• Acts 16:16
    The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures

    • 16 ᾿Εγένετο It occurred δὲ but πορευομένων going ἡμῶν of us εἰς into τὴν the προσευχὴν prayer παιδίσκην servant girl τινὰ some ἔχουσαν having πνεῦμα spirit πύθωνα of python ὑπαντῆσαι to meet ἡμῖν, to us, ἥτις who ἐργασίαν working [profit] πολλὴν much παρεῖχεν was furnishing τοῖς to the κυρίοις lords αὐτῆς of her μαντευομένη· divining;

  • Acts 16:16
    The Bible in Living English

    • 16 And it befell that as we were on our way to the prayer-meeting we met with a certain slave-girl that had an oracular spirit, who did a great business for her owners as a clairvoyant.

  • Acts 16:16
    American Standard Version

    • 16 And it came to pass, as we were going to the place of prayer, that a certain maid having a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much gain by soothsaying.

  • Acts 16:16
    The Emphasized Bible

    • 16 And it came to pass as we were on our way unto the place of prayer a certain damsel having a spirit of Python met us,—who indeed much gain was presenting unto her masters by divining.

  • Acts 16:16
    King James Version

    • 16 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:

  • Acts Study Notes—Chapter 16
    New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (Study Edition)

    • 16:16

      with a spirit, a demon of divination: Lit., “with a spirit of python.” Python was the name of the mythical snake or dragon that guarded the temple and oracle of Delphi, Greece. The Greek word pyʹthon came to refer to a person who could foretell the future and to the spirit that spoke through that one. Although later used to denote a ventriloquist, here in Acts it is used to describe a demon who enabled a young girl to practice the art of prediction.

      by fortune-telling: Or “by practicing the art of prediction.” In the Bible, magic-practicing priests, spiritistic diviners, astrologers, and others are listed as claiming the ability to foretell the future. (Le 19:31; De 18:11) In the Christian Greek Scriptures, the only mention of demons predicting the future is in connection with this event in Philippi. The demons oppose God and those who do his will, so it is not surprising that Paul and Silas suffered severe opposition as a result of casting out this demon of divination.​—Ac 16:12, 17-24.