καὶ ὁ οἶκος αὐτῆς, and her household. Of a like baptizing of a household see below (Acts 16:33), and also cf. Acts 11:14. We are not justified in concluding from these passages that infants were baptized. ‘Household’ might mean slaves and freedwomen.

μένετε, abide there. Like the two disciples who followed Jesus (John 1:38) Lydia was anxious to have the teachers whose lessons she found so suited to the needs of her opened heart near unto her.

παρεβιάσατο ἡμᾶς, she constrained us. Used in N.T. only by St Luke here and Luke 24:29, of the two disciples at Emmaus. In the LXX. it occurs more frequently and is used (1 Samuel 28:23) of the constraint put upon Saul at Endor to make him take food, also (2 Kings 2:17) of the urgent request made to Elisha by the prophets at Jericho. Cf. also 2 Kings 5:16.

The force used was that of a prayer which would accept no ‘Nay.’

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Old Testament