Acts 16:5 (ASV)

Passage

So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and increased in number daily.

Nearby Context

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.

Acts 16:6 And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden of the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia;

Acts 16:7 and when they were come over against Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia; and the Spirit of Jesus suffered them not;

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "faith", "churches", "strengthened", "increased", "number", and "daily". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "faith" and "churches", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 4's "And as they went on their way..." into verse 6's "And they went through the region of...", so "faith" and "churches" 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 "faith" and "churches" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.