Berean Standard Bible
Acts 16:3
3Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, so he took him and circumcised him on account of the Jews in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek.
Acts 16:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and took and circumcised him because of the Jews which were in those quarters: for they knew all that his father was a Greek.
- New International Version (NIV)Paul wanted to take him along on the journey, so he circumcised him because of the Jews who lived in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was a Greek.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Paul wanted to have him go on with him. And he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in that region, for they all knew that his father was Greek.
Context of Acts 16:3
1Paul came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where he found a disciple named Timothy, the son of a believing Jewish woman and a Greek father. 2The brothers in Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him. Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, so he took him and circumcised him on account of the Jews in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. 4As they went from town to town, they delivered the decisions handed down by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to obey. 5So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.
Read all of Acts 16Acts 16:3 word by word
τοῦτον ἠθέλησεν ὁ Παῦλος σὺν αὐτῷ ἐξελθεῖν, καὶ λαβὼν περιέτεμεν αὐτὸν διὰ τοὺς Ἰουδαίους τοὺς ὄντας ἐν τοῖς τόποις ἐκείνοις· ᾔδεισαν γὰρ ἅπαντες ὅτι Ἕλλην ὁ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ ὑπῆρχεν.Read the interlinear
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- PaulΠαῦλοςPaulos · PaulG3972
- wantedθέλωthelō ethelō · to will/desireG2309
- ·οὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
- to accompanyἐξέρχομαιexerchomai · to go outG1831
- to accompanyσύνsun · withG4862
- himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- ·καίkai · andG2532
- he tookλαμβάνωlambanō · to takeG2983
- circumcisedπεριτέμνωperitemnō · to circumciseG4059
- on account ofδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
- JewsἸουδαῖοςIoudaios · JewG2453
- ·εἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- thatἐκεῖνοςekeinos · thatG1565
- areaτόποςtopos · placeG5117
- forγάρgar · forG1063
- they all knewἅπαςhapas · allG537
- they all knewεἴδωeidō · to perceive: knowG1492
- thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
- fatherπατήρpatēr · fatherG3962
- wasὑπάρχωhuparchō · be alreadyG5225
- a GreekἝλλην=ἝλληνHellēn · Greek, GentileG1672
Cross-references for Acts 16:3
- Acts 15:37Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark.
- Acts 15:20Instead, we should write and tell them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals, and from blood.
- 1 Corinthians 7:19Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God’s commandments is what counts.
- 1 Corinthians 9:20To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), to win those under the law.
- Galatians 2:3Yet not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek.
- Galatians 5:1It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not be encumbered once more by a yoke of slavery.
Commentaries on Acts 16:3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3Took and circumcised him - For this simple reason, that the Jews would neither have heard him preach, nor would have any connection with him, had he been otherwise. Besides, St. Paul himself could have had no access to the Jews in any place, had they known that he associated with a person who was uncircumcised: they would have considered both to be unclean. The circumcision of Timothy was a merely prudential regulation; one rendered imperiously necessary…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3Him would Paul have - This was an instance of Paul‘s selecting young men of piety for the holy ministry. It shows: (1) That he was disposed to look up and call forth the talent in the church that might be usefully employed. It is quite evident that Timothy would not have thought of this had it not been suggested by Paul. The same thing education societies are attempting now to accomplish. (2) that Paul sought proper qualifications, and valued them…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3Paul had Timothy circumcised to enhance Timothy’s acceptance and effectiveness as a Jew in Jewish circles. This was not the same as Titus, who was a full Gentile ("Greek"; Galatians 2:3). Elsewhere Paul clarified that it makes no difference to God whether one is circumcised or not circumcised (Romans 2:25–29; Galatians 5:6; 6:15). Paul was prepared to use any legitimate means to communicate the good news about Jesus to different audiences (1 Corinthians…Read the comment
Topics related to Acts 16:3
In the dictionaries
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
Berean Standard Bible — © Berean Bible — CC0 / Public Domain
Commentaries