After seeing the vision from God, they needed to conclude, that is, to understand what it meant, by exercising the mind — a mind saturated and directed by the spirit (Eph. 4:23) — according to the actual situation and environment.

A seaport on the Aegean Sea at the northwest corner of Asia Minor, opposite Macedonia.

An island in the Aegean Sea between Troas and Philippi.

The seaport of Philippi.

A fortified outpost of the Roman Empire in a foreign country, where the citizens had equal rights with those in the capital, Rome. Hence, Philippi was a strategic point for the spread of the gospel at its beginning in Europe.

Indicating how widespread Judaism and its influence were, even in Europe.

Man's prayer to God affords Him an opportunity for His move among men on the earth.

The Lord here, who opened the heart of Lydia to give heed to the preaching of the gospel, must be the Spirit, who is the Lord Himself (2 Cor. 3:17).

Baptism immediately followed their believing, as the Lord commanded in Mark 16:16.

Lit., sought. This was a major step in the Lord's move for the spreading of His kingdom to another continent, Europe. It explains the intention of the Holy Spirit's forbidding, the Spirit of Jesus' not allowing, and the coming of the vision in the night. To carry out this particular leading in the Lord's strategic move required the endeavoring of the apostle and his co-workers. This they did immediately.

We is used here for the first time to include the writer, Luke. This indicates that from Troas, Luke joined the apostle Paul in his ministry journey.

A province of the Roman Empire in southeastern Europe by the Aegean Sea between Thrace and Achaia .

Not a dream or a trance. See note Acts 10:10^3a.

The Holy Spirit's forbidding them to go to the left, to Asia (v. 6), and the Spirit of Jesus' not allowing them to go to the right, to Bithynia, indicated a straightforward direction for the apostle and his co-workers. Thus, they went in a direct course to Macedonia through Mysia and Troas (v. 8).

The Spirit of Jesus and the Holy Spirit in the preceding verse are used interchangeably, revealing that the Spirit of Jesus is the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is a general title of the Spirit of God in the New Testament; the Spirit of Jesus is a particular expression concerning the Spirit of God and refers to the Spirit of the incarnated Savior who, as Jesus in His humanity, passed through human living and death on the cross. This indicates that in the Spirit of Jesus there is not only the divine element of God but also the human element of Jesus and the elements of His human living and His suffering of death as well. Such an all-inclusive Spirit was needed for the apostle's preaching ministry, a ministry of suffering carried out among human beings and for human beings in the human life.

As in the evangelistic work of Philip (Acts 8:29, 39), the move of the apostle Paul and his co-workers for the spread of the gospel was not according to their decision and preference or according to any schedule made by human council, but by the Holy Spirit according to God's counsel. They intended to speak the word in Asia, but the Holy Spirit forbade them. Forbidding is a part of the Holy Spirit's leading.

See note Acts 8:1^1c and note Acts 9:31^1a.

Lit., timber; an instrument of torture with holes to hold the prisoner's wrists, ankles, and neck. The same word is used in reference to the cross in Acts 5:30; 10:39; Gal. 3:13 and 1 Pet. 2:24.

This indicates that the strong influence of the Judaic background remained among the Jewish believers. It disturbed and frustrated the move of the Lord's gospel (see note Acts 10:14^1a).

See note Acts 11:2^1a.

Lydia, after believing and being baptized, entered into fellowship with the apostle and his co-workers — the fellowship of the Body of Christ — as evidence of her salvation. This is truly an expression of the fact that she had received grace.

The first house that the Lord gained in Europe through His gospel and for His gospel (v. 40).

See note Mark 1:23¹.

Used in reference to a prophesying demon, and also in reference to a fortuneteller.

The art or practice that seeks to foresee or foretell future events or discover hidden knowledge by the aid of supernatural powers.

The Roman praetors.

Indicating that the family of the believer is a complete unit for God's salvation, like the family of Noah (Gen. 7:1), the families partaking of the Passover (Exo. 12:3-4), the family of the harlot Rahab (Josh. 2:18-19), the family of Zaccheus (Luke 19:9), the family of Cornelius (Acts 11:14), the family of Lydia (v. 15), the family of the jailer here, and the family of Crispus in Acts 18:8.

Again baptism was practiced immediately after someone believed. See note Acts 16:15¹. This must have been done in the bathing pool at the place where they were, which, according to the word up in the next verse, must have been downstairs. This shows and testifies to us that the believers in the early days did not have any regulation or ritual; rather, they took appropriate measures in accordance with local conditions.

See note Acts 16:33^1a.

After believing and being baptized, the jailer did not care for the officials who were his superiors or for the criminals. He too came into fellowship with the apostles, the fellowship of the Body of Christ, as a token of his salvation. See note Acts 16:15².

The Roman lictors, those who held the rod to clear the way for the magistrates and to execute punishment on the criminals.