Acts 16:14

Lydia. A popular name for a girl in Roman times. But she may also have taken the name, like so many slaves and women of the freedman class, from her country of origin, the old kingdom of Lydia, which was a Macedonian colony.

Seller of purple. That is, of purple cloth (see on Luke 16:19). The fact that she, and not her husband, is named as the purple seller, suggests that she was managing her own business, and was probably a woman of some substance.

Thyatira. A Lydian city in the province of Asia. It had been founded as a colony from Macedonia, a sequel to the conquest of the Persian monarchy by Alexander the Great. Its name is included among those of the seven churches in the book of Revelation (chs. 1:11; 2:18-29). The city, like many other towns of Asia Minor, was famous for its dye works, which rivaled those of Tyre and Miletus. Inscriptions found in the district show that in Thyatira there was a guild of purple dyers, to which Lydia may have belonged.

Worshipped God. See on ch. 10:2.

Heard. Rather, “was hearing,” that is, was listening, over a period of time.

Whose heart the Lord opened. The Lord had called the evangelists to preach the gospel in Macedonia, and they had lost no time in fulfilling His commission. Now the Lord cooperates with their efforts by opening the heart of a prominent member of their audience. Luke recognizes the need for such divine cooperation; he knows that their preaching is vain without the work of the Spirit upon the hearer’s heart.

That she attended. Literally, “to attend,” “to give heed.” The Lord opened the heart of Lydia in order that she might attend to the message. The context shows that she accepted that message.