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NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Act_16:6-10
6They passed through the Phrygian and Galatian region, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia; 7and after they came to Mysia, they were trying to go into Bithynia, and the Spirit of Jesus did not permit them; 8and passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas. 9A vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing and appealing to him, and saying, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." 10When he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.
Act_16:6 "passed through the Phrygian and Galatian region" In this text Luke is speaking more of racial, linguistic groupings than of Roman political divisions or provinces. This idiom would refer to the unofficial boundary between these ethnic groups.
▣ "having been forbidden" This is an aorist passive participle. It is a common term in the Septuagint and in the NT. The Spirit was intimately involved in the actions and decisions of the early church (cf. Act_2:4; Act_8:29; Act_8:39; Act_10:19; Act_11:12; Act_11:28; Act_15:28; Act_16:6-7; Act_21:4; Rom_1:13). The modern church has lost the dynamism of the early church.
▣ "in Asia" This refers to the Roman Province of Asia Minor, which was the western end of modern Turkey.
Act_16:6-7 "the Holy Spirit. . .Spirit of Jesus" For the personality of the Spirit, see Special Topic at Act_1:2. See Special Topic following.
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Act_16:7 "Mysia" This was an ethnic area in the northwest of the Roman Province of Asia Minor. It was mountainous with several major Roman roads. Its major cities were Troas, Assos, and Pergamum.
▣ "Bithynia" This region was also in northwest Asia Minor, northeast of Mysia. This was not a Roman Province in Luke's day, but was combined with Pontus as one political unit. Peter later evangelized this area (cf. 1Pe_1:1). We learn from Philo that there were many Jewish colonies in this area.
Act_16:8 "passing by Mysia" In this context, it must mean "passing through" or "around" (cf. BAGD 625). Remember, context determines meaning and not lexicons/dictionaries.
▣ "Troas" This city was four miles from ancient Troy. It was founded about 400 years earlier and remained a free Greek city until it became a Roman colony. It was the regular port of departure from Mysia to Macedonia.
Act_16:9 "A vision appeared to Paul" God led Paul several times by supernatural means.
1. bright light and Jesus' voice, Act_9:3-4
2. a vision, Act_9:10
3. a vision, Act_16:9-10
4. a vision, Act_18:9
5. a trance, Act_22:17
6. an angel of God Act_27:23
▣ "a man of Macedonia" How Paul knew he was from Macedonia is uncertain. Possibly it was because of accent, clothes, ornaments, or simply stated in the vision. Some commentators think the man was Luke (cf. Act_16:10).
This was a major geographical decision. The gospel turns to Europe!
▣ "Come over. . .help us" The first is an aorist active participle, used as an imperative, the second is an aorist active imperative. The vision was very specific and forceful.
Act_16:10 "we" This is the first occurrence of the "we" sections in Acts. This refers to Luke's addition to the missionary group of Paul, Silas, and Timothy (cf. Act_16:10-17; Act_20:5-15; Act_21:1-18; Act_27:1 to Act_28:16). Some commentators have thought that the man Paul saw in Act_16:9 was Luke, the Gentile physician and author of the Gospel and Acts.
▣ "Macedonia" Modern Greece was divided into two Roman Provinces.
1. Achaia in the south (Athens, Corinth, Sparta)
2. Macedonia in the north (Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea)
▣ "concluding" This is the term sumbibazô, which literally means to bring together or unite. Here it has the implication that all that happened was God's leadership to go to Macedonia.
1. the Spirit not letting them preach in Asia, cf. Act_16:6
2. the Spirit closing off Bythinia, cf. Act_16:7
3. and the vision of Act_16:9
▣ "God has called" This is a perfect passive indicative. The Spirit's leadership was not for safety, but for evangelism. This is always God's will.