Acts 16:3 (ASV)

Passage

Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and he took and circumcised him because of the Jews that were in those parts: for they all knew that his father was a Greek.

Nearby Context

Acts 16:1 And he came also to Derbe and to Lystra: and behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewess that believed; but his father was a Greek.

Acts 16:2 The same was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium.

Acts 16:3 Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and he took and circumcised him because of the Jews that were in those parts: for they all knew that his father was a Greek.

Acts 16:4 And as they went on their way through the cities, they delivered them the decrees to keep which had been ordained of the apostles and elders that were at Jerusalem.

Acts 16:5 So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and increased in number daily.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "paul", "forth", "took", "circumcised", "jews", "parts", "knew", and "father". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "paul" and "forth", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 2's "The same was well reported of by..." into verse 4's "And as they went on their way...", so "paul" and "forth" 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 "paul" and "forth" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.