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The Holy Bible, Berean Study Bible

Acts 16:13

On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate along the river, where it was customary to find a place of prayer. After sitting down, we spoke to the women who had gathered there.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Luke;   Minister, Christian;   Paul;   Philippi;   Sabbath;   Zeal, Religious;   Thompson Chain Reference - Assembly;   Distinctions of Women;   Fidelity;   Missions, World-Wide;   Sabbath;   Women;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Rivers;   Sabbath, the;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Philippi;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Acts, book of;   Baptism;   Macedonia;   Mission;   Paul;   Philippi;   Philippians, letter to the;   Women;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Lord's Day, the;   Luke-Acts, Theology of;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Ordination;   Proseuche;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Macedonia;   Philippi;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Euodias;   Lydia;   Macedonia;   Philippi;   Roman Empire;   Synagogue;   Thessalonica;   Willows;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Acts;   Colony;   Luke;   Luke, Gospel of;   Lydia;   Philippi;   Synagogue;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Acts of the Apostles;   Galatians, Epistle to the;   Lydia;   Philippians, Epistle to;   Prayer;   Synagogue;   Vision;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Acts of the Apostles;   Gate;   Gestures;   Luke (2);   Paul;   Philippi ;   Philippians Epistle to the;   Proseuche;   River ;   Sabbath;   Synagogue;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Philippi ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Lystra;   Philippi;   Philippians;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Synagogue;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Saul of Tarsus;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Acts of the Apostles;   Euodia;   Macedonia;   Philippi;   Philippians, the Epistle to;   Prayer;   Proseuche;   Sabbath;   Synagogue;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Diaspora;  

Devotionals:

- Every Day Light - Devotion for January 3;  

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
On the Sabbath day we went out the city gate to the river. There we thought we might find a special place for prayer. Some women had gathered there, so we sat down and talked with them.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And on the saboth dayes we went out of the cite besydes a ryver where men were wont to praye and we sate doune and spake vnto the wemen which resorted thyther.
Hebrew Names Version
On the day of Shabbat we went forth outside of the city by a riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down, and spoke to the women who had come together.
International Standard Version
On the Sabbath day we went out of the gate and along the river, where we thought there was a place of prayer. We sat down and began talking to the women who had gathered there.
New American Standard Bible
And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to a riverside, where we were thinking that there was a place of prayer; and we sat down and began speaking to the women who had assembled.
New Century Version
On the Sabbath day we went outside the city gate to the river where we thought we would find a special place for prayer. Some women had gathered there, so we sat down and talked with them.
Update Bible Version
And on the Sabbath day we went forth outside the gate by a riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer; and we sat down, and spoke to the women that had come together.
Webster's Bible Translation
And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spoke to the women who resorted [thither].
English Standard Version
And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together.
World English Bible
On the Sabbath day we went forth outside of the city by a riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down, and spoke to the women who had come together.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And we abode in that city certain days. And on the sabbath we went out of the city, by the river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and sitting down, we spake to the women who were come together.
Weymouth's New Testament
On the Sabbath we went beyond the city gate to the riverside, where we had reason to believe that there was a place for prayer; and sitting down we talked with the women who had come together.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And in the dai of sabotis we wenten forth with out the yate bisidis the flood, where preier semyde to be; and we saten, and spaken to wymmen that camen togidere.
English Revised Version
And on the sabbath day we went forth without the gate by a river side, where we supposed there was a place of prayer; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which were come together.
Contemporary English Version
Then on the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to a place by the river, where we thought there would be a Jewish meeting place for prayer. We sat down and talked with the women who came.
Amplified Bible
and on the Sabbath day we went outside the city gate to the bank of the [Gangites] river, where we thought there would be a place of prayer, and we sat down and began speaking to the women who had come there.
American Standard Version
And on the sabbath day we went forth without the gate by a river side, where we supposed there was a place of prayer; and we sat down, and spake unto the women that were come together.
Bible in Basic English
And on the Sabbath we went outside the town, by the river, where we had an idea that there would be a place of prayer; and, being seated, we had talk with the women who had come together.
Complete Jewish Bible
then on Shabbat, we went outside the gate to the riverside, where we understood a minyan met. We sat down and began speaking to the women who had gathered there.
Darby Translation
And on the sabbath day we went outside the gate by the river, where it was the custom for prayer to be, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had assembled.
Etheridge Translation
And we went out on the day of shabath without the gate of the city to the bank of the river, because there was seen a house of prayer; and sitting down we discoursed with the women who assembled there.
Murdock Translation
And on the sabbath day, we went without the gate of the city to the side of a river, because a house of prayer was seen there. And when we were seated, we conversed with the women who there assembled.
King James Version (1611)
And on the Sabboth we went out of the citie by a riuer side, where prayer was wont to be made, & we sate downe, and spake vnto the women which resorted thither.
New Living Translation
On the Sabbath we went a little way outside the city to a riverbank, where we thought people would be meeting for prayer, and we sat down to speak with some women who had gathered there.
New Life Bible
On the Day of Rest we went outside the city to a place down by the river. We thought people would be gathering there for prayer. Some women came and we sat down and talked to them.
New Revised Standard
On the sabbath day we went outside the gate by the river, where we supposed there was a place of prayer; and we sat down and spoke to the women who had gathered there.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And on the Sabbath day, we went out of the citie, besides a Riuer, where they were wont to pray: and we sate downe, and spake vnto the women, which were come together.
George Lamsa Translation
And on the sabbath day we went outside the city gate to the river side because a house of prayer was seen there, and when we were seated, we spoke to the women who had gathered there.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
and on the day of rest, we went forth outside the gate, beside a river, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, - and, sitting down, we went on to speak unto the women who had come together.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And upon the Sabbath day, we went forth without the gate by a river side, where it seemed that there was prayer: and sitting down, we spoke to the women that were assembled.
Revised Standard Version
and on the sabbath day we went outside the gate to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer; and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And on the day of the Sabbothes, we went out of the citie, besydes a ryuer, where prayer was wont to be made: And we sate downe, and spake vnto the women which resorted thyther.
Good News Translation
On the Sabbath we went out of the city to the riverside, where we thought there would be a place where Jews gathered for prayer. We sat down and talked to the women who gathered there.
Christian Standard Bible®
On the Sabbath day we went outside the city gate by the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and spoke to the women gathered there.
King James Version
And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither.
Lexham English Bible
And on the day of the Sabbath, we went outside the city gate beside the river, where we thought there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women assembled there.
Literal Translation
And on the day of the sabbaths, we went outside the city beside a river, where it was customary for prayer to be made . And sitting down, we spoke to the women who came together there .
Young's Literal Translation
on the sabbath-day also we went forth outside of the city, by a river, where there used to be prayer, and having sat down, we were speaking to the women who came together,
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
On the daye of the Sabbathes wete we out of the cite besyde the water, where men were wonte to praye, and we sat downe, and spake vnto the wemen that resorted thither.
Mace New Testament (1729)
we went out of town on the sabbath towards the river, where the Jews were allowed to have an oratory.
THE MESSAGE
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!
New English Translation
On the Sabbath day we went outside the city gate to the side of the river, where we thought there would be a place of prayer, and we sat down and began to speak to the women who had assembled there.
New King James Version
And on the Sabbath day we went out of the city to the riverside, where prayer was customarily made; and we sat down and spoke to the women who met there.
Simplified Cowboy Version
On the day of rest, we trotted out to a river where we thought some people might be meeting for prayer. Sure enough, there was a group of ladies there, and we walked up and introduced ourselves.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to a riverside, where we were supposing that there would be a place of prayer; and we sat down and began speaking to the women who had assembled.
Legacy Standard Bible
And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to a riverside, where we were supposing that there would be a place of prayer; and sitting down, we began speaking to the women who had assembled.

Contextual Overview

6After the Holy Spirit prevented them from speaking the word in the province of Asia, they traveled through the region of Phrygia and Galatia. 7And when they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not permit them. 8So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. 9During the night, Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and pleading with him, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." 10As soon as Paul had seen the vision, we got ready to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. 11We sailed from Troas straight to Samothrace, and the following day on to Neapolis. 12From there we went to the Roman colony of Philippi, the leading city of that district of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days. 13On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate along the river, where it was customary to find a place of prayer. After sitting down, we spoke to the women who had gathered there.14Among those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul's message. 15And when she and her household had been baptized, she urged us, "If you consider me a believer in the Lord, come and stay at my house." And she persuaded us.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

on: Acts 13:14, Acts 13:42, Acts 17:2, Acts 18:4, Acts 20:7

sabbath: Gr. sabbath-day

where: Luke 13:10

and we: Acts 16:6, Acts 21:5, Matthew 5:1, Matthew 5:2, Matthew 13:2, Luke 4:20, Luke 4:21, John 8:2

spake: Mark 16:15, Galatians 3:28, Colossians 1:23

Reciprocal: Ezra 8:15 - the river that runneth Acts 16:16 - as Acts 17:1 - where Acts 21:8 - we that 2 Timothy 4:2 - in

Cross-References

Genesis 16:1
Now Abram's wife Sarai had not borne a child to him, but she had an Egyptian maidservant named Hagar.
Genesis 16:5
Then Sarai said to Abram, "May the wrong done to me be upon you! I delivered my servant into your arms, and ever since she saw that she was pregnant, she has treated me with contempt. May the LORD judge between you and me."
Genesis 16:7
Now the Angel of the LORD found Hagar by a spring of water in the desert-the spring along the road to Shur.
Genesis 16:9
So the Angel of the LORD told her, "Return to your mistress and submit to her authority."
Genesis 16:10
Then the Angel added, "I will greatly multiply your offspring so that they will be too numerous to count."
Genesis 16:12
He will be a wild donkey of a man, and his hand will be against everyone, and everyone's hand against him; he will live in hostility toward all his brothers."
Genesis 22:14
And Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide. So to this day it is said, "On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided."
Genesis 28:17
And he was afraid and said, "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven!"
Genesis 31:42
If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the One Feared by Isaac, had not been with me, surely by now you would have sent me away empty-handed. But God has seen my affliction and the toil of my hands, and last night He rendered judgment."
Judges 6:24
So Gideon built an altar to the LORD there and called it The LORD is Peace. To this day it stands in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And on the sabbath,.... That is, as the Syriac version renders it, "on the sabbath day"; the Jewish sabbath, the seventh day of the week; though the words may be rendered, "on a certain day of the week" agreeably to Acts 20:7 where the first of the sabbath means the first day of the week; but be this as it will, on this day,

we went out of the city by a river side; perhaps the river Strymon, which was near; the Alexandrian copy and some others, and the Vulgate Latin version read,

without the gate; and the Syriac version, "without the gates of the city"; all to the same sense: it looks as if there was no synagogue of the Jews in this place, or otherwise the apostle and his companions would have gone into that, according to their custom; and this the rather seems to be the case, since it is so particularly remarked, that at Thessalonica, the next place they stayed at there was one, Acts 17:1 and the reason might be, because that Philippi being a Roman colony, the Jews were not suffered to have one in it; wherefore Paul and his company, whether on the Jewish sabbath, or on any other day of the week, took a walk out of the city; either for the sake of a walk, or rather to converse together, and consider what was to be done, or to look out for an opportunity to preach the Gospel; and they came to a place,

where prayer was wont to be made; or as the words may be rendered, "where was thought to be a place of prayer"; a "proseucha", an oratory, or a place built and made use of for prayer; that is, as they walked along, they saw a place, which in their opinion looked like a religious house, or a place for prayer, and so made up to it, where they found some persons assembled together on that account: this sense is confirmed by several versions; the Vulgate Latin version reads, "where there seemed to be prayer", and so reads Beza's most ancient copy; and the Syriac version is very express, "for there was seen" בית צלותא, "an house of prayer"; to which agrees the Arabic version, "we went out to a certain place, which was thought to be a place of prayer"; to which may be added the Ethiopic version, "and we thought there was prayer there"; and that the Jews had their oratories, or prayer houses, is certain;

Acts 17:1- : and that these were without the cities, and in the fields, appears from a passage of Epiphanius f, who says,

"there were anciently places of prayer, both among the Jews, "without the city", and among the Samaritans, there was a place of prayer at Sichem, which is now called Neapolis, "without the city", in the field, about two stones distance, in form of a theatre, open to the air, and without covering, built by the Samaritans, who in all things imitated the Jews:''

and if these were commonly built by fountains and rivers, and as some think, in imitation of Isaac, who went out into the field, "to meditate"; which the Chaldee paraphrase renders, "to pray"; and is also in the same place said to come, as the Jerusalem paraphrase renders it, לבארא "to a well", or "fountain", Genesis 24:62 then this clause may be rendered, "where it was usual for a prayer house to be": and then the sense is, there being no synagogue in the city, the apostle and those with him went out of it, to the river side, to look out for a prayer house; where such places were wont to be built, and they accordingly found one:

and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither; who seem to have been Jewish women, who met here to attend public prayer, there being no religious worship of the true God in the city; and among these worshippers of God was Lydia, hereafter mentioned; and worship not being begun, the apostle and his companions sat down among them, and entered into some religious conversation with them, and took the opportunity of preaching the Gospel, which was what they wanted, and were seeking after.

f Contr. Haeres. Tom. 2. l. 3. Haeres. 80.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And on the sabbath - There is no doubt that in this city there were Jews; In the time of the apostles they were scattered extensively throughout the known world.

By a river side - What river this was is not known. It is known, however, that the Jews were accustomed to provide water, or to build their synagogues and oratories near water, for the convenience of the numerous washings before and during their religious services.

Where prayer - Where there was a place of prayer, or where prayer was commonly offered. The Greek will bear either, but the sense is the same. Places for prayer were erected by the Jews in the vicinity of cities and towns, and particularly where there were not Jewish families enough, or where they were forbidden by the magistrate to erect a synagogue. These proseuchoe, or places of prayer, were simple enclosures made of stones, in a grove or under a tree, where there would be a retired and convenient place for worship.

Was wont - Was accustomed to be offered, or where it was established by custom.

And spake unto the women ... - This was probably before the regular service of the place commenced.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Acts 16:13. By a river side, where prayer was wont to be made — ου Οὑ ενομιζετο προσευχη ειναι, where it was said there was a proseucha. The proseucha was a place of prayer, or a place used for worship, where there was no synagogue. It was a large building uncovered, with seats, as in an amphitheatre. Buildings of this sort the Jews had by the sea side, and by the sides of rivers. See this subject considered at large in Clarke's note on "Luke 6:12". It appears that the apostles had heard from some of the Gentiles, or from some of the Jews themselves, that there was a place of prayer by the river side; and they went out in quest of it, knowing that, as it was the Sabbath, they should find some Jews there.

Spake unto the women — Probably this was before the time of their public worship, and while they were waiting for the assembling of the people in general; and Paul improved the opportunity to speak concerning Christ and salvation to the women that resorted thither.


 
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