Acts 16:17

Acts 16:17 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation.
• New International Version (NIV)She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)She followed Paul and us, crying out, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation."
• New King James Version (NKJV)This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, “These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.”

Context of Acts 16:17

15And when she was baptized, along with her household, she pleaded with us, saying, “If you have judged me and decided that I am faithful to the Lord [a true believer], come to my house and stay.” And she persuaded us. 16It happened that as we were on our way to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave-girl who had a spirit of divination [that is, a demonic spirit claiming to foretell the future and discover hidden knowledge], and she brought her owners a good profit by fortune-telling. She followed after Paul and us and kept screaming and shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God! They are proclaiming to you the way of salvation!” 18She continued doing this for several days. Then Paul, being greatly annoyed and worn out, turned and said to the spirit [inside her], “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ [as His representative] to come out of her!” And it came out at that very moment. 19But when her owners saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them before the authorities in the market place [where trials were held],

Acts 16:17 word by word

αὕτη τῷ Παύλῳ καὶ ἡμῖν ἔκραζεν λέγουσα· οὗτοι οἱ ἄνθρωποι δοῦλοι τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦ ὑψίστου εἰσίν, οἵτινες καταγγέλλουσιν ὑμῖν ὁδὸν σωτηρίας.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• The sameοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• followedκατακολουθέωkatakoloutheō · to followG2628
• PaulΠαῦλοςPaulos · PaulG3972
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• usἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• and criedκράζωkrazō · to cryG2896
• sayingλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• menἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
• areεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• the servantsδοῦλοςdoulos · slaveG1401
• of the most highὕψιστοςhupsistos · HighestG5310
• Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• whichὅστιςhostis hētis ho6ti · who/whichG3748
• shew untoκαταγγέλλωkataggellō · to proclaimG2605
• the wayὁδόςhodos · roadG3598
• of salvationσωτηρίαsōtēria · salvationG4991

Cross-references for Acts 16:17

• Acts 19:13Then some of the traveling Jewish exorcists also attempted to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “I implore you and solemnly command you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches!”
• Matthew 8:29And they screamed out, “What business do we have [in common] with each other, Son of God? Have You come to torment us before the appointed time [of judgment]?”
• Mark 1:24saying, “What business do You have with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!”
• Luke 4:34“Let us alone! What business do we have [in common] with each other, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!”
• Daniel 3:26Then Nebuchadnezzar approached the door of the blazing furnace and said, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, servants of the Most High God, come out [of there]! Come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego came out of the midst of the fire.
• Daniel 6:16Then the king gave a command, and Daniel was brought and thrown into the den of lions. The king said to Daniel, “May your God, whom you constantly serve, rescue you Himself!”
• Jonah 1:9So he said to them, “I am a Hebrew, and I [reverently] fear and worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.”
• 1 Peter 2:16Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover or pretext for evil, but [use it and live] as bond-servants of God.
• Genesis 14:18Melchizedek king of Salem (ancient Jerusalem) brought out bread and wine [for them]; he was the priest of God Most High.
• Psalms 57:2I will cry to God Most High, Who accomplishes all things on my behalf [for He completes my purpose in His plan].
• Psalms 78:35And they remembered that God was their rock, And the Most High God their Redeemer.
• Daniel 4:2It has seemed good to me to declare the signs and wonders which the Most High God has done for me.
• Daniel 5:18O king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father a kingdom and greatness and glory and majesty;
• Micah 6:6With what shall I come before the Lord [to honor Him] And bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, With yearling calves?
• Mark 5:7and screaming with a loud voice, he said, “What business do we have in common with each other, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore you by God [swear to me], do not torment me!”
• Luke 8:28Seeing Jesus, he cried out [with a terrible voice from the depths of his throat] and fell down before Him [in dread and terror], and shouted loudly, “What business do we have [in common] with each other, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You, do not torment me [before the appointed time of judgment]!”

Commentaries on Acts 16:17

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17These men are the servants, etc. - It is astonishing how such a testimony could be given in such a case; every syllable of it true, and at the same time full, clear, and distinct. But mark the deep design and artifice of this evil spirit: He well knew that the Jewish law abhorred all magic, incantations, magical rites, and dealings with familiar spirits; he therefore bears what was in itself a true testimony to the apostles, that by it he may destroy…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17The same followed Paul … - Why she did this, or under what presence, the sacred writer has not informed us. It may have been: (1)That as she prophesied for gain, she supposed that Paul and Silas would reward her if she publicly proclaimed that they were the servants of God. Or, (2)Because she was conscious that an evil spirit possessed her, and she feared that Paul and Silas would expel that spirit, and by proclaiming them to be the servants of God she…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 16-24Verses 16-24 Satan, though the father of lies, will declare the most important truths, when he can thereby serve his purposes. But much mischief is done to the real servants of Christ, by unholy and false preachers of the gospel, who are confounded with them by careless observers. Those who do good by drawing men from sin, may expect to be reviled as troublers of the city. While they teach men to fear God, to believe in Christ, to forsake sin, and to live…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16-18The second example of a changed life in Philippi is a slave girl who had a spirit that enabled her to tell the future (a demon that gave her special knowledge). Even though the demon inside her spoke the truth, Paul, like Jesus, did not allow it to share the Christian message (compare Mark 1:25, 34; 3:11–12; Luke 4:35, 41). The Lord commanded that his disciples, not those who oppose the message, should proclaim the gospel (Acts 1:8; 9:15; 26:15–18…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 16-1816-18. as we went to prayer--The words imply that it was on their way to the usual place of public prayer, by the river-side, that this took place; therefore not on the same day with what had just occurred. a ... damsel--a female servant, and in this case a slave (Ac 16:19). possessed of a spirit of divination--or, of Python, that is, a spirit supposed to be inspired by the Pythian Apollo, or of the same nature. The reality of this demoniacal possession…Read the comment

Topics related to Acts 16:17

• Demons
• Gospel
• Minister, Christian
• Paul
• Philippi
• Readings, Select
• Salvation
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• God
• Paul
• Paul, Saul
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Most High
• Establish
• Gather
• Gone
• Harm
• James

Commentaries on Acts 16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings