Acts 16:7 (KJV)

Passage

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

Nearby Context

Acts 16:5 And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily.

Acts 16:6 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,

Acts 16:7 After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not.

Acts 16:8 And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas.

Acts 16:9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "Spirit", "after", "come", "mysia", "assayed", "bithynia", and "suffered". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "Spirit" and "after", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 6's "Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia..." into verse 8's "And they passing by Mysia came down...", so "Spirit" and "after" 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 "Spirit" and "after" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.