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.
Parallel translations
- WEB On the Sabbath day we went 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.
- KJV 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.
- BSB 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.
- NKJV 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.
- NASB 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.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
On the Sabbath they found a riverside place of prayer and spoke to the women gathered there.
Overview
With no synagogue (which required at least ten Jewish men), the small community of God-fearers met by the river. Paul's readiness to teach women reflects the gospel's dignifying reach to all people. From this humble gathering God would begin a thriving church, showing that He often starts great works in obscure and unlikely places.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 15
- Acts 13:14But they, passing on from Perga, came to Antioch of Pisidia. They went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and sat down.
- Acts 21:5When those days were over, we departed and went on our journey. They all, with wives and children, brought us on our way until we were out of the city. Kneeling down on the beach, we prayed.
- Col 1:23if it is so that you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the Good News which you heard, which is being proclaimed in all creation under heaven; of which I, Paul, was made a servant.
- Acts 16:6When they had gone through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia.
- Acts 20:7On the first day of the week, when the disciples were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and continued his speech until midnight.
- Acts 17:2Paul, as was his custom, went in to them, and for three Sabbath days reasoned with them from the Scriptures,
- Gal 3:28There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
- Mark 16:15He said to them, “Go into all the world, and preach the Good News to the whole creation.
- Matt 5:1–2Seeing the multitudes, he went up onto the mountain. When he had sat down, his disciples came to him.
- Acts 13:42So when the Jews went out of the synagogue, the Gentiles begged that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath.
- John 8:2Now very early in the morning, he came again into the temple, and all the people came to him. He sat down, and taught them.
- Luke 4:20–21He closed the book, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fastened on him.
- Acts 18:4He reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded Jews and Greeks.
- Matt 13:2Great multitudes gathered to him, so that he entered into a boat, and sat, and all the multitude stood on the beach.
- Luke 13:10He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath day.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Acts is the risen Christ continuing his work by the Spirit through the church, as the apostles preach that there is salvation in no other name under heaven.
How Acts 16:13 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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