UTN uW Translation Notes:

Acts 16 Chapter Introduction

Structure and Formatting

• Verses 1–5 describe how Paul began his second missionary journey and met Timothy and brought him along with him.
• Verses 6–12 describe how the Holy Spirit led Paul and his companions to share the gospel in the city of Philippi
• Verses 13–40 describe how Paul and Silas made disciples in Philippi, delivered a young woman from an evil spirit, and were imprisoned but miraculously released. Acts 16:5 is a summary statement that Luke uses to mark the transition into the fourth major part of the book.

Religious and Cultural Concepts in This Chapter

Timothy’s circumcision

Paul circumcised Timothy because he and Silas were telling the message of Jesus to Jews as well as to Gentiles. Many Jews would have been so offended that Timothy was not circumcised, even though his mother was Jewish, that they would not have listened to the message. Paul felt that he could have Timothy circumcised as a discretionary matter to remove an offense to hearing the gospel, even though the church leaders in Jerusalem had decided that Gentile believers did not have to be circumcised.