Acts 16:15

Baptism Generosity The stranger and outcast

¹³ On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate along the river, where it was customary to find a place of prayer. After sitting down, we spoke to the women who had gathered there.

¹⁴ Among 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.

And 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.

¹⁶ One day as we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl with a spirit of divination, who earned a large income for her masters by fortune-telling.

¹⁷ This girl followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation!”

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: And 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.
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.
WEB: When she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and stay.” So she persuaded us.
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.
DARBY: And when she had been baptised and her house, 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.
BLB: And when she was baptized, and her house, she begged, saying, “If you⁺ have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, having entered into my house, abide.” And she persuaded us.

ÅB: Da nå hun og hennes hus var blitt døpt, ba hun oss og sa: Så sant dere holder meg for å være en som tror på Herren, så kom inn i mitt hus og ta opphold der! Og hun nødde oss.
OTB: Da hun og hennes husstand ble døpt, ba hun oss og sa: "Hvis dere anser meg trofast mot Herren, kom og bo i mitt hus." Hun overtalte oss.
B1930: Da nu hun og hennes hus var blitt døpt, bad hun oss og sa: Så sant I holder mig for å være en som tror på Herren, så kom inn i mitt hus og ta ophold der! Og hun nødde oss.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Acts 11:14
He will convey to you a message by which you and all your household will be saved.’
Read in context
Hebrews 13:2
Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.
Read in context
Acts 16:33
At that hour of the night, the jailer took them and washed their wounds. And without delay, he and all his household were baptized.
Read in context
Luke 24:29
But they pleaded with Him, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over.” So He went in to stay with them.
Read in context
Genesis 19:3
But Lot insisted so strongly that they followed him into his house. He prepared a feast for them and baked unleavened bread, and they ate.
Read in context
1 Peter 5:12
Through Silvanus, whom I regard as a faithful brother, I have written to you briefly, encouraging you and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it.
Read in context
1 Corinthians 1:13–16
Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into the name of Paul?
Read in context
3 John 1:5
Beloved, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers, and especially since they are strangers to you.
Read in context