Interpretation Activity
Interpretation Summary Builder
Write a careful interpretation summary for Acts 16:16-19 that grows from observation, context, and responsible tool use.
Use your observation notes, key word work, and tool notes to write a meaning-focused summary. This is where you answer, "What does this passage mean?"
Keep your conclusion supported by the passage. Avoid building more than the text can carry.
Which observations most shape your interpretation?
What word, phrase, or context detail helps clarify meaning?
What did a tool clarify without taking over your interpretation?
Name one conclusion the passage does not clearly support.
Write 2 to 4 sentences explaining what Acts 16:16-19 means.
Choose the level that best reflects your confidence.
Reference
Interpretation Guide
Five principles for writing a strong interpretation summary anchored to the text.
Start with what the passage clearly says
Your interpretation must be grounded in what is directly stated in Acts 16:16-19. Observations come first; conclusions follow.
Use key words and context to clarify meaning
Words like "spirit of divination" and "profit" carry meaning shaped by the surrounding passage and broader context. Let those details guide your reading.
Let tools support the work, not replace it
A lexical tool or study note can clarify a word or phrase, but your interpretation should still be rooted in the passage itself, not a secondary source.
Avoid conclusions the passage does not clearly support
Naming what you cannot know-the girl's inner state, her later life, or a universal prescription-is part of good interpretive practice.
Write meaning before moving to personal application
A summary should answer "What does this mean?" before you ask "What should I do?" Keeping these stages separate protects the integrity of both.
This passage records an encounter between Paul, a slave girl with a spirit of divination, and the girl's owners. Paul commands the spirit to leave in Jesus' name; the owners, seeing their source of profit gone, bring Paul and Silas before the authorities.
The passage raises questions about spiritual authority, economic exploitation, and the scope of the gospel mission. A careful interpretation names what the text says without extending beyond it.
About this activity
Study the Word
Interpretation Summary Builder for Acts 16:16-19.
Observation → Interpretation
Good interpretation does not begin with conclusions. It grows from careful, patient observation of what the passage actually says.
Key words and context
Individual words carry meaning shaped by their context. Reading key terms carefully helps build an interpretation that is specific rather than general.
Responsible tool use
Lexicons, study notes, and commentaries support your work. They are helpers, not authorities. The passage remains the primary source.
Interpretive restraint
Naming what a passage does not say is as important as naming what it does. Restraint protects both the text and your reader.
1. Open the Builder tab and complete all four support fields before writing your summary.
2. Write your interpretation summary (2-4 sentences) in the summary field.
3. Select your confidence level and complete the self-check items.
4. Click Review my interpretation for feedback.
5. Use Download my work to save your notes as a text file.