Bible ReadingActs 16:16–40 As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling.
[04:09] [05:22] She followed Paul and us, crying out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.” And this she kept doing for many days.
[07:01] 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.
[09:33] But when her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers.
[15:07] And when they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, “These men are Jews, and they are disturbing our city. They advocate customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to accept or practice.”
The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods. And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely.
Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.
[18:13] About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken.
[29:32] And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened.
[30:14] When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped.
But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.”
[32:17] And he called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”
And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house.
[33:49] And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God.
[36:22] But when it was day, the magistrates sent the police, saying, “Let those men go.”
And the jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, “The magistrates have sent to let you go. Therefore come out now and go in peace.”
But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us publicly, uncondemned, men who are Roman citizens, and have thrown us into prison; and do they now throw us out secretly? No! Let them come themselves and take us out.”
The police reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Roman citizens. So they came and apologized to them. And they took them out and asked them to leave the city.
So they went out of the prison and visited Lydia. And when they had seen the brothers, they encouraged them and departed.
[38:15]Acts 13:1–14:28 Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a member of the court of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.
So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus. When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. And they had John to assist them.
When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they came upon a certain magician, a Jewish false prophet named Bar-Jesus. He was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence, who summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. But Elymas the magician opposed them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. But Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him and said, “You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord? And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and unable to see the sun for a time.” Immediately mist and darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking people to lead him by the hand. Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had occurred, for he was astonished at the teaching of the Lord.
Paul and his companions then traveled to Antioch in Pisidia. On the Sabbath, Paul stood in the synagogue and preached Jesus as the promised Savior, crucified and raised from the dead. He proclaimed forgiveness of sins through Jesus and declared that everyone who believes is freed from what the law of Moses could not free them from.
The next Sabbath, almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. But when many Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy. They contradicted and reviled Paul. Paul and Barnabas spoke boldly and turned to the Gentiles. The Gentiles rejoiced, believed, and glorified the word of the Lord. But opposition was stirred up, and Paul and Barnabas were driven out of the district. The disciples, however, were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
[01:22] At Iconium, Paul and Barnabas spoke in the synagogue, and many Jews and Greeks believed. But unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers. Even so, Paul and Barnabas remained for a long time, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the word of His grace through signs and wonders. When an attempt was made to mistreat and stone them, they fled to Lystra, Derbe, and the surrounding country, where they continued to preach the gospel.
[01:22] At Lystra, Paul saw a man crippled from birth who had faith to be made well. Paul said, “Stand upright on your feet,” and the man began walking. The crowds thought Barnabas was Zeus and Paul was Hermes. They wanted to offer sacrifices to them. Paul and Barnabas urged the people to turn from vain things to the living God, who made heaven, earth, sea, and all that is in them.
But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, persuaded the crowds, stoned Paul, and dragged him out of the city, thinking he was dead. When the disciples gathered around him, Paul rose up and entered the city. The next day he left with Barnabas for Derbe.
After making many disciples, Paul and Barnabas returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God. They appointed elders in every church, prayed and fasted, and committed the believers to the Lord. When they returned to Antioch, they gathered the church and reported all that God had done and how He had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles.
[03:29]Psalm 18:1–2 I love you, O LORD, my strength. The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
[20:46]Psalm 27:1 The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
[21:19]Observation questions- In Acts 13–14, what different kinds of resistance did Paul and Barnabas face in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra? What did the believers continue to do in each place? [01:22]
- What did the slave girl’s freedom cost her owners in Acts 16, and how did they respond when their profit was gone? [05:22]
- What details show how severe Paul and Silas’s imprisonment was before they began praying and singing? [18:13]
- After the earthquake opened every door and loosened every chain, what did Paul and Silas do, and what did the jailer do? [32:17]
Interpretation questions- Why might the owners have cared more about the slave girl’s fortune-telling than about her spiritual bondage? What does this reveal about the kind of stronghold present in Philippi? [06:46]
- Paul waited “many days” before confronting the spirit in the girl. What does this suggest about the difference between fear and spiritual discernment? [07:27]
- Paul and Silas worshiped while wounded, confined, and placed in stocks. How do Psalm 18:1–2 and Psalm 27:1 help explain why their circumstances did not control their worship? [21:25]
- Why was the jailer’s changed heart a greater miracle than Paul and Silas simply walking out of the prison? What evidence of real transformation appears in his actions? [32:54]
Application questions- Strongholds can be more than openly demonic; they can be mindsets, habits, cultural patterns, religious resistance, or ways of thinking that keep people bound. What kind of stronghold do you see most clearly around you—in your home, workplace, relationships, or community? How can you pray about it without becoming fearful or harsh? [03:32]
- Bondage can become somebody else’s business. Where do you see people’s pain, weakness, addiction, or confusion being used for someone else’s gain? How can Christians bring truth, compassion, and practical help into those situations? [05:14]
- Not every spiritual provocation requires an immediate reaction. Is there a situation in your life where you need to slow down, pray, and seek discernment before responding? What would a wise and faithful response look like? [07:36]
- Pressure reveals what has the deepest hold on a person. When you are under pressure, what usually tries to control you—fear, anger, comfort, people’s opinions, financial worry, or something else? What would it look like for the Lord to be your rock and stronghold in that specific pressure? [20:36]
- Paul and Silas worshiped before their circumstances changed, and other prisoners were listening. Who may be watching how you respond to a difficult season? What is one practical way you can choose prayer, worship, or trust in God this week? [23:04]
- An open door is not always permission to run. Have you ever wanted a quick escape from a difficult situation, but sensed that God might be doing something deeper through your faithfulness? How can you tell the difference between wise action and simply running away? [23:33]
- The jailer moved from guarding Paul and Silas’s wounds to washing their wounds. What change in your actions would show that the gospel is reshaping your home, relationships, and care for other people? [34:43]
