Acts 16:3

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

1Now Paul also came to Derbe and to Lystra. And a disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek, 2and he was well spoken of by the brothers and sisters who were in Lystra and Iconium. Paul wanted this man to leave with him; and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those parts, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. 4Now while they were passing through the cities, they were delivering the ordinances for them to follow which had been determined by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem. 5So the churches were being strengthened in the faith, and were increasing in number daily.

Acts 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

• PaulΠαῦλοςPaulos · PaulG3972
• wantedθέλωthelō ethelō · to will/desireG2309
• thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• to leaveἐξέρχομαιexerchomai · to go outG1831
• tookλαμβάνωlambanō · to takeG2983
• him and circumcisedπεριτέμνωperitemnō · to circumciseG4059
• him becauseδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
• of the JewsἸουδαῖοςIoudaios · JewG2453
• who were in thoseἐκεῖνοςekeinos · thatG1565
• partsτόποςtopos · placeG5117
• that his fatherπατήρpatēr · fatherG3962
• was a GreekἝλλην=ἝλληνHellēn · Greek, GentileG1672

Cross-references for Acts 16:3

• Acts 15:37Barnabas wanted to take John, called Mark, along with them also.
• Acts 15:20but that we write to them that they abstain from things contaminated by idols, from acts of sexual immorality, from what has been strangled, and from blood.
• 1 Corinthians 7:19Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but what matters is the keeping of the commandments of God.
• 1 Corinthians 9:20To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might gain Jews; to those who are under the Law, I became as one under the Law, though not being under the Law myself, so that I might gain those who are under the Law;
• Galatians 2:3But not even Titus, who was with me, though he was a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised.
• Galatians 5:1It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to 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

• Circumcision
• Diplomacy
• Lystra
• Minister, Christian
• Opinion, Public
• Paul
• Prudence
• Tact
• Timothy

In the dictionaries

• Greek
• Paul
• Greek, Grecian, Hellenist
• Paul, Saul
• Circumcision
• Establish
• Gather
• Gentiles
• Gone
• Harm

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