Acts 16 17

Acts 16:17 kjv

The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation.

Acts 16:17 nkjv

This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, "These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation."

Acts 16:17 niv

She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved."

Acts 16:17 esv

She followed Paul and us, crying out, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation."

Acts 16:17 nlt

She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, "These men are servants of the Most High God, and they have come to tell you how to be saved."

Acts 16 verses

Acts 16 17 Meaning

Acts 16:17 describes a demon-possessed girl in Philippi publicly acknowledging Paul and Silas. She followed them persistently, crying out that these men were bondservants of the most high God, who were declaring the message of salvation to the people. This proclamation, though factually true, was problematic due to its demonic origin, serving to undermine the apostles' authority and confuse listeners. It highlights the spiritual battle accompanying the spread of the Gospel.

Acts 16 17 Context

Acts 16:17 occurs during Paul's second missionary journey. Having arrived in Philippi, a leading city of Macedonia and a Roman colony, Paul, Silas, Timothy, and Luke engaged in prayer by the riverside. There, Lydia and her household were converted. Shortly after, they encountered a young female slave possessed by a "spirit of divination" (Greek: pneuma pythōna), referring to a Python spirit, reminiscent of the Oracle of Delphi. This spirit enabled her to foretell the future for her owners, bringing them considerable profit. For many days, as Paul and his companions went to the place of prayer, this girl began to follow them, making the public pronouncement recorded in verse 17. The immediate historical context is a bustling Roman city where various cults and superstitious practices were common, and such a "prophetess" would have been a known figure. The scene sets up the conflict between the Gospel message and demonic power operating within society, culminating in Paul casting out the spirit.

Acts 16 17 Word analysis

• The same (autē): Refers specifically to the previously mentioned "damsel" (Greek: paiskē meaning young girl or slave girl) who was possessed by the pneuma pythōna. It emphasizes the continuous and direct link to her demonic influence.
• followed (parēkolouthēsen): From parakoloutheō, meaning to follow alongside, attend closely, observe carefully. This was not a casual trailing but a persistent, perhaps even harassing, accompanying. It suggests an active, deliberate presence from the spirit controlling her.
• Paul (Paulon) and us (hēmas): Highlights that the witness included Luke, the author, who was present (indicated by "us" in the "we sections" of Acts). This validates the firsthand nature of the account.
• cried (ekrazō): From krazō, meaning to shriek, shout, roar. Implies a loud, public, and emphatic utterance, drawing attention and possibly disrupting the environment. It suggests compulsion, not calm statement.
• saying (legousa): Introduces the direct speech of the demon-possessed girl.
• These men (houtoi hoi anthrōpoi): A general term, but in this context, specific to Paul and his companions.
• are the servants (eisin douloi): douloi literally means "slaves" or "bondservants." This word denotes complete submission and ownership. It’s a stronger identification than just "servants," emphasizing total allegiance to their master. The demon acknowledges their deep commitment.
• of the most high God (tou theou tou hypsistou): ho Theos ho Hypsistos (literally "The God, the Highest"). This title for God is common in the Old Testament (e.g., El Elyon), used by both Israelites and Gentiles (like Melchizedek or Nebuchadnezzar) and frequently appears in the Septuagint. It’s a title recognizable even in the Hellenistic pagan world to denote a supreme deity, suggesting the demon understood the supreme power of the God these men served, contrasting it with pagan idols or lesser spirits. It indicates a profound spiritual truth spoken from an unexpected, evil source.
• which shew (hoitines katangelōsin): From katangellō, meaning to proclaim, announce, preach publicly and clearly. It implies active declaration and spreading of a message, not just quietly showing or demonstrating.
• unto us (hymin): Refers to the Philippians and the general public, not just Paul and his team. The demon saw its audience as the community listening.
• the way (hodon): The term "way" is significant in both Old Testament (derek or path) and New Testament. In the NT, "The Way" (Acts 9:2; 19:9) often refers to the Christian faith itself.
• of salvation (sōtērias): Refers to spiritual rescue and deliverance from sin and its consequences. It’s the central message of the Gospel. The demon understood the essence of Paul's mission.

Words-group analysis

• "The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying": This group of words emphasizes the relentless and public nature of the demon's testimony. It highlights a continuous, attention-grabbing spectacle that went on for "many days" (Acts 16:18), indicating a strategic disruption rather than a singular event.
• "These men are the servants of the most high God": This statement, while true, is given from a demonic source, which complicates its reception. Demons often acknowledge truth in the presence of divine authority (cf. Mark 1:24). The demon-possessed girl used a term for God (Most High) that resonated with a Hellenistic pagan audience, making her proclamation outwardly credible but inherently compromised by its origin.
• "which shew unto us the way of salvation": The core message of the Gospel, "the way of salvation," is accurately identified. This phrase itself holds significant theological weight, referring to God's method of bringing people into fellowship with Him through Christ. The irony is that a demonic spirit proclaims the "way of salvation" while simultaneously holding a person in bondage and seeking to discredit its true messengers by associating them with divination.

Acts 16 17 Bonus section

The spirit within the girl, the pneuma pythōna (spirit of Python), connects to the revered Oracle of Delphi in Greek mythology. Apollo was believed to have slain the mythical serpent Python at Delphi, and priestesses at his temple were then called "Pythia." These priestesses inhaled vapors and delivered cryptic prophecies believed to be from Apollo. This background clarifies why her pronouncements would be considered authoritative and profitable in a Hellenistic city like Philippi. Her following and crying out were not merely disruptive but an attempt by the demonic realm to merge Christian truth with pagan superstition, thereby diluting its power and truth claims. Paul’s subsequent exorcism of this spirit was a direct challenge to the power structures of paganism and the economic interests of the girl's owners, which then triggered the severe persecution of the apostles.

Acts 16 17 Commentary

Acts 16:17 is a pivotal verse demonstrating the complex nature of spiritual warfare in the early church's missionary endeavors. The demon-possessed girl’s persistent cries, though speaking truth, were deeply problematic. The truth of Paul and Silas being "servants of the Most High God" who proclaimed "the way of salvation" was accurate, but its source — a pneuma pythōna, a spirit associated with pagan divination — discredited the message and the messengers in the eyes of many. For Jewish hearers, this association could link the apostles to forbidden practices (Deut 18:10-12). For pagans, it could place them among the many diviners and soothsayers, thus stripping Christianity of its unique divine authority and reducing it to another form of magical practice or fortune-telling. Paul eventually grew "grieved" (Acts 16:18) not because the words were false, but because the demonic endorsement confused the Gospel, distorted its purity, and effectively offered a satanic imprimatur. The apostles did not need demonic validation; their authority came from God. This incident illustrates the biblical principle that truth, even when accurately stated, can be twisted or rendered unhelpful if it originates from or is endorsed by an unholy source, which highlights the importance of discerning spirits and authentic authority. It emphasizes that while evil recognizes good, its recognition often serves its own deceptive agenda.