Acts 16:6-10 meaning

Acts 16:6-10 describes Paul’s journey through Asia. Paul has returned to the churches he planted in the region of Galatia (Acts 13-14). In the city of Lystra, a well-respected disciple named Timothy joined Paul’s team. In each Galatian church, Paul shared the decree written by the elders and apostles in Jerusalem, declaring that Gentile believers did not need to become circumcised or follow the Mosaic Law, but that they should stay away from things sacrificed to idols and sexual immorality. Paul and his team strengthened the churches and preached the gospel in their cities, adding to the numbers of believers.

Having visited each Galatian church, Paul moves further west to continue preaching the word of the Lord. But the Holy Spirit guides his movements:

They passed through the Phrygian and Galatian region, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia; and after they came to Mysia, they were trying to go into Bithynia, and the Spirit of Jesus did not permit them; and passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas
(vs. 6-8).

Paul and his team passed through the Phrygian and Galatian region, moving northwest from Pisidian Antioch. For some reason, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia (v 6). The Spirit must have spoken to one or all of them in a vision, giving them this direct command. 

The province of Asia in the Roman Empire covered much of western Anatolia (modern-day Turkey). Both Asia and Anatolia are ancient Greek words that essentially mean “east,” since the enormous peninsula of Anatolia (modern-day Turkey) is due east of Greece and Macedonia, across the Aegean Sea. 

During the 1^st century, Asia contained territories such as Mysia, Phrygia, Lydia, and cities such as Ephesus, Colossae, Troas, Smyrna, Pergamum, and others. The gospel will in time spread to Asia, but not right now. The letters to the Ephesians, the Colossians, and the letters to the seven churches in Revelation 1-3 are to churches in cities in Asia.

But here, in Acts 16, the Spirit forbids Paul from preaching the gospel in Asia. Eventually he will visit this region, but for now, the Holy Spirit has work for Paul elsewhere. He and his team travel up to Mysia, in the north of Asia, because they were trying to go into Bithynia, which was a separate Roman province. 

Paul must have reasoned, “If I cannot preach in Asia, I should go up north to Bithynia.” Again he and his team are forbidden. Luke writes that the Spirit of Jesus did not permit them (v. 7). This ban is distinct from the previous one from the Holy Spirit. It comes from God the Son, the Spirit of Jesus, not God the Spirit, the Holy Spirit. It seems that either Jesus appeared to them in a vision, telling them not to go into Bithynia, or they discerned this from much prayer and conviction in their hearts. They were not called to preach in Asia or Bithynia at this particular moment. That was not where Jesus and the Spirit wanted them to proclaim the gospel at this time.

So they keep walking west, to the edge of the map, or at least to the edge of Anatolia, right up to the western coast of the landmass of what is modern-day Turkey: passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas (v. 8). Troas was a port city on the Aegean Sea. Across the Aegean were the provinces of Macedonia and Achaia—northern and southern Greece.

Paul and his team had obeyed the Spirit and Jesus. God told Paul not to preach in Asia, so Paul did not preach. He and his team traveled through Asia silently until they reach its end. Now they waited in Troas to be given orders of where they should go. They are only receiving information about what God wants them to do bit by bit, step by step, and they are obeying exactly what God tells them.

While waiting in Troas, God makes it clear to what province He is calling Paul to minister: 

A 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” (v. 9).

Macedonia was also a Roman province. In the first century, it covered much of modern Greece and the modern Republic of North Macedonia. Before the Roman Empire, Macedonia was a Hellenistic kingdom, where Alexander the Great was born. 

Paul’s vision which he sees in the night is curious, because it does not seem to reflect a literal man of Macedonia speaking to him. The Holy Spirit is now telling Paul where to go to preach, after forbidding him from preaching in the province of Asia. But rather than just prompting Paul through a feeling or by speaking to him, the Spirit sends a vivid picture of whom He wants Paul to witness to. 

The man of Macedonia was standing and appealing to Paul, urging him to journey to Macedonia and “help us.” God wanted to help the people of Macedonia and their spiritual need by sending a gospel preacher to them. Paul was just across the Aegean bay, ready to answer the call.

Paul obeys instantly, probably glad to finally have permission and clarity of where to preach: 

When he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them (v. 10).

There is also the notable detail here that Luke suddenly writes in the first person: we sought to go into Macedonia. This leads many to conclude that Luke was present for this journey, and perhaps joined Paul, Silas, and Timothy while in Troas. 

He uses first person pronouns multiple times in verses 10-17, and then stops once Paul and Silas are jailed. It is possible Luke was traveling with them already. Since Paul was not allowed to preach the gospel in Asia, it does not seem to be the case that Luke was a resident in Troas who believed the gospel there. Paul was not preaching in Troas. Luke may have journeyed to meet Paul there, or he may have been with them since Galatia. It is unclear. There are many different theories on where Luke came from.

Wherever he came from, Luke appears to be a strong believer too, not a brand-new convert. We can infer from Colossians 4:11 that Luke was a Gentile. Unlike Timothy, who was Jewish, Luke was not asked to be circumcised. We know Luke was a capable minster, a co-worker in preaching the good news and useful for Paul’s mission work, since he includes himself in the phrase God had called us to preach the gospel to them.