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When she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and stay.” So she persuaded us.
Acts 16:15 · World English Bible
Parallel translations
  • KJV And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us.
  • BSB And when she and her household had been baptized, she urged us, “If you consider me a believer in the Lord, come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.
  • NKJV And when she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” So she persuaded us.
  • NASB Now when she and her household had been baptized, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us.
  • NLT She and her household were baptized, and she asked us to be her guests. “If you agree that I am a true believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my home.” And she urged us until we agreed.

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

Lydia and her household were baptized, and she urged the missionaries to stay in her home.

Overview

Her faith immediately bore fruit in baptism and generous hospitality, marks of genuine conversion. The baptism of her household is noted by some as support for household baptism and by others as describing believing members; faithful Christians differ here. Either way, the gospel transforms a heart into a welcoming home and a base for the new church.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 29

  • Acts 11:14who will speak to you words by which you will be saved, you and all your house.’
  • Heb 13:2Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for in doing so, some have entertained angels without knowing it.
  • Acts 16:33He took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes, and was immediately baptized, he and all his household.
  • Gen 19:3He urged them greatly, and they came in with him, and entered into his house. He made them a feast, and baked unleavened bread, and they ate.
  • Luke 24:29They urged him, saying, “Stay with us, for it is almost evening, and the day is almost over.” He went in to stay with them.
  • 3 Jn 1:8We therefore ought to receive such, that we may be fellow workers for the truth.
  • 1 Pet 5:12Through Silvanus, our faithful brother, as I consider him, I have written to you briefly, exhorting, and testifying that this is the true grace of God in which you stand.
  • Phlm 1:17If then you count me a partner, receive him as you would receive me.
  • 3 Jn 1:5Beloved, you do a faithful work in whatever you accomplish for those who are brothers and strangers.
  • 1 Cor 1:13–16Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized into the name of Paul?
  • Phil 1:7It is even right for me to think this way on behalf of all of you, because I have you in my heart, because, both in my bonds and in the defense and confirmation of the Good News, you all are partakers with me of grace.
  • Eph 1:1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, to the saints who are at Ephesus, and the faithful in Christ Jesus:
  • 2 Cor 12:11I have become foolish in boasting. You compelled me, for I ought to have been commended by you, for in nothing was I inferior to the very best apostles, though I am nothing.
  • Gal 6:10So then, as we have opportunity, let’s do what is good toward all men, and especially toward those who are of the household of the faith.
  • 2 Cor 5:14For the love of Christ constrains us; because we judge thus, that one died for all, therefore all died.
  • Acts 8:12But when they believed Philip preaching good news concerning God’s Kingdom and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
  • Luke 9:4–5Into whatever house you enter, stay there, and depart from there.
  • Luke 14:23“The lord said to the servant, ‘Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.
  • Acts 8:38He commanded the chariot to stand still, and they both went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him.
  • Acts 18:8Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord with all his house. Many of the Corinthians, when they heard, believed and were baptized.
  • Rom 16:23Gaius, my host and host of the whole assembly, greets you. Erastus, the treasurer of the city, greets you, as does Quartus, the brother.
  • Judg 19:19–21Yet there is both straw and feed for our donkeys; and there is bread and wine also for me, and for your servant, and for the young man who is with your servants. There is no lack of anything.”
  • Gen 33:11Please take the gift that I brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough.” He urged him, and he took it.
  • Luke 10:5–7Into whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house.’
  • 1 Sam 28:23But he refused, and said, “I will not eat.” But his servants, together with the woman, constrained him; and he listened to their voice. So he arose from the earth and sat on the bed.
  • Gen 18:4–5Now let a little water be fetched, wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree.
  • Matt 10:41He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward. He who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward.
  • 2 Kgs 4:8One day Elisha went to Shunem, where there was a prominent woman; and she persuaded him to eat bread. So it was, that as often as he passed by, he turned in there to eat bread.
  • 2 Jn 1:10If anyone comes to you, and doesn’t bring this teaching, don’t receive him into your house, and don’t welcome him,

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (7)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Acts videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Acts 16:15YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on ActsMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

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 16:15 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

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.