαν.¶departed.
exelthanG1831 →216 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
Acts 14:22strengthening the souls of the disciples and encouraging them to continue in the faith. “We must endure many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said.
it leads to
- 1 Peter 5:10
And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore you, secure you, strengthen you, and establish…
- 2 Timothy 3:12
Indeed, all who desire to live godly lives in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,
- John 16:33
I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take courage; I have overcome the world!”
- 1 Thessalonians 3:2–4
We sent Timothy, our brother and fellow worker for God in the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith,
- Romans 8:17
And if we are children, then we are heirs: heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with Him, so that we may also be glorified with Him.
- 1 Peter 5:10
Through
Acts 16:14Among those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message.
it leads to
- Luke 24:45
Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.
- Ephesians 1:17–18
that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in your knowledge of Him.
- Isaiah 50:5
The Lord GOD has opened My ears, and I have not been rebellious, nor have I turned back.
- Luke 24:45
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies5
About Acts
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 9 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 16.40; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 36; 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.