Acts 16:6 (DBY)

Passage

And having passed through Phrygia and the Galatian country, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia,

Nearby Context

Acts 16:4 And as they passed through the cities they instructed them to observe the decrees determined on by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem.

Acts 16:5 The assemblies therefore were confirmed in the faith, and increased in number every day.

Acts 16:6 And having passed through Phrygia and the Galatian country, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia,

Acts 16:7 having come down to Mysia, they attempted to go to Bithynia, and the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them;

Acts 16:8 and having passed by Mysia they descended to Troas.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "Spirit", "having", "passed", "through", "phrygia", "galatian", "country", and "been". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "Spirit" and "having", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 5's "The assemblies therefore were confirmed in the..." into verse 7's "having come down to Mysia they attempted...", so "Spirit" and "having" 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 "having" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.