Acts 16:16 - Printer Friendly

ESV: As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling.

NIV: Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling.

NASB: It happened that as we were going to the place of prayer, a slave woman who had a spirit of divination met us, who was bringing great profit to her masters by fortune-telling.

CSB: Once, as we were on our way to prayer, a slave girl met us who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She made a large profit for her owners by fortune-telling.

NLT: One day as we were going down to the place of prayer, we met a slave girl who had a spirit that enabled her to tell the future. She earned a lot of money for her masters by telling fortunes.

KJV: And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying:

NKJV: Now it happened, as we went to prayer, that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling.

The Holy Spirit has called Paul, Silas, Timothy, and Luke to Macedonia to spread Jesus' offer of salvation. When they arrive in Philippi, they find there are not enough Jews in the city to have a synagogue. Knowing the custom, they presume they will find a group who worship the Jewish God at the river. They do—a gathering of women including Lydia who accepts their message of Jesus and invites them to stay with her (Acts 16:9–15). Apparently, the group continues meeting at the river, listening to Paul and Silas talk about Jesus.

In most cities, Paul would speak in the synagogue, showing how Jesus fulfilled the prophecies of the Messiah in Jewish Scripture. After a while, the synagogue leaders would reject his message, but others—Jew and Gentile—would follow him and learn more. Eventually, the synagogue leaders would incite the city leaders to drive Paul out of town, at least once by stoning him (Acts 14:19–20). In Philippi, Paul learns that threatening a Gentile's money stream can be as dangerous as challenging a synagogue's teaching.

The "spirit of divination" that possesses the girl is related to the myth of Pythian: a serpent or dragon that guarded the oracle at Delphi and had been slain by Apollo. The girl is possessed by a demon that has taken on this myth—but this does not validate the existence of the "spirit of python." Some churches teach that every hardship and sin, from unemployment to poor health, promiscuity, and even stubbornness is caused by a demon. Many teach that the "python spirit" can thwart a Christian's communication with the Holy Spirit, both blocking the Spirit's leading and the believer's prayers. Others say Python squeezes away their joy or causes greed or fear.

These are false teachings. Not every hardship is caused by a demon; the world is fallen, and bad things happen when people make wrong choices. A demon can oppress a Christian, but it cannot possess someone who is indwelt by the Holy Spirit. Demons have been around for a long time, and they can use that experience and their ability to observe those around us to reveal things a normal person doesn't know, but there's no indication they can determine the future.

Acts 16:16–24 shows that religiously confused Gentiles can hinder Paul's ministry as much as Jews. Paul, Silas, Timothy, and Luke are in Philippi on the border of Macedonia and Greece. When Paul expels a demonic spirit from a slave girl, her owners accuse Paul and Silas of illegally promoting a foreign god. The crowd and the city magistrates beat and imprison the pair. Only later do they realize their mistake: Paul and Silas are both Roman citizens (Acts 16:37), and you can't punish Roman citizens without a trial.

Acts 16 follows Paul and Silas as they take the letter of Acts 15 into modern-day Asia Minor and Macedonia. They collect Timothy in Lystra and Luke in Troas. In Philippi, they meet Lydia and baptize her family. After expelling a demon from a fortune-telling girl, city officials illegally beat and imprison Paul and Silas. An earthquake frees them of their chains, but they stay and bring the jailer and his family to Christ. The next morning, Paul and Silas refuse to leave quietly, politely insisting that their civil rights have been violated. The officials apologize, and Paul, Silas, and Timothy go to Thessalonica.

Acts 15 ends with Paul and Silas spreading the news that Gentile Christians don't have to be circumcised. Acts 16 begins with Paul circumcising a Jewish man, Timothy, to prevent difficulties in preaching to older Jews as the boy grows into church leadership. Paul's second missionary trip finds the church growing east, into Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea, Athens, and Corinth (Acts 16:11—18:18). On his way back to Syrian Antioch, Paul will stop by Ephesus and soften the Jews for the extended ministry of Priscilla, Aquila, and Apollos. During his first trip, Paul planted churches and ordained elders; in his second, he commissions more missionaries.

The summary of the book of Acts is provided in Jesus' words in Acts 1:8: ''But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.'' In Acts 2:1–13, the Christ-followers receive the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:14—7:60 describes the rapid growth of the church in Jerusalem. Chapters 8—12 find Jewish persecution inadvertently spreading the gospel throughout Judea and Samaria. And in chapters 13—28, Paul and his companions spread the good news throughout the Roman Empire.