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.
• 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.
• New Living Translation (NLT)so Paul wanted him to join them on their journey. In deference to the Jews of the area, he arranged for Timothy to be circumcised before they left, for everyone knew that his father was a Greek.

Context of Acts 16:3

1Paul came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where a disciple named Timothy lived, whose mother was Jewish and a believer but whose father was a Greek. 2The believers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him. 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. 4As they traveled from town to town, they delivered the decisions reached 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.

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

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Himοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• wouldθέλωthelō ethelō · to will/desireG2309
• PaulΠαῦλοςPaulos · PaulG3972
• have to go forthἐξέρχομαιexerchomai · to go outG1831
• withσύνsun · withG4862
• himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• tookλαμβάνωlambanō · to takeG2983
• and circumcisedπεριτέμνωperitemnō · to circumciseG4059
• becauseδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
• of the JewsἸουδαῖοςIoudaios · JewG2453
• which wereεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• thoseἐκεῖνοςekeinos · thatG1565
• quartersτόποςtopos · placeG5117
• forγάρgar · forG1063
• they knewεἴδωeidō · to perceive: knowG1492
• allἅπαςhapas · allG537
• 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, with them,
• Acts 15:20Instead we should write to them, telling 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 commands 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), so as 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 let yourselves be burdened again 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

• 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