Acts 16:13
What does Acts 16:13 mean?
A plain-English look at Acts 16:13 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Acts 16:13 means
On the Sabbath, the team goes outside the city gate to a riverside, supposing there is a place of prayer. They sit down and speak to the women gathered there. The absence of a synagogue leads them to an informal gathering of God-fearers. The missionaries do not despise small beginnings; they honor the Lord’s Day and the people present. By addressing the women, Paul shows that the gospel is for all, regardless of social standing. Conversation, not confrontation, marks the start. God often begins great works in quiet meetings by water’s edge. The sowing of the word in attentive hearts will soon yield the first-fruits of European faith.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000And 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.
KJV
King James Version · 1611And 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.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901And 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.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949And 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.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862on 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,
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752And 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.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890And 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.
Context
This verse follows the arrival in Philippi and the team’s search for a worship setting. The move outside the gate emphasizes marginal beginnings in a Roman colony. Verse 14 narrows the focus to Lydia, whose attentive heart God opens. Verse 15 will show her baptism and hospitality, providing a base for ministry before conflict erupts in verses 16–24.
v.12and from thence to Philippi, which is a city of Macedonia, the first of the district, a Roman colony: and we were in this city tarrying certain days.
v.13This passage
v.14And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, one that worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened to give heed unto the things which were spoken by Paul.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Acts 13:42
And as they went out, they besought that these words might be spoken to them the next sabbath.
- Matthew 5:1
And seeing the multitudes, he went up into the mountain: and when he had sat down, his disciples came unto him:
- Acts 17:2
and Paul, as his custom was, went in unto them, and for three sabbath days reasoned with them from the scriptures,
- Luke 4:20
And he closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant, and sat down: and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fastened on him.
- Mark 16:15
And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to the whole creation.
- Matthew 13:2
And there were gathered unto him great multitudes, so that he entered into a boat, and sat; and all the multitude stood on the beach.
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