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

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. She used to follow Paul and shout, “These men are servants of the Most High God. They’re telling you how you can be saved.” 18She kept doing this for many days. Paul became annoyed, turned to the evil spirit, and said, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!” As Paul said this, the evil spirit left her. 19When her owners realized that their hope of making money was gone, they grabbed Paul and Silas and dragged them to the authorities in the public square.

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 19:13Some Jews used to travel from place to place and force evil spirits out of people. They tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus to force evil spirits out of those who were possessed. These Jews would say, “I order you ⌞to come out⌟ in the name of Jesus, whom Paul talks about.”
• Matthew 8:29They shouted, “Why are you bothering us now, Son of God? Did you come here to torture us before it is time?”
• Mark 1:24“What do you want with us, Jesus from Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”
• Luke 4:34“Oh, no! What do you want with us, Jesus from Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”
• Daniel 3:26Then Nebuchadnezzar went to the door of the blazing furnace and said, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—servants of the Most High God—come out here.” Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out of the fire.
• Daniel 6:16So the king gave the order, and Daniel was brought to him and thrown into the lions’ den. The king told Daniel, “May your God, whom you always worship, save you!”
• Jonah 1:9Jonah answered them, “I’m a Hebrew. I worship the Lord, the God of heaven. He is the God who made the sea and the land.”
• 1 Peter 2:16Live as free people, but don’t hide behind your freedom when you do evil. Instead, use your freedom to serve God.
• Genesis 14:18Then King Melchizedek of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was a priest of God Most High.
• Psalms 57:2I call to God Most High, to the God who does everything for me.
• Psalms 78:35They remembered that God was their rock, that the Most High was their defender.
• Daniel 4:2I am pleased to write to you about the miraculous signs and amazing things the Most High God did for me.
• Daniel 5:18“Your Majesty, the Most High God gave your grandfather Nebuchadnezzar a kingdom, might, honor, and glory.
• Micah 6:6What should I bring when I come into the Lord’s presence, when I bow in front of the God of heaven? Should I bring him year-old calves as burnt offerings?
• Mark 5:7and shouted, “Why are you bothering me now, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Swear to God that you won’t torture me.”
• Luke 8:28When he saw Jesus, he shouted, fell in front of him, and said in a loud voice, “Why are you bothering me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you not to torture me!”

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