God’s Word Translation
Acts 16:14
14A woman named Lydia was present. She was a convert to Judaism from the city of Thyatira and sold purple dye for a living. She was listening because the Lord made her willing to pay attention to what Paul said.
Acts 16:14 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.
- New International Version (NIV)One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message.
- English Standard Version (ESV)One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Now a certain woman named Lydia heard us. She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God. The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul.
Context of Acts 16:14
12and from there we went to the city of Philippi. Philippi is a leading city in that part of Macedonia, and it is a Roman colony. We were in this city for a number of days. 13On the day of rest—a holy day, we went out of the city to a place along the river where we thought Jewish people gathered for prayer. We sat down and began talking to the women who had gathered there. A woman named Lydia was present. She was a convert to Judaism from the city of Thyatira and sold purple dye for a living. She was listening because the Lord made her willing to pay attention to what Paul said. 15When Lydia and her family were baptized, she invited us to stay at her home. She said, “If you’re convinced that I believe in the Lord, then stay at my home.” She insisted. So we did. 16One day when we were going to the place of prayer, a female servant met us. She was possessed by an evil spirit that told fortunes. She made a lot of money for her owners by telling fortunes.
Read all of Acts 16Acts 16:14 word by word
Καί τις γυνὴ ὀνόματι Λυδία, πορφυρόπωλις πόλεως Θυατείρων σεβομένη τὸν θεόν, ἤκουεν ἧς ὁ κύριος διήνοιξεν τὴν καρδίαν προσέχειν τοῖς λαλουμένοις ὑπὸ τοῦ Παύλου.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- a certainτιςtis · oneG5100
- womanγυνήgunē · womanG1135
- namedὄνομαonoma · nameG3686
- LydiaΛυδίαLudia · LydiaG3070
- a seller of purpleπορφυρόπωλιςporphuropōlis · dealer in purpleG4211
- of the cityπόλιςpolis · cityG4172
- of ThyatiraΘυάτειραThuateira · ThyatiraG2363
- whichὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
- worshippedσέβομαιsebomai · be devoutG4576
- Godὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- heardἀκούωakouō · to hearG191
- whose heartκαρδίαkardia · heartG2588
- the Lordκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962
- openedδιανοίγωdianoigō · to open upG1272
- that she attended untoπροσέχωprosechō · to watch outG4337
- were spokenλαλέωlaleō · to speakG2980
- ofὑπόhupo · by/under: byG5259
- PaulΠαῦλοςPaulos · PaulG3972
Cross-references for Acts 16:14
- Acts 16:40After Paul and Silas left the jail, they went to Lydia’s house. They met with the believers, encouraged them, and then left.
- Revelation 1:11saying, “Write on a scroll what you see, and send it to the seven churches: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.”
- Revelation 2:18“To the messenger of the church in Thyatira, write: The Son of God, whose eyes are like flames of fire and whose feet are like glowing bronze, says:
- Acts 8:27So Philip went. An Ethiopian man who had come to Jerusalem to worship was on his way home. The man was a eunuch, a high-ranking official in charge of all the treasures of Queen Candace of Ethiopia.
- Acts 10:2He and everyone in his home were devout and respected God. Cornelius gave many gifts to poor Jewish people and always prayed to God.
- Acts 18:7Then he left the synagogue and went to the home of a man named Titius Justus, who was a convert to Judaism. His house was next door to the synagogue.
- John 12:20Some Greeks were among those who came to worship during the Passover festival.
- Acts 11:21The Lord’s power was with his followers, and a large number of people believed and turned to the Lord.
- Psalms 110:3Your people will volunteer when you call up your army. Your young people will come to you in holy splendor like dew in the early morning.
- Isaiah 50:5The Almighty Lord will open my ears. I will not rebel, nor will I turn away ⌞from him⌟.
- Luke 24:45Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.
- John 6:44People cannot come to me unless the Father who sent me brings them to me. I will bring these people back to life on the last day.
- Romans 9:16Therefore, God’s choice does not depend on a person’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.
- 1 Corinthians 3:6I planted, and Apollos watered, but God made it grow.
- 2 Corinthians 3:14However, their minds became closed. In fact, to this day the same veil is still there when they read the Old Testament. It isn’t removed, because only Christ can remove it.
- 2 Corinthians 4:4The god of this world has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. As a result, they don’t see the light of the Good News about Christ’s glory. It is Christ who is God’s image.
Commentaries on Acts 16:14
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 14Lydia, a seller of purple - She probably had her name from the province of Lydia, in which the city of Thyatira was situated. The Lydian women have been celebrated for their beautiful purple manufactures. Which worshipped God - That is, she was a proselyte to the Jewish religion; as were probably all the women that resorted hither. Whose heart the Lord opened - As she was a sincere worshipper of God, she was prepared to receive the heavenly truths spoken…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 14A seller of purple - Purple was a most valuable color, obtained usually from shellfish. It was chiefly worn by princes and by the rich, and the traffic in it might be very profitable. Compare the Isaiah 1:18 note; Luke 16:19 note. The city of Thyatira - This was a city of Lydia, in Asia Minor, now called Akhisar. The art of dyeing was early cultivated in the neighborhood of Thyatira, as we learn from Homer (Iliad, iv. 141), and as is confirmed by…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 6-15Verses 6-15 The removals of ministers, and the dispensing the means of grace by them, are in particular under Divine conduct and direction. We must follow Providence: and whatever we seek to do, if that suffer us not, we ought to submit and believe to be for the best. People greatly need help for their souls, it is their duty to look out for it, and to invite those among them who can help them. And God's calls must be complied with readily. A solemn…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 14-15The first person whose life Christ changed in Philippi was Lydia. She was a successful business owner from Thyatira (modern Akhisar). This city in western Asia Minor was well-known for exporting fine fabrics, woven cloth, and linen items. Lydia accepted the gospel message, and Paul baptized her and her household (compare 16:32–33). One of Lydia’s first actions as a true believer in the Lord was to extend hospitality to the visiting missionaries…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 14-1514-15. Lydia--a common name among the Greeks and Romans. a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira--on the confines of Lydia and Phrygia. The Lydians, particularly the inhabitants of Thyatira, were celebrated for their dyeing, in which they inherited the reputation of the Tyrians. Inscriptions to this effect, yet remaining, confirm the accuracy of our historian. This woman appears to have been in good circumstances, having an establishment at Philippi…Read the comment
Topics related to Acts 16:14
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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