The Meaning of Acts 16:18 Explained

Acts 16:18

KJV: And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.

YLT: and this she was doing for many days, but Paul having been grieved, and having turned, said to the spirit, 'I command thee, in the name of Jesus Christ, to come forth from her;' and it came forth the same hour.

Darby: And this she did many days. And Paul, being distressed, turned, and said to the spirit, I enjoin thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And it came out the same hour.

ASV: And this she did for many days. But Paul, being sore troubled, turned and said to the spirit, I charge thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And it came out that very hour.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  this  did she  many  days.  But  Paul,  being grieved,  turned  and  said  to the spirit,  I command  thee  in  the name  of Jesus  Christ  to come  out of  her.  And  he came out  the same  hour. 

What does Acts 16:18 Mean?

Context Summary

Acts 16:14-24 - Welcomed Attested Imprisoned
This was an epoch-making moment, but how quietly it is recorded. There was no heralding of the gospel which was to transform Europe. The need for it was unspoken and unfelt. It stole in like the dawn.
Paul's first experiences in Europe were not promising. In most cities there was a Jewish synagogue; but here only a small group of pious women in an arbor by the riverside. Let none despise the day of small things. What a contrast between Lydia, who had come over from Asia Minor, and employed a number of hands in the dyeing trade, and the poor girl who was possessed by the demon! Yet each of them recognized the divine ministry of the newly arrived messengers. What a contrast, also, between the gradual response of Lydia's heart in the revelation of the risen Christ, to whom it opened as a flower to the sun, and the sudden awakening of the jailor!
When Christ touches the pockets of worldly men, He arouses their direct opposition. The world is troubled when it loses its gains; the saints are troubled when they see Christ's property being injured! See Acts 16:18. [source]

Chapter Summary: Acts 16

1  Paul and Silas are Joined by Timothy,
7  and being called by the Spirit from one country to another,
14  convert Lydia,
16  and cast out a spirit of divination;
19  for which cause they are whipped and imprisoned
25  The prison doors are opened
31  The jailor is converted,
35  and they are delivered

Greek Commentary for Acts 16:18

She did [εποιει]
Imperfect active, kept it up for many days. The strange conduct gave Paul and the rest an unpleasant prominence in the community. [source]
Being sore troubled [διαπονητεις]
First aorist passive of διαπονεω — diaponeō old verb, to work laboriously, then in passive to be “worked up,” displeased, worn out. In the N.T. only here and Acts 4:2 which see (there of the Sadducees about Peter‘s preaching). Paul was grieved, annoyed, indignant. He wanted no testimony from a source like this any more than he did the homage of the people of Lystra (Acts 14:14). That very hour (αυτηι τηι ωραι — autēi tēi hōrāi). Locative case of time and familiar Lukan idiom in his Gospel, “at the hour itself.” The cure was instantaneous. Paul, like Jesus, distinguished between the demon and the individual. [source]
That very hour [αυτηι τηι ωραι]
Locative case of time and familiar Lukan idiom in his Gospel, “at the hour itself.” The cure was instantaneous. Paul, like Jesus, distinguished between the demon and the individual. [source]
Grieved [διαπονηθεὶς]
Not strong enough. Rather, worn out. Both grieved at the sad condition of the woman, and thoroughly annoyed and indignant at the continued demonstrations of the evil spirit which possessed her. Compare Acts 4:2. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Acts 16:18

Acts 4:2 Being grieved [διαπονούμενοι]
Only here and Acts 16:18. The Rev. renders the force of διά by “sore troubled;” vexed through and through. [source]
Acts 3:6 In the name [εν τωι ονοματι]
The healing power is in that name (Page) and Peter says so. Cf. Luke 9:49; Luke 10:17; Acts 4:7, Acts 4:10; Acts 19:27; Acts 16:18. [source]
Revelation 1:12 Having turned [επιστρεπσας]
First aorist active participle of επιστρεπω — epistrephō from which also επεστρεπσα — epestrepsa just before, for which verb see Acts 15:36; Acts 16:18.Seven golden candlesticks (επτα λυχνιας χρυσας — hepta luchnias chrusas). See Matthew 5:15 for λυχνια — luchnia (lampstand). Symbols of the seven churches as explained in Revelation 1:20. See Exodus 25:35. for description of a seven-branched candlestick, but here the lampstands are separate. [source]

What do the individual words in Acts 16:18 mean?

This then she continued for many days Having been distressed Paul and having turned to the spirit he said I command you in [the] name of Jesus Christ to come out from her it came out [the] same - hour
Τοῦτο δὲ ἐποίει ἐπὶ πολλὰς ἡμέρας διαπονηθεὶς Παῦλος καὶ ἐπιστρέψας τῷ πνεύματι εἶπεν Παραγγέλλω σοι ἐν ὀνόματι Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐξελθεῖν ἀπ’ αὐτῆς ἐξῆλθεν αὐτῇ τῇ ὥρᾳ

Τοῦτο  This 
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: οὗτος  
Sense: this.
ἐποίει  she  continued 
Parse: Verb, Imperfect Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ποιέω  
Sense: to make.
πολλὰς  many 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Feminine Plural
Root: πολύς  
Sense: many, much, large.
ἡμέρας  days 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Plural
Root: ἡμέρα  
Sense: the day, used of the natural day, or the interval between sunrise and sunset, as distinguished from and contrasted with the night.
διαπονηθεὶς  Having  been  distressed 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Passive, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: διαπονέομαι  
Sense: to work out laboriously, make complete by labour.
Παῦλος  Paul 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Παῦλος  
Sense: Paul was the most famous of the apostles and wrote a good part of the NT, the 4 Pauline epistles.
ἐπιστρέψας  having  turned 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ἐπιστρέφω  
Sense: transitively.
τῷ  to  the 
Parse: Article, Dative Neuter Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
πνεύματι  spirit 
Parse: Noun, Dative Neuter Singular
Root: πνεῦμα  
Sense: a movement of air (a gentle blast.
εἶπεν  he  said 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: λέγω  
Sense: to speak, say.
Παραγγέλλω  I  command 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular
Root: παραγγέλλω  
Sense: to transmit a message along from one to another, to declare, announce.
ὀνόματι  [the]  name 
Parse: Noun, Dative Neuter Singular
Root: ὄνομα  
Sense: name: univ.
Ἰησοῦ  of  Jesus 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: Ἰησοῦς  
Sense: Joshua was the famous captain of the Israelites, Moses’ successor.
Χριστοῦ  Christ 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: Χριστός  
Sense: Christ was the Messiah, the Son of God.
ἐξελθεῖν  to  come  out 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Infinitive Active
Root: ἐξέρχομαι 
Sense: to go or come forth of.
αὐτῆς  her 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive Feminine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
ἐξῆλθεν  it  came  out 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἐξέρχομαι 
Sense: to go or come forth of.
αὐτῇ  [the]  same 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative Feminine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
τῇ  - 
Parse: Article, Dative Feminine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ὥρᾳ  hour 
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: ὥρα  
Sense: a certain definite time or season fixed by natural law and returning with the revolving year.