#Bible Thoughts on Study Questions from Acts Ch 16 on 4/28



My Sunday school class/Life Group is studying the book of Acts. I posted these questions this Monday and encouraged you to jot your thoughts down.
This is Wednesday. This post consists of some comments from the class discussion.

If you’d like a PDF file of the questions, email me at crd.author@gmail.com.

There is a timeline of Paul's life at the end of the post. 
Try it. 
You'll like it.
Chapter 16
Vv 11-15
Where is Philippi? 
  • A Roman colony in Macedonia. It was exempt from Roman taxes.

Ever heard of it before?


Matthew 16:13
[ Peter’s Confession of Christ ] Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He was asking His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”




Why didn’t they go to the synagogue on the Sabbath?

  • There weren't enough Jews there to have a Synagogue. 
  • A synagogue required a congregational quarum.
  • What constitutes a congregation? The answer is a minyan, a minimum of 10 adult Jews (an adult Jew is any Jewish male who has passed his 13th birthday). The number 10 was derived from the first verse of Psalm 82, which reads: “God stands in the congregation of God.” The word edah (congregation) is also applied to the 10 spies who, in the days of Moses, rendered a negative report on the land of Canaan. Hence it was established that a “congregation of God” consists of at least 10 men.


Why are women at the river?

  • Since there wasn't a synagogue, the Jews met for prayer at the river's edge.
What is the significance of Lydia’s profession?

  • She sold, and probably made, purple fabric.
  • It was so hard to make purple dye--and therefore expensive--that it was reserved for nobility.
After her conversion, what significant acts does Lydia take?

  • Lydia may have been the first convert to Christianity in Europe.


  1. She opened her heart to Paul's preaching.
  2. She and her family were baptized.
  3. She invited Paul and his team to stay in her home.

Vv 16-40

What’s the story of the little slave girl?

  • She was demon-possessed.
  • A fortune teller who earned a LOT of money for her owners.
Why did the girl’s owners react as they did?

  • They would suffer a big loss if she stopped telling fortunes.
Are vv 20-21 accurate?
Verse 20 implies that Paul's whole group are Jews.
Verse 21
What punishment do the magistrates assign to Paul and Silas?

  • Stripped and beaten with rods, then thrown in prison.
How do we know the jailer took his job seriously?

  • In prison, they were assigned to the dungeon with their feet clamped in stocks.
Why were Paul and Silas still awake at midnight? 


  • They had been beaten and were most likely in pain.
  • The couldn't lay down because their feet were in stocks.
What were they doing?

  • They were praying and singing hymns to God.

What are the immediate results of the earthquake?


  • Prison door fly open.
  • Prisoners' chains fall off.
What is the jailer’s response to the earthquake?


  • He assumed all prisoners escaped. 
  • He drew his sword and prepared to commit what the Japanese call harikari. Ritual suicides were common in Middle East and Asian societies.
How could Paul know what the jailer was about to do?

  • Roman Law made jailers personally accountable for their prisoners. If the prisoners escaped, he knew he would be killed.
  • Paul calls to the jailor to stop his suicide.
The jailer’s question isn’t what you might expect in such a situation. What does this tell us about P & S?

  • They were men of great faith.
After Paul’s sermon, what acts does the jailer take?

  • Asks about salvation before Paul speaks.
  • After one of the shortest sermons on record, he gave first aid to Paul and Silas, was baptized, took them into his house, and fed them.
What is God’s response?
  • He fills the jailor with joy!
The magistrates let P & S go. What’s Paul’s problem with that?

  • Because they were Roman Citizens and had been beaten in public without a trial, they deserved a public apology by Roman Law.
  • The apology was important to Paul and Silas, but it was essential for the sake of the church.
Why were the magistrates “alarmed” in v38 and want “to appease” P & S in v39?
  • It was against the law to beat a Roman Citizen.
  • They were concerned for their future and could not allow this act to pass without holding the magistrates accountable.
What can we learn from Paul and Silas’s example in this?

  • Stand up for your faith.
  • Trust in God.
  • Don't be retaliatory.


Here's a link to a great Timeline of the Apostle Paul. I recommend bookmarking it. 
 We got this far this week. 

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Ch 17

Vv 1-9
Where is Thessalonica? What’s different about it from Philippi?
What’s Paul’s approach here?
What do we learn about the new believers that makes it clear they are not all Jews? How did the non-Jews learn Paul’s message?
How much of the accusation in vv6-7 is true?

Vv 10-15

Comment on the Bereans compared to the Thessalonians.
While Paul might not have been happy with the Thessalonian Jews, why would he understand them?

Vv 16-34

What bothered Paul about Athens?

Why did people think Paul was a “babbler”?








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