Acts 16:18

Spiritual warfare God's power and sovereignty

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!”

She 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.

¹⁹ When the girl’s owners saw that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them before the authorities in the marketplace.

²⁰ They brought them to the magistrates and said, “These men are Jews and are throwing our city into turmoil

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: She 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.
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.
WEB: She was doing this for many days. But Paul, becoming greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!” It came out that very hour.
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.
DARBY: And this she did many days. And Paul, being distressed, turned, and said to the spirit, I enjoin thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And it came out the same hour.
BLB: And she continued this for many days. And Paul, having been distressed and having turned, said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out from her!” And it came out the same hour.

ÅB: Dette gjorde hun i mange dager. Da harmedes Paulus og vendte seg om og sa til ånden: Jeg befaler deg i Jesu Kristi navn å fare ut av henne! Og den fór ut i samme stund.
OTB: Hun fortsatte med dette i mange dager. Paulus, sterkt irritert, vendte seg og sa til ånden: "Jeg befaler deg i Jesu Kristi navn å komme ut av henne!" Og den forlot henne i det øyeblikket.
B1930: Dette gjorde hun i mange dager. Da harmedes Paulus og vendte sig om og sa til ånden: Jeg byder dig i Jesu Kristi navn å fare ut av henne! Og den fór ut i samme stund.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Mark 16:17
And these signs will accompany those who believe: In My name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues;
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Luke 10:17–19
The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in Your name.”
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Acts 3:6
But 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!”
Read in context
Acts 19:12–17
so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and the diseases and evil spirits left them.
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Acts 9:34
“Aeneas,” Peter said to him, “Jesus Christ heals you! Get up and put away your mat.” Immediately Aeneas got up,
Read in context
Mark 9:25–26
When Jesus saw that a crowd had come running, He rebuked the unclean spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” He said, “I command you to come out and never enter him again.”
Read in context
Mark 1:34
And He healed many who were ill with various diseases and drove out many demons. But He would not allow the demons to speak, because they knew who He was.
Read in context
Mark 1:25–26
But Jesus rebuked the spirit. “Be silent!” He said. “Come out of him!”
Read in context