SEV Biblia, Chapter 16:12
y de allí a Filipos, que es la primera ciudad de la parte de Macedonia, y una colonia; y estuvimos en aquella ciudad algunos días.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Acts 16:12
Verse 12. And from thence to Philippi] This was a town of Macedonia, in the territory of the Edones, on the confines of Thrace, situated on the side of a steep eminence. It took its name from Philip II., king of Macedon. It is famous for two battles, fought between the imperial army, commanded by Octavianus, afterwards Augustus, and Mark Antony, and the republican army, commanded by Brutus and Cassius, in which these were successful; and a second, between Octavianus and Antony on the one part, and Brutus on the other. In this battle the republican troops were cut to pieces, after which Brutus killed himself. It was to the Church in this city that St. Paul wrote the epistle that still goes under their name. This place is still in being, though much decayed, and is the see of an archbishop.
The chief city of that part of Macedonia] This passage has greatly puzzled both critics and commentators. It is well known that, when Paulus AEmilius had conquered Macedonia, he divided it into four parts, merh, and that he called the country that lay between the rivers Strymon and Nessus, the first part, and made Amphipolis its chief city, or metropolis; Philippi, therefore, was not its chief city. But Bishop Pearce has, with great show of reason, argued that, though Amphipolis was made the chief city of it by Paulus AEmilius, yet Philippi might have been the chief city in the days of St. Paul, which was two hundred and twenty years after the division by P. AEmilius. Besides, as it was at this place that Augustus gained that victory which put him in possession of the whole Roman empire, might not he have given to it that dignity which was before enjoyed by Amphipolis? This is the most rational way of solving this difficulty; and therefore I shall not trouble the reader with the different modes that have been proposed to alter and amend the Greek text.
And a colony] That is, a colony of Rome; for it appears that a colony was planted here by Julius Caesar, and afterwards enlarged by Augustus; the people, therefore, were considered as freemen of Rome, and, from this, call themselves Romans, ver. 21. The Jewish definition of aynlq kolonia (for they have the Latin word in Hebrew letters, as St. Luke has it.
here, kolwnia, in Greek letters) is, a free city, which does not pay tribute.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 12. And from thence to Philippi , etc.] This place is by Appianus called Datos, which was its original name; and by Diodorus Siculus, Crenidae f796 , from the fountains of water, which were many and wholesome, that were about it; and it had its name Philippi, from Philip king of Macedon, father of Alexander the great, who rebuilt it f797 : it is now vulgarly called Chrixopolis, that is, Chrysopolis, from the veins and mines of gold found about it; it was famous for a battle here fought between Augustus Caesar and Anthony on the one side, and Brutus and Cassius on the other, in which the latter were vanquished: which is the chief city of that part of Macedonia ; which is called Edonis, in which Ptolomy places it; and a colony : that is, of the Romans; (see Acts 16:37,38) and which Pliny also calls a colony: and we were in that city abiding many days ; without doing anything, having no opportunity, or door opened to them to preach the Gospel; which must be a great trial of their faith, after Paul had seen such a vision, by which they were so strongly assured it was the will of God they should come and preach the Gospel here, and after they had travelled so far by sea and land; though some observe, that the word used signifies not only to abide, but to exercise themselves, by teaching and preaching the word, which it is supposed they did with success; and that the women they after met with by the river side, were such, at least some of them, who had been converted under their ministry; but the former seems to be the truest sense.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 6-15 - The removals of ministers, and the dispensing the means of grace by them, are in particular under Divine conduct and direction. We mus follow Providence: and whatever we seek to do, if that suffer us not we ought to submit and believe to be for the best. People greatly nee help for their souls, it is their duty to look out for it, and to invite those among them who can help them. And God's calls must be complied with readily. A solemn assembly the worshippers of God mus have, if possible, upon the sabbath day. If we have not synagogues, we must be thankful for more private places, and resort to them; no forsaking the assembling together, as our opportunities are. Among the hearers of Paul was a woman, named Lydia. She had an honest calling which the historian notices to her praise. Yet though she had a callin to mind, she found time to improve advantages for her soul. It will no excuse us from religious duties, to say, We have a trade to mind; for have not we also a God to serve, and souls to look after? Religion doe not call us from our business in the world, but directs us in it Pride, prejudice, and sin shut out the truths of God, till his grac makes way for them into the understanding and affections; and the Lor alone can open the heart to receive and believe his word. We mus believe in Jesus Christ; there is no coming to God as a Father, but by the Son as Mediator.
Greek Textus Receptus
εκειθεν 1564 ADV τε 5037 PRT εις 1519 PREP φιλιππους 5375 N-ASM ητις 3748 R-NSF εστιν 2076 5748 V-PXI-3S πρωτη 4413 A-NSF της 3588 T-GSF μεριδος 3310 N-GSF της 3588 T-GSF μακεδονιας 3109 N-GSF πολις 4172 N-NSF κολωνια 2862 N-NSF ημεν 1510 5713 V-IXI-1P δε 1161 CONJ εν 1722 PREP ταυτη 3778 D-DSF τη 3588 T-DSF πολει 4172 N-DSF διατριβοντες 1304 5723 V-PAP-NPM ημερας 2250 N-APF τινας 5100 X-APF
Vincent's NT Word Studies
12. Chief (prwth). Some explain, the first city to which they came in Macedonia.A colony (kolwnia). Roman towns were of two classes: municipia, or free towns, and colonies. The distinction, however, was not sharply maintained, so that, in some cases, we find the same town bearing both names. The two names involved no difference of right or of privilege. The historical difference between a colony and a free town is, that the free towns were taken into the state from without, while the colonies were offshoots from within. "The municipal cities insensibly equaled the rank and splendor of the colonies; and in the reign of Hadrian it was disputed which was the preferable condition, of those societies which had issued from, or those which had been received into, the bosom of Rome" (Gibbon, "Decline and Fall").
The colony was used for three different purposes in the course of Roman history: as a fortified outpost in a conquered country; as a means of providing for the poor of Rome; and as a settlement for veterans who had served their time. It is with the third class, established by Augustus, that we have to do here. The Romans divided mankind into citizens and strangers. An inhabitant of Italy was a citizen; an inhabitant of any other part of the empire was a peregrinus, or stranger. The colonial policy abolished this distinction so far as privileges were concerned. The idea of a colony was, that it was another Rome transferred to the soil of another country. In his establishment of colonies, Augustus, in some instances, expelled the existing inhabitants and founded entirely new towns with his colonists; in others, he merely added his settlers to the existing population of the town then receiving the rank and title of a colony. In some instances a place received these without receiving ally new citizens at all. Both classes of citizens were in possession of the same privileges, the principal of which were, exemption from scourging, freedom from arrest, except in extreme cases, and, in all cases, the right of appeal from the magistrate to the emperor. The names of the colonists were still enrolled in one of the Roman tribes. The traveler heard the Latin language and was amenable to the Roman law. The coinage of the city had Latin inscriptions. The affairs of the colony were regulated by their own magistrates named Dumviri, who took pride in calling themselves by the Roman title of praetors (see on verse 20).
Robertson's NT Word Studies
16:12 {To Philippi} (eis filippous). The plural like aqenai (Athens) is probably due to separate sections of the city united (Winer-Moulton, _Grammar_, p. 220). The city (ancient name Krenides or Wells) was renamed after himself by Philip, the father of Alexander the Great. It was situated about a mile east of the small stream Gangites which flows into the river Strymon some thirty miles away. In this valley the Battle of Philippi was fought B.C. 42 between the Second Triumvirate (Octavius, Antonius, Lepidus) and Brutus and Cassius. In memory of the victory Octavius made it a colony (kolwnia) with all the privileges of Roman citizenship, such as freedom from scourging, freedom from arrest save in extreme cases, and the right of appeal to the emperor. this Latin word occurs here alone in the N.T. Octavius planted here a colony of Roman veterans with farms attached, a military outpost and a miniature of Rome itself. The language was Latin. Here Paul is face to face with the Roman power and empire in a new sense. He was a new Alexander, come from Asia to conquer Europe for Christ, a new Caesar to build the Kingdom of Christ on the work of Alexander and Caesar. One need not think that Paul was conscious of all that was involved in destiny for the world. Philippi was on the Egnatian Way, one of the great Roman roads, that ran from here to Dyrrachium on the shores of the Adriatic, a road that linked the east with the west. {The first of the district} (prwte tes meridos). Philippi was not the first city of Macedonia nor does Luke say so. That honor belonged to Thessalonica and even Amphipolis was larger than Philippi. It is not clear whether by meris Luke means a formal division of the province, though the _Koin_ has examples of this geographical sense (papyri). There is no article with prwte and Luke may not mean to stress unduly the position of Philippi in comparison with Amphipolis. But it was certainly a leading city of this district of Macedonia. {We were tarrying} (emen diatribontes). Periphrastic imperfect active.
