In Acts 16:13 where the women had assembled on the Sabbath by the river, do you think that was a woman-only assembly, or were other men, besides Paul, there?<\/p>\n\t
Paul took Silas with him (Acts 15:41), Timothy also accompanies Paul (Acts 16:1-4), and at Troas Luke joins (the “we” in Acts 16:11). There are at least four men traveling together when they arrived at Phillipi.<\/p>\n
“And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to a riverside, where we were supposing that there would be a place of prayer; and we sat down and began speaking to the women who had assembled. A woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple fabrics, a worshiper of God, was listening; and the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul. And 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<\/em>” (Acts 16:13-15).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
We learn they went to a place of prayer where the group thought they could find people following the Jewish religion. When they arrived, Paul talked to a group of women there, and who is specifically mentioned as responding is Lydia. It might be possible that there were some other men there, it doesn’t seem likely. We know in other places that Jewish men tend to have strong opinions and speak out. Lydia was a Gentile woman since it calls her “a worshiper of God.” Her whole household was converted to the faith.<\/p>\n
The place of prayer was where Jewish people met, along with Gentiles who were interested in Judaism. In Acts 16:16, we see Paul and his company heading to the place of prayer again, so it continued to be used as a meeting place. Whether men were among the number by this time, we don’t know.<\/p>\n
As time goes on, a jailer and his family (Acts 16:25-33) join the church and at the end of the chapter there is mention of the brethren at Lydia’s house (Acts 16:40).<\/p>\n
Alan Feaster<\/p>\n\t
Question:<\/h2>\n
Thanks Alan for your response.<\/p>\n
The reason I ask is because it is being used as a reference to a woman’s prayer group. Do you have any thoughts on that since “women’s prayer group” is not specifically seen in the Scriptures? Do believe we have the authority to call for a separate women’s only prayer group?<\/p>\n\t
Answer:<\/h2>\n
I see there is a little more to your question! The easiest answer is that this is a misuse of Scripture. Think about why Paul and his companions went here on the Sabbath. They were looking for people who followed the Jewish religion. This meeting was not composed of Christians but of Jewish believers. Trying to bind this in the new covenant under Christ would be adding to the Law of Christ if we were using this passage as our only example.<\/p>\n
This group was not an exclusive group because Paul arrived, was welcomed, and was later returned to this place of prayer. Now we have a group of both men and women.<\/p>\n
Putting all this misuse of Scripture behind us: Is it wrong for just women to get together and pray? The simple answer is no. If women want to get together and pray, that is a wonderful idea! (Titus 2:3-5). We are told older women to teach younger women about all things. Titus gives us a few topics: marriage, family, and acting like Christians are things to be taught. But mature women in the faith should be teaching younger women how to pray for their families and how to teach their kids to follow the Lord. There will be times when teaching and praying need to be done separately from the men. Women are commanded to take these tasks to other women.<\/p>\n
Is it wrong to hold private prayer groups? The answer is no. There were women who could prophesy and it could only be done for women and children (I Corinthians 11:5; Acts 2:17-18; 21:9). The reason for this conclusion is that women were not to lead in a gathering of the church if men are present, nor to teach men in public places (I Corinthians 14:34; I Timothy 2:11-15).<\/p>\n
As a side note: when you say “prayer group,” I am guessing you mean women getting together to pray and not a “prayer ministry” as some churches have.<\/p>\n
If there are any other questions let me know.<\/p>\n
Alan Feaster<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Question: In Acts 16:13 where the women had assembled on the Sabbath by the river, do you think that was a woman-only assembly, or were other men, besides Paul, there? Answer: Paul took Silas with him (Acts 15:41), Timothy also accompanies Paul (Acts 16:1-4), and at Troas Luke joins (the “we” in Acts 16:11). There…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[144,118],"class_list":["post-49901","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-answer","tag-acts","tag-paul"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":12621,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/arent-there-more-examples-of-paul-preaching-on-the-sabbath-than-on-the-first-day-of-the-week\/","url_meta":{"origin":49901,"position":0},"title":"Aren’t there more examples of Paul preaching on the Sabbath than on the first day of the week?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 30, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: You seem to be saying that Acts 20:7 shows that the disciples kept the first day of the week but I would like you to explain why in Acts 13:42-44; Acts 17:1-4; and Acts 18:1-4 that the Apostle Paul, along with the Jews and Gentiles, observed the Sabbath day\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":56975,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/how-does-the-lord-open-hearts\/","url_meta":{"origin":49901,"position":1},"title":"How Does the Lord Open Hearts?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 16, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"by Greg Gwin In Acts 16 we read: \"And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither. And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":84199,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/do-men-hold-a-monopoly-on-the-business-meeting\/","url_meta":{"origin":49901,"position":2},"title":"Do Men Hold a Monopoly on the Business Meeting?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 7, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"by Dale Smelser via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 13, No. 4, December 21, 1987 Several articles by me recently on elders, deacons, and business meetings have led to numerous questions about women attending business meetings. I have noted that the business meeting does not have oversight. We cannot substitute another system\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":2676,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/does-acts-217-18-prove-women-can-be-preachers\/","url_meta":{"origin":49901,"position":3},"title":"Does Acts 2:17-18 prove women can be preachers?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 22, 2005","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I've been talking with a person who says Acts 2:17-18 gives women the right to be preachers. I showed him I Corinthians 14:34-37 and I Timothy 2:11-12. I said woman have divinely been given a place, but that place is not to be in authority over a man. Answer:\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":4091,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/let-women-keep-silent-in-the-churches\/","url_meta":{"origin":49901,"position":4},"title":"Let Women Keep Silent in the Churches","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 18, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"by W. Frank Walton \"The women are to keep silent in the churches; for they are not permitted to speak, but are to subject themselves, just as the Law also says\"\u00a0(I\u00a0Corinthians 14:34). What is the silence Paul enjoins upon women? Is it absolute in every situation or is it qualified\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":7479,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/could-you-clarify-when-women-may-speak-in-church\/","url_meta":{"origin":49901,"position":5},"title":"Could you clarify when women may speak in church?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 20, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I have been having a terrible time in our Bible study on Sunday mornings.\u00a0 I had been approached by at least two people saying it bothered them that I spoke up in class.\u00a0 One couple said that I was usurping the authority of the speaker and that I should\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/49901","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=49901"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/49901\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=49901"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=49901"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=49901"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}