Acts 16:12 (KJV)

Passage

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.

Nearby Context

Acts 16:10 And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.

Acts 16:11 Therefore loosing from Troas, we came with a straight course to Samothracia, and the next day to Neapolis;

Acts 16:12 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.

Acts 16:13 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.

Acts 16:14 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.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "thence", "philippi", "chief", "city", "part", "macedonia", and "colony". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "thence" and "philippi", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 11's "Therefore loosing from Troas we came with..." into verse 13's "And on the sabbath we went out...", so "thence" and "philippi" belong inside that flow. In Acts context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "thence" and "philippi" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.