SEV Biblia, Chapter 16:17
Esta, siguiendo a Pablo y a nosotros, daba voces, diciendo: Estos hombres son siervos del Dios Alto, los cuales os anuncian el camino de salud.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Acts 16:17
Verse 17. These men are the servants, &c.] It is astonishing how such a testimony could be given in such a case; every syllable of it true, and at the same time full, clear, and distinct. But mark the deep design and artifice of this evil spirit: 1. He well knew that the Jewish law abhorred all magic, incantations, magical rites, and dealings with familiar spirits; he therefore bears what was in itself a true testimony to the apostles, that by it he may destroy their credit, and ruin their usefulness. The Jews, by this testimony, would be led at once to believe that the apostles were in compact with these demons, and that the miracles they wrought were done by the agency of these wicked spirits, and that the whole was the effect of magic; and this, of course, would harden their hearts against the preaching of the Gospel. 2. The GENTILES, finding that their own demon bore testimony to the apostles, would naturally consider that the whole was one system; that they had nothing to learn, nothing to correct; and thus the preaching of the apostles must be useless to them. In such a predicament is this, nothing could have saved the credit of the apostles but their dispossessing this woman of her familiar spirit, and that in the most incontestable manner; for what could have saved the credit of Moses and Aaron, when the magicians of Egypt turned their rods into serpents, had not Aaron's rod devoured theirs? And what could have saved the credit of these apostles but the casting out of this spirit of divination, with which, otherwise, both Jews and Gentiles would have believed them in compact?
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 17. The same followed Paul and us , etc.] Silas, Luke, and Timothy; the Arabic version reads, the same followed Paul and Silas; as they were going to the oratory: and cried, saying, these men are the servants of the most high God ; not of Python, or Apollo, as she and her masters were; or of any of the deities of the Gentiles; nor of sin, nor of Satan, nor of men, but of the one only true and living God, one of whose titles is wyl[ , Elion, the Most High, ( Genesis 14:22 Psalm 83:18) and these men were his servants, not merely by right of creation, as all men are, or should be; nor only through the power of divine grace upon their souls, bringing them into a willing obedience to him, as all the saints are; but by office, being ministers of the word: wherefore it follows, which show unto us the way of salvation ; which is not by the works of men; for by them the justice of God cannot be satisfied, nor his law fulfilled; God has declared against this way of salvation; it would make void the death of Christ, and frustrate the design of God in it; which is to magnify his grace, and exclude boasting in man: to which may be added, that the best works of men being imperfect, and attended with much sin, would rather damn than save; wherefore it is sinful, dangerous, and vain, to attempt salvation in this way. The only way of salvation is by the Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the law is fulfilled, satisfaction is made for sin, peace and pardon are procured, an everlasting righteousness is brought in, and through whom grace and glory are given: and this is a way of salvation, agreeable to all the perfections of God; in which the vilest sinner made sensible of his sins, and of his need of this, has no reason to despair; it is exceeding suitable to his case, and is a way in which none ever perish, that are directed to it: and now this way of salvation is only shown in the Gospel, by the ministers of it; not by the light of nature, for to men who only have that, it is foolishness; nor by the law of Moses, for to such who are under that, it is a stumbling block; nor by the carnal reason of men, it is not of men, nor after men, but by divine revelation: and therefore the natural man receives it not, it is hid from such; and therefore they project various ways of salvation, which are pleasing in their own eyes, but the end of them are the ways of death; the way to life and immortality, is only brought to light in the Gospel: whether she said this of her own accord, or was obliged to it by divine impulse; and whether it was through fear of Paul, and in flattery to him, or was with a good or bad design, is not easy to determine: however, certain it is, what she said was truth; and sometimes the devil himself, the father of lies, is obliged to speak it.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 16-24 - Satan, though the father of lies, will declare the most importan truths, when he can thereby serve his purposes. But much mischief is done to the real servants of Christ, by unholy and false preachers of the gospel, who are confounded with them by careless observers. Thos who do good by drawing men from sin, may expect to be reviled a troublers of the city. While they teach men to fear God, to believe in Christ, to forsake sin, and to live godly lives, they will be accuse of teaching bad customs.
Greek Textus Receptus
αυτη 3778 D-NSF κατακολουθησασα 2628 5660 V-AAP-NSF τω 3588 T-DSM παυλω 3972 N-DSM και 2532 CONJ ημιν 2254 P-1DP εκραζεν 2896 5707 V-IAI-3S λεγουσα 3004 5723 V-PAP-NSF ουτοι 3778 D-NPM οι 3588 T-NPM ανθρωποι 444 N-NPM δουλοι 1401 N-NPM του 3588 T-GSM θεου 2316 N-GSM του 3588 T-GSM υψιστου 5310 A-GSM εισιν 1526 5748 V-PXI-3P οιτινες 3748 R-NPM καταγγελλουσιν 2605 5719 V-PAI-3P ημιν 2254 P-1DP οδον 3598 N-ASF σωτηριας 4991 N-GSF
Robertson's NT Word Studies
16:17 {The Most High God} (tou qeou tou huyistou). Pagan inscriptions use this language for the Supreme Being. It looks like supernatural testimony like that borne by the demoniacs to Jesus as "son of the Most High God" (#Lu 8:28. Cf; also #Mr 1:24; 3:11; Mt 8:29; Lu 4:41, etc.). She may have heard Paul preach about Jesus as the way of salvation. {The way of salvation} (hodon swterias). A way of salvation, strictly speaking (no article). There were many "ways of salvation" offered to men qen as now.
