Acts 16:17
Translations
King James Version (KJV)
The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which show to us the way of salvation.
American King James Version (AKJV)
The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which show to us the way of salvation.
American Standard Version (ASV)
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.
Basic English Translation (BBE)
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.
Webster's Revision
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.
World English Bible
Following Paul and us, she cried out, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us a way of salvation!"
English Revised Version (ERV)
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.
Clarke's Acts 16:17 Bible Commentary
These men are the servants, etc. - 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?
Barnes's Acts 16:17 Bible Commentary
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.
Wesley's Acts 16:17 Bible Commentary
16:17 These men are - A great truth: but St. Paul did not need, nor would accept, of such testimony.