Acts 16:16-34
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- Reading the Text:
- NRSV (with link to Anglicized NRSV) at Oremus Bible Browser.
- Greek Interlinear Bible, ScrTR, ScrTR t, Strong, Parsing, CGTS, CGES id, AV.
- The Bible Gateway: NIV, NASB, CEV, The Message, KJV, etc.
- The Blue Letter Bible. KJV, alternate versions, Greek text with concordance, commentaries.
- The World Wide Study Bible includes commentary & sermons.
- Historical References, Commentary and
Comparative Texts:
- Comparative texts about Spirit Possession and Exorcism from Philo, Lucian, Josephus, the Babylonian Talmud, Midrash, Philostratus, etc. Comparative texts about Baptism: Water & Spirit from DSS, Josephus, Babylonian Talmud. At (Rutgers University Dept of Religion) Mahlon H. Smith's Into His Own: Perspective on the World of Jesus companion to the historical study of Christian texts.
- Comparative World Scriptures from United Communities of Spirit:
- Chapter XXIV, On Prayer, Tertullian (c. 199)
- Epistle LXXV -- Cyprian of Carthage (c. 255)
- From the Geneva Notes.
- "In means which are especially extraordinary, we should not move our foot forward, unless God goes before us."
- From
Matthew
Henry's Commentary.
- "When sinners are thus converted, they will love and honour those whom they before despised and hated, and will seek to lessen the suffering they before desired to increase. When the fruits of faith begin to appear, terrors will be followed by confidence and joy in God."
- From
Wesley's
Notes.
- "Faith makes a man joyful, prudent, liberal."
- From the Commentary on the Whole Bible (Jamieson, Fausset and Brown, 1871).
- From The People's
New Testament, B.W. Johnson, 1891.
- "Faith must first be wrought, and then that faith, leading to the acceptance of Christ, would save."
- Contemporary Commentary, Studies, and Exegesis:
-
- "Draw attention to the slave girl's brief cameo in this story. Wonder aloud about her "healing" and why she does not merit even a mention in the accusations brought against Paul and Silas. Compare the parallels between Lydia and the Roman guard."
-
- "Lawrence Farris observes that everyone in this story needs to be freed, not only the slave girl but the men who used her (possessed by greed), the men who judged Paul (possessed by fear and a hunger for power or maybe for the public peace), the jailer (a victim in his own way), and, most surprisingly of all, Paul and Silas themselves, who need to be freed from their narrow way of thinking (The Lectionary Commentary)."
- Comments (commentary) and Clippings (technical notes for in-depth study), Chris Haslam, Anglican Diocese of Montreal.
-
-
"Free Indeed," Mary Hinkle, Pilgrim Preaching: Keeping Company with
Biblical texts and the people who hear and preach them.
- "There is certainly more going on in this story than just the contrast between freedom and enslavement, yet the contrast is a good way into the story and a very good angle for a sermon."
-
"Shaken to the Foundations," Paul Bellan-Boyer, City Called
Heaven, 2010.
- "Paul?s and Silas? faith is unshakable. But the jailer may be a more compelling character..."
-
"A Harrowing
Imprisonment,"
Expository Essay,
Acts 16:16-34, Dr. William R. Long.
Part 2.
- "Keep the faith even when you don't see where things are leading."
-
- "Ahh, the unintended consequence. It rises up on a regular enough basis."
-
"Captive and
Imprisoned," Johncy Itty, The Witness, 2004.
- "Unless we are centered with strong value systems and clearly identify with a faith tradition that affirms the dignity of every human being, the difference between oppressor and oppressed remains less a matter of substance than of context."
- "Paul and Silas in Prison," Rev. Bryan Findlayson, Lectionary Bible Studies and Sermons, Pumpkin Cottage Ministry Resources. Includes detailed textual notes.
- "Paul in Philippi (Acts 16:11-40): From the Purveyor of Purple to the Purveyor of Pain" by Robert Deffinbaugh at the Biblical Studies Foundation.
-
- Articles & Background:
- "Aspekte
Biblischer Theologie dargestellt an der Verwendung von Ps 16 in
Apostelgeschichte 2 und 13," Wolfgang Fenske, Biblica 83, 2002. (Abstract
in English.)
- "The question of whether the OT should be understood from the perspective of the NT or vice versa becomes irrelevant, for from the perspective of appropriating texts what counts is that the reading of one text influences the interpretation of another."
- "Aspekte
Biblischer Theologie dargestellt an der Verwendung von Ps 16 in
Apostelgeschichte 2 und 13," Wolfgang Fenske, Biblica 83, 2002. (Abstract
in English.)
- Recommended articles
from ATLAS, an online collection of religion and theology journals, are
linked below.
ATLAS Access options are available for academic institutions, alumni of
selected theological schools, and clergy/church offices.
- Culpepper, R. Alan,
"Paul's Mission to the Gentile World: Acts 13-19," Review & Expositor,
1974.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - deVos, Craig S.,
"Finding a Charge that Fits: The Accusation against Paul and Silas at
Philippi (Acts 16.19-21)," Journal for the Study of the New Testament,
1999.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Hellerman, Joseph H.,
"The Humiliation of Christ in the Social World of Roman Philippi, Part
1,"
Bibliotheca Sacra, 2003.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Hellerman, Joseph H.,
"The Humiliation of Christ in the Social World of Roman Philippi, Part 2,"
Bibliotheca Sacra, 2003.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Jones, L. Gregory,
"Come, Lord Jesus," The Christian Century, 1992.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Phelps, Stephen
H., "Acts 16:16-40, Between Text & Sermon," Interpretation, 2007.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Rakotojoelinandrasana,
Daniel,
"The Gospel in Adversity: Reading Acts 16:16-34 in African Context,"
Word & World, 2001.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Spencer, F. Scott, "Out of Mind, Out of Voice:
Slave-Girls and Prophetic Daughters in Luke-Acts," Biblical
Interpretation, 1999.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Staley, Jeffrey L.,
"Changing Woman: Postcolonial Reflections on Acts 16.6-40," Journal
for the Study of the New Testament, 1999.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Staley, Jeffrey L.,
"Reading Acts 16:6-40 on the Edges of the Navajo Reservation," Word &
World, 2004.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Trebilco, Paul R.,
"Paul and Silas - 'Servants of the Most High God' (Acts 16:16-18),"
Journal for the Study of the New Testament, 1989.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
- Culpepper, R. Alan,
"Paul's Mission to the Gentile World: Acts 13-19," Review & Expositor,
1974.
- Reviews:
- Review: Athalya Brenner, ed., Are We Amused?: Humor about Women in the Biblical Worlds. T&T Clark, 2003. Reviews by Linda Schearing and Adele Reinhartz, Review of Biblical Literature.
- Sermons:
- "In the Spirit of Open Doors," the Rev. Angela L. Ying, Day 1, 1999.
- "A Story and Song for Every Occasion," Martin B. Copenhaver, 30 Good Minutes, Chicago Sunday Evening Club, 1997.
- With Children:
- "God Always Looks Out for Us," Fr. Max Bowers, Kid's Church.
- "Jail Break," Linda Edwards, The Children's Chapel.
-
"Paul and Silas
Are Imprisoned,"
-
- Drama:
- "The Philippian Jailer," Andrew Alder, Christian Drama and Mime.
- Graphics & Bulletin Materials:
- Hymns and Music:
- Contemporary/Praise Song suggestions, Together to Celebrate, David MacGregor.
- Hymns with Scripture Allusions: Acts 16:26, 30, 34. The Cyber Hymnal.
- Fine Arts Images Linked at The Text This Week's Art Index:
- Study Links and Resources for the Book of Acts
