Acts 16:4 (GNV)

Passage

And as they went through the cities, they deliuered them the decrees to keepe, ordeined of the Apostles and Elders, which were at Hierusalem.

Nearby Context

Acts 16:2 Of whom the brethren which were at Lystra and Iconium, reported well.

Acts 16:3 Therefore Paul would that he should go forth with him, and tooke and circumcised him, because of ye Iewes, which were in those quarters: for they knewe all, that his father was a Grecian.

Acts 16:4 And as they went through the cities, they deliuered them the decrees to keepe, ordeined of the Apostles and Elders, which were at Hierusalem.

Acts 16:5 And so were the Churches stablished in the faith, and encreased in number daily.

Acts 16:6 Nowe when they had gone throughout Phrygia, and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden of the holy Ghost to preache the worde in Asia.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "went", "through", "cities", "deliuered", "decrees", "keepe", "ordeined", and "apostles". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "went" and "through", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 3's "Therefore Paul would that he should go..." into verse 5's "And so were the Churches stablished in...", so "went" and "through" 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 "went" and "through" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.