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Acts 16:7

in Acts 16

And when they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not permit them.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

and when they were come over against Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia; and the Spirit of Jesus suffered them not;

KJV

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

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This verse in Acts 16

Commentary

12 notes on this verse

A commentator

Bede

Commentary on Acts · Written before 735.

They were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia, etc., up to Passing into Macedonia, help us. Truly the Lord is terrible in counsel above the sons of men. One promises to follow the Master in everything and is not allowed; …

This site's exposition

forbidden of the Holy Ghost

on Acts 16:6-8

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, the mission meets a closed door named as the Spirit's own act, not circumstance, the same Spirit who ordained the mission at 13:2 now redirecting it. Coming to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit suffered them not, a second door shut in as many verses, Luke naming the Spirit as guide by negative direction before any positive word comes. Passing by Mysia without preaching there, they come down to Troas, the coastal city where the guidance will finally turn positive.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers3 voices

A commentator

John Chrysostom

CATENA ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 16.7 · Written in the 5th century.

proposed

The text does not say why they were prevented but only that they were prevented. It teaches us that we only have to obey and not to enquire about the reasons, and it shows us that they did many things according to human customs.

A commentator

John Chrysostom

Homily on Acts 34 · Written in the 5th century.

proposed

"And the Spirit," it says, "suffered them not: but having passed by Mysia they came down to Troas." Wherefore they were forbidden, he does not say, but that they were "forbidden," he does say, teaching us to obey and not ask questions, and showing that they did many things as men.

A commentator

Oecumenius

Commentary on Acts · Written before 550.

proposed

In Asia and Bithynia the Spirit forbids the apostles to speak the word, foreknowing that the heresy of those who fight against the spirits will prevail.

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

A commentator

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament (1755)

Coming to Mysia, and passing it by, as being a part of Asia, they attempted to go into Bithynia; but the Spirit suffered them not - Forbidding them as before. Sometimes a strong impression, for which we are not able to give any account, is not altogether to be despised.

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

They came to Mysia, and, as it should seem, preached the gospel there; for though it was a very mean contemptible country, even to a proverb ( Mysorum ultimus, in Cicero, is a most despicable man ), yet the apostles disdained not to visit it, owning themselves debtors both to the wise and to the unwise, Rom. i.
5 more voices on this verse

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

After they were come to Mysia,.... Another country in Asia Minor.

The Nineteenth Century4 voices

Mysia - This was a province of Asia Minor, having Propontis on the north, Bithynia on the east, Lydia on the south, and the Aegean Sea on the west. They assayed - They endeavored; they attempted. Into Bithynia - A province of Asia Minor lying east of Mysia.

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

Bithynia--to the northeast. but the Spirit--speaking as before. suffered them not--probably because, (1) Europe was ripe for the labors of this missionary party; and (2) other instruments were to be honored to establish the Gospel in the eastern regions of Asia Minor, especially the apostle Peter (see 1Pe 1:1).

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

At this time must have been formed "the churches of Galatia" (Ga 1:2; 1Co 16:1); founded, as we learn from the Epistle to the Galatians (particularly Ga 4:19), by the apostle Paul, and which were already in existence when he was on his third missionary journey, as we learn from Ac 18:23, where it appears that he was no less successful in Phrygia.

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

proposed

After they were come to Mysia - They passed through Phrygia into Mysia, which lay between Bithynia on the north, Phrygia on the east, Aeolia on the south, and the Mediterranean on the west. But the Spirit suffered them not - God saw that that was not the most proper time to preach the word at Bithynia; as he willed them to go immediately to Macedonia, the people there being ripe for the word of life. Instead of το πνευμα, the Spirit merely, το πνευμα Ιησου, the Spirit of Jesus, is the reading of ABCDE, several others, with both the Syriac, the Coptic, Ethiopic, Armenian, Vulgate, Itala, and several of the fathers. The reading is undoubtedly genuine, and should be immediately restored to the text.

The words behind it

17 Greek words

Every Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

8 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Philippians 1:19because I know that through your prayers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, my distress will turn out for my deliverance.8 worksGalatians 4:6And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!”6 worksRomans 8:9You, however, are controlled not by the flesh, but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.5 worksActs 8:29The Spirit said to Philip, “Go over to that chariot and stay by it.”5 worksActs 16:6After the Holy Spirit had prevented them from speaking the word in the province of Asia, they traveled through the region of Phrygia and Galatia.5 works1 Peter 1:11trying to determine the time and setting to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow.4 works
The other 2 cross-references, with their words ▾
1 Peter 1:1Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To the elect who are exiles of the Dispersion throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, chosen4 worksLuke 2:27Led by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. And when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for Him what was customary under the Law,2 works

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    Romans 8:9

    You, however, are controlled not by the flesh, but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong…

    it leads to

    • Galatians 4:6

      And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!”

      Reached by 2 separate paths from here.

    • 1 Corinthians 3:16

      Do you not know that you yourselves are God’s temple, and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?

    • 2 Timothy 1:14

      Guard the treasure entrusted to you, with the help of the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.

    • 1 Corinthians 6:19

      Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;

    • John 14:17

      the Spirit of truth. The world cannot receive Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you do know Him, for He abides with you and will be in you.

  • Through

    Galatians 4:6

    And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!”

    it leads to

    • Romans 8:9

      You, however, are controlled not by the flesh, but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong…

      Reached by 3 separate paths from here.

    • Romans 8:15–17

      For you did not receive a spirit of slavery that returns you to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”

    • Romans 5:5

      And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us.

Where this verse is studied

About Acts

The Ascension, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
The Ascension, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
Acts: the study guide →Read Acts 16 →
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, Commentary on Acts; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, CATENA ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 16.7; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 34; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Oecumenius, Commentary on Acts.

Read on in Acts 16 →