Acts 16 15

Acts 16:15 kjv

And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us.

Acts 16:15 nkjv

And when she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, "If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay." So she persuaded us.

Acts 16:15 niv

When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. "If you consider me a believer in the Lord," she said, "come and stay at my house." And she persuaded us.

Acts 16:15 esv

And after she was baptized, and her household as well, she urged us, saying, "If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay." And she prevailed upon us.

Acts 16:15 nlt

She and her household were baptized, and she asked us to be her guests. "If you agree that I am a true believer in the Lord," she said, "come and stay at my home." And she urged us until we agreed.

Acts 16 verses

Acts 16 15 Meaning

Acts 16:15 describes Lydia's immediate and earnest response after her heart was opened by the Lord and she believed the gospel message preached by Paul. Having received Christian baptism along with her entire household, she then demonstrated her newly found faith through an impassioned plea to the apostles to accept her hospitality and reside in her home, signifying her unwavering devotion and willingness to support the early Christian mission. Her strong insistence ultimately persuaded them to accept her invitation.

Acts 16 15 Context

Acts chapter 16 marks a pivotal shift in the Apostle Paul's missionary journeys, focusing on his second journey where he and his companions, Silas and Timothy, travel into Europe following a vision of a man from Macedonia calling for help (Acts 16:9-10). They arrive in Philippi, a leading Roman colony and a significant city in Macedonia, where they seek a place of prayer by a river outside the city gate, as no synagogue is mentioned. It is there that they encounter Lydia, a successful businesswoman from Thyatira who dealt in purple fabrics, indicating wealth and status. Acts 16:14 records that as she listened to Paul, "the Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul." Verse 15 immediately follows this spiritual awakening, depicting her first acts of obedience and devotion to her new faith. This verse, therefore, captures the practical implications of her conversion: embracing Christian rituals and extending immediate, fervent hospitality to the very missionaries who brought her the gospel, establishing a crucial foundation for the nascent Philippian church in her home.

Acts 16 15 Word analysis

• And when she was baptized: Greek: ἐβαπτίσθη (ebaptisthē) – Aorist passive indicative. Denotes a completed action in the past, directly resulting from her conversion. It emphasizes that she "was" baptized, indicating the active role of others (the missionaries) in performing the sacrament. This signifies immediate obedience and public identification with Christ.
• and her household, Greek: καὶ ὁ οἶκος αὐτῆς (kai ho oikos autēs) – Oikos refers to the household, which in the Greco-Roman context encompassed not only immediate family (spouse, children) but also extended relatives, servants, and slaves, all of whom were under the authority and influence of the head of the household. Their baptism with Lydia suggests her spiritual leadership and commitment within her domestic sphere, recognizing her headship and the unity of the oikos. This was a common pattern in the spread of the early church.
• she begged us, Greek: παρεκάλεσεν (parekalesen) – From parakaleō, meaning to call alongside, comfort, encourage, or earnestly appeal/beg. This perfect active verb highlights her profound sincerity and earnestness in her invitation. It was not a casual suggestion but an impassioned plea rooted in genuine conviction.
• saying, Greek: λέγουσα (legousa) – A present participle, indicating direct speech that immediately follows her earnest entreaty.
• 'If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, Greek: Εἰ κεκρίκατέ με πιστὴν τῷ Κυρίῳ εἶναι (Ei kekrikate me pistēn tō Kyriō einai) – 'judged': κεκρίκατε (kekrikate) – Perfect active indicative of krinō, meaning to judge, discern, decide. The perfect tense implies a settled, considered judgment. Lydia appeals to their discernment: if they truly believe her faith is genuine and demonstrated. 'faithful': πιστὴν (pistēn) – From pistos, meaning trustworthy, believing, reliable, full of faith. It implies both subjective belief in Christ and objective trustworthiness in Christian living. Lydia is seeking affirmation of the reality of her transformation. 'to the Lord': τῷ Κυρίῳ (tō Kyriō) – Referring to Jesus Christ. It underscores the new allegiance she has declared through baptism. Her faithfulness is directed to Him. This clause sets the condition for their acceptance of her hospitality – her proved sincerity to Christ.
• come into my house and stay.' Greek: εἰσελθόντες εἰς τὸν οἶκόν μου μείνατε (eiselthontes eis ton oikon mou meinate) – 'come into my house': εἰσελθόντες εἰς τὸν οἶκόν μου (eiselthontes eis ton oikon mou) – An invitation for them to enter her home, signifying her openness and willingness to share her resources. 'and stay': μείνατε (meinate) – Aorist active imperative of menō, meaning to remain, abide, dwell. This implies a longer, sustained residency, not merely a fleeting visit for a meal. This invitation reflects ancient customs of hospitality crucial for traveling missionaries. Her home would likely become a central meeting place for the early believers in Philippi.
• So she prevailed upon us. Greek: καὶ παρεβιάσατο ἡμᾶς (kai parebiasato hēmas) – From parabiazomai, meaning to force, compel, or strongly urge/persuade. It signifies Lydia's powerful and earnest insistence, going beyond a polite request. She demonstrated a determined will, overriding any initial reservations Paul and his companions might have had about being a burden or overstepping their bounds. This reflects the intensity of her genuine love and commitment as a new believer eager to serve the Lord's messengers.

Acts 16 15 Bonus section

• Significance of the "Household Baptism": While not explicitly defining who exactly in her oikos was baptized, the term covers all residents. In ancient societal structures, the decision of the head of the household, especially a powerful figure like Lydia, often dictated the spiritual and social trajectory of everyone within their immediate care, including children, servants, and slaves. This pattern (e.g., Acts 10, 18, 1 Cor 1) was vital for the rapid early spread of Christianity through established social networks. It demonstrates not necessarily automatic faith but spiritual alignment with the household head.
• The Nature of Lydia's Persuasion: The word parabiazomai implies a gentle but irresistible compulsion, not force. Paul and Silas often preferred to support themselves to avoid being a financial burden or being perceived as mercenary (e.g., 1 Cor 9:18, 1 Thess 2:9). Lydia's parabiazomai would have assured them of her absolute sincerity and fervent desire, making it difficult and unwise to refuse such an offer stemming from genuine Christian love and not worldly expectation.
• Philippi's First Church: Lydia's home became the initial center for the Christian community in Philippi, serving as the very first house church mentioned in Europe. This was a critical pattern for the early church in the absence of dedicated church buildings, showcasing how the Gospel first took root in personal homes. Lydia’s immediate hospitality provided stability and a meeting place for the burgeoning congregation, solidifying her role as a foundational leader in the Philippian church.

Acts 16 15 Commentary

Acts 16:15 profoundly illustrates the immediate and practical outcomes of genuine conversion. Lydia's baptism, encompassing her entire household, underscores the foundational role of personal faith leading to public identification with Christ. The inclusion of her oikos (household) demonstrates the spiritual leadership within the family unit and how the Gospel's transformative power extended to the social structures of the ancient world. Her fervent plea to the apostles, expressed through intense earnestness (parakaleō and parabiazomai), highlights a heart consumed with Christian love and hospitality. By emphasizing her "faithfulness to the Lord" as the basis for their acceptance, Lydia not only validates her sincerity but also acknowledges their apostolic authority to discern true belief. This act of inviting the missionaries to stay establishes the prototype of the house church in Philippi, providing crucial support for the fledgling community and exemplifying how newfound faith spontaneously expresses itself through acts of generosity and service to Christ's mission.