Acts 16:18 kjv
And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.
Acts 16:18 nkjv
And this she did for many days. But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, "I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her." And he came out that very hour.
Acts 16:18 niv
She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, "In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!" At that moment the spirit left her.
Acts 16:18 esv
And this she kept doing for many days. Paul, having become greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, "I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her." And it came out that very hour.
Acts 16:18 nlt
This went on day after day until Paul got so exasperated that he turned and said to the demon within her, "I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her." And instantly it left her.
Acts 16 18 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Acts 16:16 | "As we were going to the place of prayer, we met a slave girl..." | Acts 16:16 (context setting) |
| Acts 13:11 | "And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you..." | Acts 13:11 (divine judgment) |
| Luke 4:35 | "Be silent, and come out of her!" | Luke 4:35 (Jesus' authority) |
| Mark 1:26 | "And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, left him." | Mark 1:26 (similar deliverance) |
| Mark 5:8 | "For he was saying to him, 'Come out of this man, you unclean spirit!'" | Mark 5:8 (Jesus casting out demons) |
| Mark 9:25 | "Seeing that a crowd was coming together, Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit..." | Mark 9:25 ( Jesus' power over spirits) |
| 1 Corinthians 5:5 | "...that such a one may be handed over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved." | 1 Cor 5:5 (delivering to Satan) |
| 2 Corinthians 10:4 | "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds..." | 2 Cor 10:4 (spiritual warfare) |
| Ephesians 6:12 | "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness..." | Eph 6:12 (spiritual enemies) |
| Colossians 2:15 | "He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in the cross." | Col 2:15 (Christ's victory) |
| Genesis 3:15 | "I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” | Gen 3:15 (protoevangelium) |
| Matthew 10:1 | "Jesus summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction." | Matt 10:1 (apostolic authority) |
| Mark 16:17 | "And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues;" | Mark 16:17 (signs of believers) |
| John 12:31 | "Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out." | John 12:31 (ruler cast out) |
| John 14:12 | "Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father." | John 14:12 (believer's works) |
| Acts 19:11 | "And God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul," | Acts 19:11 (Paul's miracles) |
| 1 Samuel 16:14 | "Now the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and a distressing spirit from the Lord tormented him." | 1 Sam 16:14 (distressing spirit) |
| Luke 10:18 | "The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, 'Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!'" | Luke 10:18 (Jesus' disciples' success) |
| Philippians 3:18-19 | "For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with weeping, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ." | Phil 3:18-19 (enemies of the cross) |
| Philippians 4:7 | "and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." | Phil 4:7 (peace of God) |
Acts 16 verses
Acts 16 18 Meaning
Paul, distressed by a spirit, casts it out, leading to significant consequences. This act demonstrates spiritual authority and leads to a powerful display of God's power through His apostle. The deliverance resulted in the conversion of the slave girl and, indirectly, the conversion of the jailer and his household.
Acts 16 18 Context
The immediate context is Paul and Silas's ministry in Philippi, a Roman colony. They were introducing the Gospel in a city where Lydia had already been converted. They encounter a slave girl possessed by a "python spirit," who was being used by her owners for divination and profit. Her owners profited from her "spirit of divination" which enabled her to predict and tell fortunes. Paul's decisive action was to cast out this spirit. This act directly challenged the source of her owners' wealth and the perceived supernatural power she displayed. The expulsion of the spirit had immediate and dramatic consequences, including the loss of her prophetic ability, angering her owners, and ultimately leading to the imprisonment and miraculous deliverance of Paul and Silas. This event sets the stage for the conversion of the Philippian jailer, a significant turning point in the establishment of the church in Philippi.
Acts 16 18 Word analysis
- But (δέ, de): A conjunction used here to introduce a strong contrast or consequence.
- When (ὅτε, hote): A temporal conjunction.
- we (ἡμεῖς, hēmeis): Refers to Paul and Silas, and possibly Timothy, although he is not explicitly mentioned as present in this specific moment.
- went (πορευομένων, poreuomenōn): Present participle, indicating a continuous action. From πορεύομαι (poreuomai), to journey, proceed, or go.
- to (εἰς, eis): Preposition indicating motion toward.
- prayer (προσευχὴν, proseuchēn): Accusative case of προσευχή (proseuchē), meaning prayer or a place of prayer.
- place (εὐχή, euchē): Can also mean a wish or vow, but in the context of προσευχῆς (proseuchēs), it implies a designated place for prayer.
- met (ὑπήντησεν, hypēntēsen): Aorist indicative verb, meaning to go to meet, encounter, or greet.
- us (ἡμῖν, hēmin): Dative case of ἡμεῖς (hēmeis).
- a certain (τις, tis): Indefinite pronoun.
- maidservant (παιδίσκη, paidiskē): Young girl or female slave.
- having (ἔχουσαν, echousan): Present participle of ἔχω (echō), to have, hold, possess.
- spirit (πνεῦμα, pneuma): Refers to a spirit, often an evil or unclean spirit in this context.
- of divination (Πύθωνος, Pythonos): Genitive case, meaning 'Python.' This refers to the famous Oracle of Delphi dedicated to Apollo Pythius, known for its prophetic pronouncements. It implies a spirit that enables fortune-telling or prophecy.
- which (ἣτις, hētis): Relative pronoun.
- brought (εἰσέφερε, eisephere): Imperfect indicative verb from εἰσφέρω (eisphérō), meaning to bring in or carry in, implying repeated action over time.
- much (πολύ, polly): Adverb modifying 'profit.'
- gain (κέρδος, kerdos): Profit, gain, advantage.
- to (τοῖς, tois): Dative case, indicating the recipients.
- her (αὐτῆς, autēs): Genitive case, possessive.
- masters ( δεσπόταις, despotais): Masters, owners.
Groupings:
- "went to the place of prayer": Indicates a regular activity of religious devotion by Paul and Silas. This was a customary practice for devout Jews in Diaspora cities to gather for prayer at established locations.
- "met us a certain maidservant having a spirit of divination": This encounter was not coincidental but orchestrated by divine providence. The description highlights her condition (a slave girl) and the supernatural affliction she was under.
- "spirit of divination (Python)": This specifies the nature of the spirit as one associated with fortune-telling, like the oracles of Apollo at Delphi. The Greek term 'Python' links this spirit to pagan idolatry and superstition.
- "which brought much gain to her masters": This phrase establishes the economic motive behind her exploitation. Her owners were profiting from her condition, underscoring the greedy and ungodly nature of their enterprise.
Acts 16 18 Bonus section
The "python" spirit (Πύθωνος) was associated with the Greek god Apollo, whose oracle at Delphi was considered a supreme source of prophecy. The Pythian Games were also held in honor of Apollo. By naming the spirit "Python," Luke deliberately connects the pagan religious practices of the Roman world with demonic influence, portraying this particular spirit as a tool of opposition to God's truth and power. This serves as an indirect polemic against pagan worship, showing its true source to be demonic, not divine. The event underscores the conflict between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of darkness, with Paul's apostolic authority serving as a visible demonstration of Christ's victory.
Acts 16 18 Commentary
The slave girl was a victim of demonic possession, specifically identified by a spirit that provided her with accurate, albeit demonic, insights, enabling her to tell fortunes and thus her owners to profit. Paul, recognizing the oppressive and evil nature of this spirit and the exploitation it enabled, was deeply disturbed ("grieved" or "annoyed"). His action was not out of personal irritation, but spiritual indignation. The word "python" links her ability to the pagan worship of Apollo at Delphi, emphasizing the spiritual battle being waged against paganism. Paul, acting with the authority Christ had given him, commanded the spirit in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. This immediate and forceful deliverance was a direct manifestation of the Gospel's power to liberate those enslaved by demonic forces. The loss of the girl's prophetic ability halted her owners' exploitative gains, leading to their anger and the subsequent persecution of Paul and Silas. This demonstrates that obedience to Christ and the liberation of individuals from spiritual bondage can often lead to conflict with those who benefit from sin and oppression.