Acts 16 8

Acts 16:8 kjv

And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas.

Acts 16:8 nkjv

So passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas.

Acts 16:8 niv

So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas.

Acts 16:8 esv

So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas.

Acts 16:8 nlt

So instead, they went on through Mysia to the seaport of Troas.

Acts 16 verses

Acts 16 8 Meaning

Acts 16:8 describes a specific segment of Paul's second missionary journey. After facing supernatural restrictions from ministering in other regions of Asia Minor, Paul and his companions traveled quickly through the region of Mysia and reached the coastal city of Troas. This movement represented a critical geographical transition, divinely orchestrated to prepare them for the subsequent phase of their mission, specifically into the continent of Europe.

Acts 16 8 Context

Acts chapter 16 documents a pivotal phase of Paul's second missionary journey. After recruiting Timothy in Lystra and delivering the decrees from the Jerusalem Council, Paul and his companions continued strengthening churches across Asia Minor. Critically, verses 6 and 7 establish the divine framework for the journey's redirection: they were expressly "forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia" and later, when attempting to enter Bithynia, "the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them." This direct divine intervention explains the unexpected course change. Acts 16:8 is therefore a concise description of their obedient movement, shifting from the inland regions of Asia Minor directly towards the Aegean coast. Their arrival in Troas, a significant Roman port, immediately sets the stage for the epoch-making "Macedonian Call" in Acts 16:9, marking the divinely guided expansion of the Gospel into Europe. The historical context highlights the importance of port cities like Troas as critical transit points for travel and commerce across the Roman world, particularly for crossing between continents.

Acts 16 8 Word analysis

• So (οὖν - oun): This Greek conjunction connects this verse to the preceding events, indicating a consequence or a continuation of the narrative. Here, it implies that their movement described in verse 8 is a direct outcome or next logical step following the Holy Spirit's earlier restrictions on where they could preach. It highlights the divine causality guiding their journey.

• passing by (παρελθόντες - parelthontes): Derived from parerchomai, an aorist active participle. It denotes the act of going past, through, or over. This phrasing suggests a rapid movement or transit through Mysia without any specific evangelistic activity or prolonged stay. It aligns with the idea that the Spirit was directing them past this region, similar to how they were forbidden to preach in "Asia" (a larger province which included parts of Mysia) and Bithynia.

• Mysia (Μυσίαν - Mysian): A region in the northwest corner of Asia Minor. It was part of the Roman province of Asia but bordered Bithynia. Its mention specifies their path. By "passing by" it, the narrative emphasizes that this region was not their intended mission field at this juncture, reinforcing the divine hand in navigating their itinerary. It was simply a transit corridor towards their actual, divinely ordained destination.

• they came down (κατέβησαν - katebēsan): From katabainō, meaning "to go down" or "descend." This typically describes a geographical descent, often from an elevated inland area to a lower coastal region or seaport. Many areas of Mysia were elevated, while Troas was a port city at sea level. This term simply details the direction of their physical movement, from an inland location towards the coast.

• to Troas (Τρωάδα - Trōada): A Roman colony and an important port city situated on the Aegean Sea in Asia Minor. Located near the ancient site of Troy, it served as a major strategic gateway for sea travel between Asia and Europe. This city marks the precise destination of their divinely guided journey before receiving the "Macedonian Call." It was a critical transit point for the westward expansion of the Gospel.

• Words-group analysis

  • "passing by Mysia": This phrase succinctly conveys a directed, unimpeded transit through the region. It underlines that Mysia was not their evangelistic target at this point in their journey. It emphasizes obedience to the Spirit's earlier rerouting, which prevented them from engaging in ministry in the general region of Asia or Bithynia, making Mysia merely a geographical passage rather than a mission field.
  • "they came down to Troas": This indicates a definite, divinely orchestrated destination after the previous reroutings. The movement "down" is topographical, leading to a port city. Troas represents a strategic pivot point, not only geographically on the coast but also prophetically as the prelude to the significant Macedonian vision (Acts 16:9), showcasing God's meticulous guidance in positioning His missionaries for the next major advance of the Gospel.

Acts 16 8 Bonus section

• Luke's Entry Point: A significant detail associated with this verse and the immediate subsequent events (Acts 16:10) is the commencement of the "we" passages in the book of Acts. This literary shift strongly suggests that Luke, the author, joined Paul's missionary company at Troas and became an eyewitness to the events from that point forward. His inclusion in the travel narrative lends an invaluable first-person perspective to the subsequent accounts.
• Strategic Divine Waiting: Although the verse simply states their arrival in Troas, the preceding re-routes (Acts 16:6-7) imply a period of waiting or prayer in Troas for further divine direction. Paul’s ministry was characterized by a responsiveness to the Spirit's leading, not just geographical movement. This highlights Paul's submission and dependence on God to open the next door for ministry.
• Troas: A Repeated Hub: Troas was not a one-time destination but proved to be a consistently strategic location in Paul’s travels. It recurs in his later journeys (Acts 20:6-12), serving as an important center where he spent significant time and even left personal items (2 Tim 4:13). This reinforces its importance as a key junction for the burgeoning Christian mission in the Roman Empire.

Acts 16 8 Commentary

Acts 16:8, though brief, encapsulates profound theological and strategic significance within Paul's second missionary journey. It's a testament to the sovereign guidance of the Holy Spirit, overruling human plans to direct the course of the early Christian mission. Having been explicitly barred from preaching in the province of Asia and Bithynia, Paul and his companions' direct route through Mysia to Troas was an act of complete obedience. This journey to Troas was not an accidental or self-determined deviation but a divinely engineered redirection, leading them to the very threshold of a new continent for evangelism. Troas, a crucial Roman port city, became the staging ground where God would reveal His next command – the call to Macedonia, fundamentally altering the trajectory of Christian history by extending the Gospel into Europe. The verse teaches implicit trust in God's navigational wisdom, even when His immediate reasons for redirecting our paths are not yet apparent. It shows that sometimes, divine restraint or redirection leads to a greater, unforeseen purpose.