The commentaries of M. John Calvin upon the Acts of the Apostles, faithfully translated…The commentaries of M. Iohn Caluin vpon the Actes of the Apostles, faithfully translated…

16 And it happened as we went to prayer, a certain maid having a spirit of divination did meet us, which brought her masters much gain by divining. 17 She followed Paul and us, and cried, saying: These men are the servants of the most high God, which preach to us the way of salvation. 18 And this she did many days. And Paul taking it grievously, and turning back said to the spirit: I command thee in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, that thou come out of her. And he came out the same hour. 19 And when her masters saw, that the hope of their gain was gone, having taken Paul and Silas, they drew them into the market place to the rulers. 20 And when they had presented them to the Magistrates they said, These men trouble our city seeing they be Jews: 21 And they preach ordinances, which we may not receive, nor keep, seeing we are Romans. 22 And the multitude came together against them: and when the Magistrates had rent their garments, they commanded them to be beaten with rods.

16 And it happened as we went to prayer, a certaine maid hauing a spirit of diuination did meet vs, which brought her masters much gaine by diuining. 17 She followed Paul and vs, and cryed, saying: These men are the seruaunts of the most high God, which preach to vs the way of saluation. 18 And this shee did many daies. And Paul taking it greeuouslye, and turning back said to the spirit: I command thee in the name of the Lord Iesus Christ, that thou come out of her. And he came out the same houre. 19 And when her masters saw, that the hope of their gaine was gon, hauing taken Paul and Silas, they drew them into the market place to the rulers. 20 And when they had presented them to the Magistrates they said, These men trouble our citie seeing they be Iewes: 21 And they preach ordinances, which we may not receiue, nor keep, seing we are Romanes. 22 And the multitude came together against them: and when the Magistrates had rent their garments, they commanded them to be beaten with rods.

16 Luke prosecuteth the increase of the church: for though he do not straightway in a word express that thing, yet is it easily gathered out of the text, that many were brought unto the faith, or at lest that the church was somewhat augmented, and Paul did not frequent the assemblies in time of prayer in vain. Notwithstanding Luke doth also report that Satan did interrupt this course: to wit, because after that the Apostles were beaten with rods & cast in prison, they were at length enforced to depart the city: yet we shall see in the end of this chapter, that when Satan had done his worst, there was some body of the church gathered before they did depart.