*Acts 16:1-15
Paul travels with Timothy, encounters a God-fearing businesswoman named Lydia who is baptized, and finds hospitality at her house.
- Paul’s Recruitment of Timothy:
- Paul travels to Derbe and then to Lystra where he meets Timothy, a young disciple well spoken of by the believers in Lystra and Iconium.
- Timothy’s mother is a Jewish believer, but his father is a Greek.
- Paul wants Timothy to accompany him, so he circumcises him because of the Jews who live in the area, ensuring his acceptance and avoiding obstacles in their ministry.
- Guidance by the Holy Spirit:
- Paul and his companions travel through the regions of Phrygia and Galatia, but the Holy Spirit prevents them from preaching the word in the province of Asia.
- They try to enter Bithynia, but again the Spirit of Jesus does not allow them.
- They pass by Mysia and go down to Troas.
- Paul’s Vision of the Macedonian Call:
- At Troas, Paul has a vision during the night: a man from Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.”
- After the vision, they immediately prepare to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God has called them to preach the gospel there.
- Arrival in Philippi:
- The group travels to Philippi, a leading city of Macedonia and a Roman colony. They stay there for several days.
- Encounter with Lydia:
- On the Sabbath, they go outside the city gate to the river, where they expect to find a place of prayer.
- They sit down and speak to the women who have gathered there.
- One of the listeners is Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who worships God. The Lord opens her heart to pay attention to Paul’s message.
- Lydia and her household are baptized, and she invites Paul and his companions to stay at her home. After persuading them, they agree to stay.
Acts 16:1-15 teaches us to be open to God’s guidance and ready to serve others. Paul and his companions followed God’s direction, even when their plans changed, and because of that, they met Lydia, whose heart was open to God. This reminds us that sometimes our plans may not work out as we expect, but God is leading us to something even better. We can apply this by trusting God when things don’t go as planned, being willing to share His love wherever we go, and having an open heart to what He wants to do in our lives.
Acts 16:1-15 (WEB)
16:1 He came to Derbe and Lystra; and behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewess who believed, but his father was a Greek. 2 The brothers who were at Lystra and Iconium gave a good testimony about him. 3 Paul wanted to have him go out with him, and he took and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those parts, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. 4 As they went on their way through the cities, they delivered the decrees to them to keep which had been ordained by the apostles and elders who were at Jerusalem. 5 So the assemblies were strengthened in the faith, and increased in number daily.6 When they had gone through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. 7 When they had come opposite Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit didn’t allow them. 8 Passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas. 9 A vision appeared to Paul in the night. There was a man of Macedonia standing, begging him and saying, “Come over into Macedonia and help us.” 10 When he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go out to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the Good News to them. 11 Setting sail therefore from Troas, we made a straight course to Samothrace, and the day following to Neapolis; 12 and from there to Philippi, which is a city of Macedonia, the foremost of the district, a Roman colony. We were staying some days in this city.13 On the Sabbath day we went outside of the city by a riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together. 14 A certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, one who worshiped God, heard us. The Lord opened her heart to listen to the things which were spoken by Paul. 15 When she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and stay.” So she persuaded us.