Robertson's Word Pictures of the NT

Acts 16:15

And when she was baptized

(ως δε εβαπτισθη). First aorist passive indicative of βαπτιζω. The river Gangites was handy for the ordinance and she had now been converted and was ready to make this public declaration of her faith in Jesus Christ.And her household

(κα ο οικος αυτης). Who constituted her "household"? The term οικος, originally means the building as below, "into my house" and then it includes the inmates of a house. There is nothing here to show whether Lydia's "household" went beyond "the women" employed by her who like her had heard the preaching of Paul and had believed. "Possibly Euodia and Syntyche and the other women, Philippians 4:2; Philippians 4:3, may have been included in the family of Lydia, who may have employed many slaves and freed women in her trade" (Knowling). "This statement cannot be claimed as any argument for infant baptism, since the Greek word may mean her servants or her work-people" (Furneaux). In the household baptisms (Cornelius, Lydia, the jailor, Crispus) one sees "infants" or not according to his predilections or preferences.If ye have judged me

(ε κεκρικατε με). Condition of the first class, assumed to be true (ε and the indicative, here perfect active of κρινω). She had confessed her faith and submitted to baptism as proof that she was "faithful to the Lord" (πιστην τω κυριω), believing on the Lord. "If she was fit for that, surely she was fit to be their hostess" (Furneaux). And Paul and his party had clearly no comfortable place to stay while in Philippi. The ancient hotels or inns were abominable. Evidently Paul demurred for there were four of them and he did not wish to sacrifice his independence or be a burden even to a woman of wealth.And she constrained us

(κα παρεβιασατο ημας). Effective first aorist middle of παραβιαζομα, late word, in the N.T. only here and Luke 24:29. Some moral force (βια) or hospitable persuasion was required (cf. 1 Samuel 28:23), but Lydia had her way as women usually do. So he accepted Lydia's hospitality in Philippi, though he worked for his own living in Thessalonica (2 Thessalonians 3:8) and elsewhere (2 Corinthians 11:9). So far only women have been won to Christ in Philippi. The use of "us" shows that Luke was not a householder in Philippi.

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Robertson's Word Pictures of the NT

Acts 16:15

Old Testament

New Testament