And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying:
So we're heading to our prayer spot when this girl comes up to us. She was possessed by some kind of fortune-telling spirit, and her owners were making serious money off her predictions.
Even spiritual gifts can be exploited when people care more about profit than the person.
📚 Historical Context
In the Book of Acts, Chapter 16, the apostle Paul and his companions were on their second missionary journey, traveling through Philippi, a prosperous Roman colony in Macedonia, where they regularly gathered for prayer. As they went to this place of prayer, they encountered a slave girl possessed by a spirit of divination, a common practice in the Greco-Roman world where people sought predictions from spirits or oracles to gain wealth. This event illustrates the cultural clash between early Christianity and pervasive pagan rituals that exploited individuals for profit.
Explore Similar Verses
Ask the AI Assistant
Have a question about this chapter or verse? Ask below for a clear explanation.