Acts 16:17

THE MESSAGE

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
As she followed Paul and us she cried out, “These men, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation, are the servants of the Most High God.”

King James Version (1611)
The same followed Paul and vs, and cried, saying, These men are the seruants of the most hie God, which shew vnto vs the way of saluation.

King James Version
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.

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

New American Standard Bible
She followed Paul and us and cried out repeatedly, saying, "These men are bond-servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you a way of salvation."

New Century Version
This girl followed Paul and us, shouting, "These men are servants of the Most High God. They are telling you how you can be saved."

Amplified Bible
She followed after Paul and us and kept screaming and shouting, "These men are servants of the Most High God! They are proclaiming to you the way of salvation!"

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Following after Paul and us, she kept crying out, saying, "These men are bond-servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation."

Legacy Standard Bible
Following after Paul and us, she kept crying out, saying, "These men are slaves of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation."

Berean Standard Bible
This girl followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation."

Contemporary English Version
The girl followed Paul and the rest of us and kept yelling, "These men are servants of the Most High God! They are telling you how to be saved."

Complete Jewish Bible
This girl followed behind Sha'ul and the rest of us and kept screaming, "These men are servants of God Ha‘Elyon! They're telling you how to be saved!"

Darby Translation
She, having followed Paul and us, cried saying, These men are bondmen of the Most High God, who announce to you [the] way of salvation.

Easy-to-Read Version
She started following Paul and the rest of us around. She kept shouting, "These men are servants of the Most High God! They are telling you how you can be saved!"

Geneva Bible (1587)
She followed Paul and vs, and cryed, saying, These men are the seruants of the most high God, which shewe vnto you the way of saluation.

George Lamsa Translation
And she followed Paul and us, crying and saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, and they preach to you the way of salvation.

Good News Translation
She followed Paul and us, shouting, "These men are servants of the Most High God! They announce to you how you can be saved!"

Lexham English Bible
She followed Paul and us and was crying out, saying, "These men are slaves of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation!"

Literal Translation
Following after Paul and us, she cried out, saying, These men are slaves of the Most High God, who are announcing to us a way of salvation!

American Standard Version
The same following after Paul and us cried out, saying, These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim unto you the way of salvation.

Bible in Basic English
She came after Paul and us, crying out and saying, These men are the servants of the Most High God, who are giving you news of the way of salvation.

Hebrew Names Version
The same, following after Sha'ul and us, cried out, "These men are servants of Ha`Elyon God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation!"

International Standard Version
She would follow Paul and us and shout, "These men are servants of the Most High God and are proclaiming to youto us">[fn] a way of salvation!"

Etheridge Translation
And she came after Paulos and after us, and cried and said, These men are the servants of Aloha the Most High, and announce to us the way of salvation.

Murdock Translation
And she followed after Paul and us, and cried, saying: These men are the servants of the Most High God, and they announce to you the way of life.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
The same folowed Paul and vs, and cryed, saying: These men are the seruauntes of the most hye God, which shewe vnto vs the way of saluation.

English Revised Version
The same following after Paul and us cried out, saying, These men are servants of the Most High God, which proclaim unto you the way of salvation.

World English Bible
The same, following after Paul and us, cried out, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation!"

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
She following after Paul and us, cried out, saying, These men are servants of the most high God, who declare to us the way of salvation.

Weymouth's New Testament
She kept following close behind Paul and the rest of us, crying aloud, "These men are the bondservants of the Most High God, and are proclaiming to you the way of salvation."

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
This suede Poul and vs, and criede, and seide, These men ben seruauntis of the hiy God, that tellen to you the weie of helthe.

Update Bible Version
The same following after Paul and us cried out, saying, These men are slaves of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.

Webster's Bible Translation
The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, who show to us the way of salvation.

New English Translation
She followed behind Paul and us and kept crying out, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation."

New King James Version
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."

New Living Translation
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."

New Life Bible
She followed Paul and us crying out, "These are servants of the Highest God. They are telling you how to be saved from the punishment of sin."

New Revised Standard
While she followed Paul and us, she would cry out, "These men are slaves of the Most High God, who proclaim to you a way of salvation."

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
The same, following after Paul and us, kept crying aloud, saying - These men, are servants of the Most High God, - who, indeed, are declaring unto you a way of salvation.

Douay-Rheims Bible
This same following Paul and us, cried out, saying: These men are the servants of the Most High God, who preach unto you the way of salvation.

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

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
The same folowed Paul and vs and cryed sayinge: these men are the servauntes of the most hye God which shewe vnto vs the waye of salvacion.

Young's Literal Translation
she having followed Paul and us, was crying, saying, `These men are servants of the Most High God, who declare to us a way of salvation;'

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
ye same folowed Paul and vs, and cryed, and sayde: These men are the seruauntes of the most hye God, which shewe vs ye waye of saluacion.

Mace New Testament (1729)
as she followed Paul and the rest of us, she cried out, these men are the servants of the most high God, who show you the way to salvation.

Simplified Cowboy Version
She followed along behind us and shouted, "These men are cowboys who gather for the Most High God. They are here to tell you how to be saved!"

Contextual Overview

¹⁶One day, on our way to the place of prayer, a slave girl ran into us. She was a psychic and, with her fortunetelling, made a lot of money for the people who owned her. She started following Paul around, calling everyone's attention to us by yelling out, "These men are working for the Most High God. They're laying out the road of salvation for you!" She did this for a number of days until Paul, finally fed up with her, turned and commanded the spirit that possessed her, "Out! In the name of Jesus Christ, get out of her!" And it was gone, just like that. ¹⁹When her owners saw that their lucrative little business was suddenly bankrupt, they went after Paul and Silas, roughed them up and dragged them into the market square. Then the police arrested them and pulled them into a court with the accusation, "These men are disturbing the peace—dangerous Jewish agitators subverting our Roman law and order." By this time the crowd had turned into a restless mob out for blood. The judges went along with the mob, had Paul and Silas's clothes ripped off and ordered a public beating. After beating them black-and-blue, they threw them into jail, telling the jailkeeper to put them under heavy guard so there would be no chance of escape. He did just that—threw them into the maximum security cell in the jail and clamped leg irons on them. Along about midnight, Paul and Silas were at prayer and singing a robust hymn to God. The other prisoners couldn't believe their ears. Then, without warning, a huge earthquake! The jailhouse tottered, every door flew open, all the prisoners were loose. Startled from sleep, the jailer saw all the doors swinging loose on their hinges. Assuming that all the prisoners had escaped, he pulled out his sword and was about to do himself in, figuring he was as good as dead anyway, when Paul stopped him: "Don't do that! We're all still here! Nobody's run away!" The jailer got a torch and ran inside. Badly shaken, he collapsed in front of Paul and Silas. He led them out of the jail and asked, "Sirs, what do I have to do to be saved, to really live?" They said, "Put your entire trust in the Master Jesus. Then you'll live as you were meant to live—and everyone in your house included!" They went on to spell out in detail the story of the Master—the entire family got in on this part. They never did get to bed that night. The jailer made them feel at home, dressed their wounds, and then—he couldn't wait till morning!—was baptized, he and everyone in his family. There in his home, he had food set out for a festive meal. It was a night to remember: He and his entire family had put their trust in God; everyone in the house was in on the celebration. At daybreak, the court judges sent officers with the instructions, "Release these men." The jailer gave Paul the message, "The judges sent word that you're free to go on your way. Congratulations! Go in peace!" But Paul wouldn't budge. He told the officers, "They beat us up in public and threw us in jail, Roman citizens in good standing! And now they want to get us out of the way on the sly without anyone knowing? Nothing doing! If they want us out of here, let them come themselves and lead us out in broad daylight." When the officers reported this, the judges panicked. They had no idea that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens. They hurried over and apologized, personally escorted them from the jail, and then asked them if they wouldn't please leave the city. Walking out of the jail, Paul and Silas went straight to Lydia's house, saw their friends again, encouraged them in the faith, and only then went on their way. ²³A Dream Gave Paul His Map Paul came first to Derbe, then Lystra. He found a disciple there by the name of Timothy, son of a devout Jewish mother and Greek father. Friends in Lystra and Iconium all said what a fine young man he was. Paul wanted to recruit him for their mission, but first took him aside and circumcised him so he wouldn't offend the Jews who lived in those parts. They all knew that his father was Greek. As they traveled from town to town, they presented the simple guidelines the Jerusalem apostles and leaders had come up with. That turned out to be most helpful. Day after day the congregations became stronger in faith and larger in size. They went to Phrygia, and then on through the region of Galatia. Their plan was to turn west into Asia province, but the Holy Spirit blocked that route. So they went to Mysia and tried to go north to Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus wouldn't let them go there either. Proceeding on through Mysia, they went down to the seaport Troas. That night Paul had a dream: A Macedonian stood on the far shore and called across the sea, "Come over to Macedonia and help us!" The dream gave Paul his map. We went to work at once getting things ready to cross over to Macedonia. All the pieces had come together. We knew now for sure that God had called us to preach the good news to the Europeans. Putting out from the harbor at Troas, we made a straight run for Samothrace. The next day we tied up at New City and walked from there to Philippi, the main city in that part of Macedonia and, even more importantly, a Roman colony. We lingered there several days. On the Sabbath, we left the city and went down along the river where we had heard there was to be a prayer meeting. We took our place with the women who had gathered there and talked with them. One woman, Lydia, was from Thyatira and a dealer in expensive textiles, known to be a God-fearing woman. As she listened with intensity to what was being said, the Master gave her a trusting heart—and she believed! After she was baptized, along with everyone in her household, she said in a surge of hospitality, "If you're confident that I'm in this with you and believe in the Master truly, come home with me and be my guests." We hesitated, but she wouldn't take no for an answer. One day, on our way to the place of prayer, a slave girl ran into us. She was a psychic and, with her fortunetelling, made a lot of money for the people who owned her. She started following Paul around, calling everyone's attention to us by yelling out, "These men are working for the Most High God. They're laying out the road of salvation for you!" She did this for a number of days until Paul, finally fed up with her, turned and commanded the spirit that possessed her, "Out! In the name of Jesus Christ, get out of her!" And it was gone, just like that. When her owners saw that their lucrative little business was suddenly bankrupt, they went after Paul and Silas, roughed them up and dragged them into the market square. Then the police arrested them and pulled them into a court with the accusation, "These men are disturbing the peace—dangerous Jewish agitators subverting our Roman law and order." By this time the crowd had turned into a restless mob out for blood. The judges went along with the mob, had Paul and Silas's clothes ripped off and ordered a public beating. After beating them black-and-blue, they threw them into jail, telling the jailkeeper to put them under heavy guard so there would be no chance of escape. He did just that—threw them into the maximum security cell in the jail and clamped leg irons on them. Along about midnight, Paul and Silas were at prayer and singing a robust hymn to God. The other prisoners couldn't believe their ears. Then, without warning, a huge earthquake! The jailhouse tottered, every door flew open, all the prisoners were loose. Startled from sleep, the jailer saw all the doors swinging loose on their hinges. Assuming that all the prisoners had escaped, he pulled out his sword and was about to do himself in, figuring he was as good as dead anyway, when Paul stopped him: "Don't do that! We're all still here! Nobody's run away!" The jailer got a torch and ran inside. Badly shaken, he collapsed in front of Paul and Silas. He led them out of the jail and asked, "Sirs, what do I have to do to be saved, to really live?" They said, "Put your entire trust in the Master Jesus. Then you'll live as you were meant to live—and everyone in your house included!" They went on to spell out in detail the story of the Master—the entire family got in on this part. They never did get to bed that night. The jailer made them feel at home, dressed their wounds, and then—he couldn't wait till morning!—was baptized, he and everyone in his family. There in his home, he had food set out for a festive meal. It was a night to remember: He and his entire family had put their trust in God; everyone in the house was in on the celebration. At daybreak, the court judges sent officers with the instructions, "Release these men." The jailer gave Paul the message, "The judges sent word that you're free to go on your way. Congratulations! Go in peace!" But Paul wouldn't budge. He told the officers, "They beat us up in public and threw us in jail, Roman citizens in good standing! And now they want to get us out of the way on the sly without anyone knowing? Nothing doing! If they want us out of here, let them come themselves and lead us out in broad daylight." When the officers reported this, the judges panicked. They had no idea that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens. They hurried over and apologized, personally escorted them from the jail, and then asked them if they wouldn't please leave the city. Walking out of the jail, Paul and Silas went straight to Lydia's house, saw their friends again, encouraged them in the faith, and only then went on their way. ²⁴A Dream Gave Paul His Map Paul came first to Derbe, then Lystra. He found a disciple there by the name of Timothy, son of a devout Jewish mother and Greek father. Friends in Lystra and Iconium all said what a fine young man he was. Paul wanted to recruit him for their mission, but first took him aside and circumcised him so he wouldn't offend the Jews who lived in those parts. They all knew that his father was Greek. As they traveled from town to town, they presented the simple guidelines the Jerusalem apostles and leaders had come up with. That turned out to be most helpful. Day after day the congregations became stronger in faith and larger in size. They went to Phrygia, and then on through the region of Galatia. Their plan was to turn west into Asia province, but the Holy Spirit blocked that route. So they went to Mysia and tried to go north to Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus wouldn't let them go there either. Proceeding on through Mysia, they went down to the seaport Troas. That night Paul had a dream: A Macedonian stood on the far shore and called across the sea, "Come over to Macedonia and help us!" The dream gave Paul his map. We went to work at once getting things ready to cross over to Macedonia. All the pieces had come together. We knew now for sure that God had called us to preach the good news to the Europeans. Putting out from the harbor at Troas, we made a straight run for Samothrace. The next day we tied up at New City and walked from there to Philippi, the main city in that part of Macedonia and, even more importantly, a Roman colony. We lingered there several days. On the Sabbath, we left the city and went down along the river where we had heard there was to be a prayer meeting. We took our place with the women who had gathered there and talked with them. One woman, Lydia, was from Thyatira and a dealer in expensive textiles, known to be a God-fearing woman. As she listened with intensity to what was being said, the Master gave her a trusting heart—and she believed! After she was baptized, along with everyone in her household, she said in a surge of hospitality, "If you're confident that I'm in this with you and believe in the Master truly, come home with me and be my guests." We hesitated, but she wouldn't take no for an answer. One day, on our way to the place of prayer, a slave girl ran into us. She was a psychic and, with her fortunetelling, made a lot of money for the people who owned her. She started following Paul around, calling everyone's attention to us by yelling out, "These men are working for the Most High God. They're laying out the road of salvation for you!" She did this for a number of days until Paul, finally fed up with her, turned and commanded the spirit that possessed her, "Out! In the name of Jesus Christ, get out of her!" And it was gone, just like that. When her owners saw that their lucrative little business was suddenly bankrupt, they went after Paul and Silas, roughed them up and dragged them into the market square. Then the police arrested them and pulled them into a court with the accusation, "These men are disturbing the peace—dangerous Jewish agitators subverting our Roman law and order." By this time the crowd had turned into a restless mob out for blood. The judges went along with the mob, had Paul and Silas's clothes ripped off and ordered a public beating. After beating them black-and-blue, they threw them into jail, telling the jailkeeper to put them under heavy guard so there would be no chance of escape. He did just that—threw them into the maximum security cell in the jail and clamped leg irons on them.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

These: Acts 19:13, Matthew 8:29, Mark 1:24, Luke 4:34, Luke 4:41

the servants: Daniel 3:26, Daniel 3:28, Daniel 6:16, Daniel 6:20, Jonah 1:9, 1 Peter 2:16

the most: Genesis 14:18-22, Psalms 57:2, Psalms 78:35, Daniel 4:2, Daniel 5:18, Daniel 5:21, Micah 6:6, Mark 5:7, Luke 8:28

the way: Acts 16:30, Acts 16:31, Acts 18:26, Matthew 7:13, Matthew 7:14, Matthew 22:16, Mark 12:14, Luke 1:77, Luke 1:79, Luke 20:21, John 14:6, Hebrews 10:19-22

Reciprocal: Genesis 14:19 - high 1 Kings 18:29 - prophesied Malachi 2:7 - the messenger Malachi 3:18 - between him Mark 1:25 - rebuked Mark 3:11 - unclean Mark 5:6 - he ran Luke 1:32 - the Son Luke 1:76 - Highest Luke 4:35 - Jesus Acts 13:26 - to you Acts 18:25 - instructed Acts 19:15 - General Acts 22:4 - this Acts 27:2 - with us Acts 27:23 - and 1 Corinthians 9:1 - I not an Hebrews 7:1 - the most James 2:19 - the 2 Peter 2:2 - ways

Gill's Notes on the Bible

The same followed Paul and us,.... Silas, Luke, and Timothy; the Arabic version reads, "the same followed Paul and Silas"; as they were going to the oratory:

and cried, saying, these men are the servants of the most high God; not of Python, or Apollo, as she and her masters were; or of any of the deities of the Gentiles; nor of sin, nor of Satan, nor of men, but of the one only true and living God, one of whose titles is

עליון, "Elion", the "Most High", Genesis 14:22 and these men were his servants, not merely by right of creation, as all men are, or should be; nor only through the power of divine grace upon their souls, bringing them into a willing obedience to him, as all the saints are; but by office, being ministers of the word: wherefore it follows,

which show unto us the way of salvation; which is not by the works of men; for by them the justice of God cannot be satisfied, nor his law fulfilled; God has declared against this way of salvation; it would make void the death of Christ, and frustrate the design of God in it; which is to magnify his grace, and exclude boasting in man: to which may be added, that the best works of men being imperfect, and attended with much sin, would rather damn than save; wherefore it is sinful, dangerous, and vain, to attempt salvation in this way. The only way of salvation is by the Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the law is fulfilled, satisfaction is made for sin, peace and pardon are procured, an everlasting righteousness is brought in, and through whom grace and glory are given: and this is a way of salvation, agreeable to all the perfections of God; in which the vilest sinner made sensible of his sins, and of his need of this, has no reason to despair; it is exceeding suitable to his case, and is a way in which none ever perish, that are directed to it: and now this way of salvation is only shown in the Gospel, by the ministers of it; not by the light of nature, for to men who only have that, it is foolishness; nor by the law of Moses, for to such who are under that, it is a stumbling block; nor by the carnal reason of men, it is not of men, nor after men, but by divine revelation: and therefore the natural man receives it not, it is hid from such; and therefore they project various ways of salvation, which are pleasing in their own eyes, but the end of them are the ways of death; the way to life and immortality, is only brought to light in the Gospel: whether she said this of her own accord, or was obliged to it by divine impulse; and whether it was through fear of Paul, and in flattery to him, or was with a good or bad design, is not easy to determine: however, certain it is, what she said was truth; and sometimes the devil himself, the father of lies, is obliged to speak it.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The same followed Paul ... - Why she did this, or under what presence, the sacred writer has not informed us. It may have been:

1. That as she prophesied for gain, she supposed that Paul and Silas would reward her if she publicly proclaimed that they were the servants of God. Or,
2. Because she was conscious that an evil spirit possessed her, and she feared that Paul and Silas would expel that spirit, and by proclaiming them to be the servants of God she hoped to conciliate their favor. Or,
3. More probably it was because she saw evident tokens of their being sent from God, and that their doctrine would prevail; and by proclaiming this she hoped to acquire more authority, and a higher reputation for being herself inspired. Compare Mark 5:7.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Acts 16:17. These men are the servants, c.] It is astonishing how such a testimony could be given in such a case every syllable of it true, and at the same time full, clear, and distinct. But mark the deep design and artifice of this evil spirit:

1. He well knew that the Jewish law abhorred all magic, incantations, magical rites, and dealings with familiar spirits; he therefore bears what was in itself a true testimony to the apostles, that by it he may destroy their credit, and ruin their usefulness. The Jews, by this testimony, would be led at once to believe that the apostles were in compact with these demons, and that the miracles they wrought were done by the agency of these wicked spirits, and that the whole was the effect of magic; and this, of course, would harden their hearts against the preaching of the Gospel.

2. The GENTILES, finding that their own demon bore testimony to the apostles, would naturally consider that the whole was one system; that they had nothing to learn, nothing to correct; and thus the preaching of the apostles must be useless to them. In such a predicament is this, nothing could have saved the credit of the apostles but their dispossessing this woman of her familiar spirit, and that in the most incontestable manner; for what could have saved the credit of Moses and Aaron, when the magicians of Egypt turned their rods into serpents, had not Aaron's rod devoured theirs? And what could have saved the credit of these apostles but the casting out of this spirit of divination, with which, otherwise, both Jews and Gentiles would have believed them in compact?