Acts 16:16
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New International Version (©1984)
Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling.

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
It happened that as we were going to the place of prayer, a slave-girl having a spirit of divination met us, who was bringing her masters much profit by fortune-telling.

International Standard Version (©2008)
Once, as we were going to the place of prayer, we met a slave girl who had a spirit of fortune-telling and who had brought her owners a great deal of money by predicting the future.

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
One day when we were going to the place of prayer, a female servant met us. She was possessed by an evil spirit that told fortunes. She made a lot of money for her owners by telling fortunes.

King James Bible
And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying:

American King James Version
And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying:

American Standard Version
And it came to pass, as we were going to the place of prayer, that a certain maid having a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much gain by soothsaying.

Bible in Basic English
And when we were going to the place of prayer, we came across a girl with a spirit which gave knowledge of the future, whose masters made great profit from her power.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain girl, having a pythonical spirit, met us, who brought to her masters much gain by divining.

Darby Bible Translation
And it came to pass as we were going to prayer that a certain female slave, having a spirit of Python, met us, who brought much profit to her masters by prophesying.

English Revised Version
And it came to pass, as we were going to the place of prayer, that a certain maid having a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying.

Webster's Bible Translation
And it came to pass as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination, met us, who brought her masters much gain by sooth-saying:

Weymouth New Testament
One day, as we were on our way to the place of prayer, a slave girl met us who claimed to be inspired and was accustomed to bring her owners large profits by telling fortunes.

World English Bible
It happened, as we were going to prayer, that a certain girl having a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much gain by fortune telling.

Young's Literal Translation
And it came to pass in our going on to prayer, a certain maid, having a spirit of Python, did meet us, who brought much employment to her masters by soothsaying,

Geneva Study Bible

{10} And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of {f} divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying:

(10) Satan transforms himself into an angel of light, and covets to enter by undermining, but Paul openly stops him, and casts him out.

(f) This is a sure sign of the god Apollo, who would give answers to those that asked him.

People's New Testament

16:16 As we went to prayer. To the place of prayer.

A certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination. Literally, The spirit of a Pythoness. This meant, among the Greeks, a prophetic spirit, Pythias being one of the names of Apollo, the god of prophecy. The account shows (1) that the damsel was possessed, (2) that her strange power gave her value in that it was superhuman, (3) that she was a slave, owned by several masters, and brought them much gain by soothsaying. Luke does not say that she foretold the future, but the people thought she did. She was a demoniac. See PNT Mt 8:29.

King James Translators' Notes

of divination: or, of Python

Scofield Reference Notes

Margin spirit

Gr. "a spirit," "a Python."

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

16-18. as we went to prayer-The words imply that it was on their way to the usual place of public prayer, by the river-side, that this took place; therefore not on the same day with what had just occurred.

a . damsel-a female servant, and in this case a slave (Ac 16:19).

possessed of a spirit of divination-or, of Python, that is, a spirit supposed to be inspired by the Pythian Apollo, or of the same nature. The reality of this demoniacal possession is as undeniable as that of any in the Gospel history.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

16:16-24 Satan, though the father of lies, will declare the most important truths, when he can thereby serve his purposes. But much mischief is done to the real servants of Christ, by unholy and false preachers of the gospel, who are confounded with them by careless observers. Those who do good by drawing men from sin, may expect to be reviled as troublers of the city. While they teach men to fear God, to believe in Christ, to forsake sin, and to live godly lives, they will be accused of teaching bad customs.


Leviticus 19:31 'Do not turn to mediums or spiritists; do not seek them out to be defiled by them. I am the LORD your God.
Leviticus 20:6 'As for the person who turns to mediums and to spiritists, to play the harlot after them, I will also set My face against that person and will cut him off from among his people.
Leviticus 20:27 'Now a man or a woman who is a medium or a spiritist shall surely be put to death. They shall be stoned with stones, their bloodguiltiness is upon them.'"
Deuteronomy 18:11 or one who casts a spell, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead.
1 Samuel 28:3 Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him and buried him in Ramah, his own city. And Saul had removed from the land those who were mediums and spiritists.
1 Samuel 28:7 Then Saul said to his servants, "Seek for me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her." And his servants said to him, "Behold, there is a woman who is a medium at En-dor."
2 Kings 21:6 He made his son pass through the fire, practiced witchcraft and used divination, and dealt with mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the sight of the LORD provoking Him to anger.
1 Chronicles 10:13 So Saul died for his trespass which he committed against the LORD, because of the word of the LORD which he did not keep; and also because he asked counsel of a medium, making inquiry of it,
Isaiah 8:19 When they say to you, "Consult the mediums and the spiritists who whisper and mutter," should not a people consult their God? Should they consult the dead on behalf of the living?
Acts 16:13 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. (NASB ©1995)

Accustomed Claimed Damsel Deal Divination Earned Fortune Fortunes Future Gain Girl Great Inspired Large Masters Met Once Owners Possessed Prayer Predicted Profit Profits Slave Slave-Girl Soothsaying Spirit Telling Way

And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying:

as. 13

possessed. 18 8:9-11 Ex 7:11,12 De 13:1-3 18:9-11 1Sa 28:7 1Ch 10:13 Isa 8:19 Ga 5:20 2Ti 3:8

divination. or, Python. which. 19:24 1Ti 6:10 2Pe 2:3 Re 18:11-13

Bible Gateway: Acts Chapter 16 Verse 16 NIV ESV NKJV NLT KJV Message Amplified

Alphabetical: a as bringing by deal divination earned for fortune-telling future girl going great had happened having her It masters met money much of Once owners place prayer predicted profit she slave slave-girl spirit that the to us was we were when which who

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