Acts 16:7

King James Version (KJV)

After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not.

Adam Clarke
Bible Commentary

After they were come to Mysia - They passed through Phrygia into Mysia, which lay between Bithynia on the north, Phrygia on the east, Aeolia on the south, and the Mediterranean on the west.

But the Spirit suffered them not - God saw that that was not the most proper time to preach the word at Bithynia; as he willed them to go immediately to Macedonia, the people there being ripe for the word of life. Instead of το πνευμα, the Spirit merely, το πνευμα Ιησου, the Spirit of Jesus, is the reading of ABCDE, several others, with both the Syriac, the Coptic, Ethiopic, Armenian, Vulgate, Itala, and several of the fathers. The reading is undoubtedly genuine, and should be immediately restored to the text.

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Albert Barnes
Notes on the Whole Bible

Mysia - This was a province of Asia Minor, having Propontis on the north, Bithynia on the east, Lydia on the south, and the Aegean Sea on the west.

They assayed - They endeavored; they attempted.

Into Bithynia - A province of Asia Minor lying east of Mysia.

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Matthew Henry
Concise Bible Commentary

The removals of ministers, and the dispensing the means of grace by them, are in particular under Divine conduct and direction. We must follow Providence: and whatever we seek to do, if that suffer us not, we ought to submit and believe to be for the best. People greatly need help for their souls, it is their duty to look out for it, and to invite those among them who can help them. And God's calls must be complied with readily. A solemn assembly the worshippers of God must have, if possible, upon the sabbath day. If we have not synagogues, we must be thankful for more private places, and resort to them; not forsaking the assembling together, as our opportunities are. Among the hearers of Paul was a woman, named Lydia. She had an honest calling, which the historian notices to her praise. Yet though she had a calling to mind, she found time to improve advantages for her soul. It will not excuse us from religious duties, to say, We have a trade to mind; for have not we also a God to serve, and souls to look after? Religion does not call us from our business in the world, but directs us in it. Pride, prejudice, and sin shut out the truths of God, till his grace makes way for them into the understanding and affections; and the Lord alone can open the heart to receive and believe his word. We must believe in Jesus Christ; there is no coming to God as a Father, but by the Son as Mediator.

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SDA Bible Commentary (limited)
Volume 1-7

7. Mysia. See Additional Note at end of chapter.

Assayed. An archaic expression meaning “attempted” (cf. ch. 9:26).

Bithynia. Bithynia, lying to the north of Paul’s route, had large towns such as Nicomedia and Nicaea and a considerable Jewish population. It was natural that Paul and his party should wish to work there next. But the Lord had other plans for His willing, obedient servants, and they were led, not to the north, but to the west (see Additional Note at end of chapter). There is no record of any work they did on this stage of their journey, and probably they passed through only some unimportant villages.

Spirit. Textual evidence attests (cf. p. 10) the reading “Spirit of Jesus.” This confirms the view that the Spirit stands in the same relation to the Son as to the Father, and may therefore be spoken of as either the Spirit of God, or of Christ, or of Jesus (cf. on Rom. 8:9).

Suffered them not. That is, did not allow them. It is possible that Peter worked in “Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,” for it is to those converted in these regions that he wrote his first epistle (1 Peter 1:1). A likely time for this ministry was after his “dissimulation” at Antioch (Gal. 2:11-16). Therefore some have suggested the possibility that while Paul was working in Phrygia, on his way to Europe, and Barnabas, who had also “dissembled” (Gal. 2:13), was preaching in Cyprus (Acts 15:39), Peter could well have been working in the very regions, including North Galatia, from which the Spirit was now excluding Paul. To what extent Paul and Peter at this moment had accommodated their differences is not known. But these two great men of God were perhaps saved the pain of further misunderstanding by being kept from meeting again in the “mission field”; and Paul was able to say that he had avoided building on another man’s foundation (Rom. 15:20). However this may be, the main reason for the prohibition to work Bithynia and Asia seems to have been the divine purpose that the gospel should be carried into Europe at this time.

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Ellen G. White
The Acts of the Apostles, 211-20

This chapter is based on Acts 16:7-40.

The time had come for the gospel to be proclaimed beyond the confines of Asia Minor. The way was preparing for Paul and his fellow workers to cross over into Europe. At Troas, on the borders of the Mediterranean Sea, “a vision appeared to Paul in the night: There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us.” AA 211.1

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Cross References

Bithynia

1 Peter 1:1

Paul's Journeys

The Second Missionary Journey of Paul

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Acts 16:7