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Acts 16

Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek:

Which was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium.

Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and took and circumcised him because of the Jews which were in those quarters: for they knew all that his father was a Greek.

And as they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem.

And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily.

Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia,

After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not.

And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas.

And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us.

And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavored to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.

Therefore loosing from Troas, we came with a straight course to Samothracia, and the next day to Neapolis;

And from thence to Philippi, which is the chief city of that part of Macedonia, and a colony: and we were in that city abiding certain days.

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 purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.

And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us.

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:

The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation.

And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.

And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers,

And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city,

And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans.

And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them.

And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely:

Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.

And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.

And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed.

And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.

But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.

Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas,

And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.

And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.

And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.

And when it was day, the magistrates sent the serjeants, saying, Let those men go.

And the keeper of the prison told this saying to Paul, The magistrates have sent to let you go: now therefore depart, and go in peace.

But Paul said unto them, They have beaten us openly uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast us into prison; and now do they thrust us out privily? nay verily; but let them come themselves and fetch us out.

And the serjeants told these words unto the magistrates: and they feared, when they heard that they were Romans.

And they came and besought them, and brought them out, and desired them to depart out of the city.

And they went out of the prison, and entered into the house of Lydia and when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them, and departed.

What does Acts 16:8 mean?

Explanation

The scripture [And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas.] from the Book of Acts 16:8 is a narrative passage that describes a moment during the Apostle Paul's second missionary journey.

In this brief verse, Luke, the author of Acts, provides a geographical note indicating the traveling route taken by Paul and his missionary team.

The phrase "passing by Mysia" suggests that they did not stop to preach or establish churches in that region for reasons not specified in the text.

Instead, they traveled on to Troas, which was a significant port city in northwestern Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey).

The use of the phrase "came down" typically refers to arriving at a coastal location from the interior regions.

On a deeper level, the verse prepares readers for the next significant event where Paul receives the "Macedonian Call" in a vision, which leads him to take the gospel to Europe for the first time. This represents a critical shift in the early Christian church's missionary activities.

Top Rated Acts Books

Historical Context

At the time of Paul's second missionary journey (circa 49–52 A.D.), Mysia was a region in Asia Minor, and Troas, known today as Alexandria Troas, was a coastal city in the northwest of Asia Minor, near the ancient site of Troy.

It was a Roman colony of significant strategic importance. The Roman Empire maintained it as a busy seaport facilitating trade and movement between Asia Minor and Europe.

The missionary journeys of Paul took place in the broader context of the Roman Empire, which provided relative stability (Pax Romana) and infrastructure that enabled travel and communication across the region.

Theological Insights

Divine Direction and Providence

The passage implicitly raises the issue of divine guidance in missions.

The fact that Paul "passed by" Mysia without stopping could be seen as indicative of the Holy Spirit's leading, as earlier in Acts 16, Paul and his team were "forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia."

Openness to the Spirit's Guidance

Furthermore, Paul's journey to Troas and subsequent vision of the "Macedonian Call" illustrate responsiveness to the Holy Spirit's guidance in ministry.

It suggests that God has specific plans and fields of labor for His servants.

Practical Applications

Discernment in Ministry

The passage encourages believers to be discerning and sensitive to where and how they are called to serve. Not every open door is necessarily the one God intends for us to walk through.

Readiness to Change Plans

It also teaches the importance of being flexible and open to change in ministry plans. Paul's journey was characterized by such detours and changes, ultimately leading to greater opportunities for spreading the Gospel.

Cross-References

Acts 16:6-7 – Paul is directed by the Holy Spirit not to preach in Asia but rather move towards Macedonia.
Acts 20:5-6 – Paul revisits Troas later in his ministries and stays for seven days, illustrating the strategy of establishing and revisiting churches.

Language Study

In the original Greek language, the verse reads: "παρελθόντες δὲ τὴν Μυσίαν κατήλθον εἰς Τρῳάδα." The key terms to consider are:

"παρελθόντες" (parelthontes) – meaning "having passed by"
"κατήλθον" (katēlthon) – literally translates as "came down," connoting a descent, often towards the coast.
"Τρῳάδα" (Troada) – refers to the place name Troas.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In the context of ancient religions and myths, cities often held significant spiritual meanings, with many being considered sacred or central to certain gods.

Troas's proximity to the ancient city of Troy could evoke memories or associations with the Homeric epics, which infused Greek and Roman culture.

Paul could have interpreted his mission in light of the prevailing cultural milieu, but instead, he sought direction from the Christian God, which was a departure from the mythological narratives of the time.

Scientific Perspectives

This verse does not directly address scientific matters, but from an archaeological standpoint, studies and excavation of ancient Troas provide insights into the city's layout and importance, corroborating the Biblical account of it being a major port in Paul's time.

Commentaries

Biblical scholars and commentators often point out the brevity with which Luke describes this part of Paul's journey in Acts 16:8, leaving many questions unanswered about their reasons for "passing by Mysia." Yet, they also note that Luke's precise note-taking on geographical movements reflects the historical and missionary diligence in recording the expansion of early Christianity.

Commentators typically emphasize the strategic role that Troas played as the gateway to Europe and thus symbolically representing a new chapter in the Christian mission, highlighting the importance of being led by the Spirit in selecting mission fields.

Acts 16

Acts 16

What does Acts 16:8 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Acts Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Divine Direction and Providence

Openness to the Spirit's Guidance

Practical Applications

Discernment in Ministry

Readiness to Change Plans

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Acts 16:8 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Acts Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Divine Direction and Providence

Openness to the Spirit's Guidance

Practical Applications

Discernment in Ministry

Readiness to Change Plans

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?