διελθόντες δὲ τὴν Φρυγίαν καὶ τὴν Γαλατικὴν χώραν, κωλυθέντες ὑπὸ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος λαλῆσαι τὸν λόγον ἐν τῇ Ἀσίᾳ
Acts 16:6 narrates a significant moment when Paul and his companions, while faithfully carrying out their missionary work, are sovereignly redirected by the Holy Spirit. The Greek wording captures both their obedience in movement and their sensitivity to divine intervention.
Grammatical Foundations
διελθόντες δὲ τὴν Φρυγίαν καὶ τὴν Γαλατικὴν χώραν—”And having passed through Phrygia and the Galatian region.”
- διελθόντες—aorist active participle, nominative masculine plural from διέρχομαι, meaning “having passed through” or “having traveled through.”
- δὲ—a mild connective, “and” or “then,” linking the narrative.
- τὴν Φρυγίαν καὶ τὴν Γαλατικὴν χώραν—accusative direct objects of the participle, specifying the regions traversed.
κωλυθέντες ὑπὸ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος—”having been prevented by the Holy Spirit.”
- κωλυθέντες—aorist passive participle, nominative masculine plural from κωλύω, “to hinder” or “to prevent.”
- ὑπὸ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος—prepositional phrase (ὑπό + genitive) indicating agency: “by the Holy Spirit.”
λαλῆσαι τὸν λόγον ἐν τῇ Ἀσίᾳ—”to speak the word in Asia.”
- λαλῆσαι—aorist active infinitive from λαλέω, “to speak.”
- τὸν λόγον—accusative singular, “the word,” referring to the gospel message.
- ἐν τῇ Ἀσίᾳ—”in Asia,” meaning the Roman province of Asia (modern western Turkey), not the entire continent.
The participial construction indicates two actions happening in sequence: first they passed through certain regions, then they experienced divine prohibition.
Exegetical and Theological Implications
This verse highlights the active leadership of the Holy Spirit in mission. Paul and his team are not merely strategizing humanly; they are sensitive to divine vetoes. Being “prevented” (κωλυθέντες) shows that faithful ministry sometimes includes closed doors—under God’s wise and sovereign direction.
Importantly, the text does not indicate why they were prevented—only that they were. Their obedience to the Spirit’s unseen guidance models Christian humility and flexibility. The mission is God’s, not ours to control.
Linguistic and Historical Perspectives
διέρχομαι was a common term for travel, often with the nuance of purposeful movement. κωλύω typically suggests strong hindrance or obstruction, used in both military and legal settings in Greek literature. That the Spirit could “forbid” shows the close, almost military-like authority He holds in guiding apostolic mission.
Ἀσία refers specifically to the Roman province, not the broader continent, and included major cities like Ephesus and Smyrna—important centers of early Christianity. Yet here, timing was not yet right for entry into Asia’s heartland.
Table: Verbal and Structural Features in Acts 16:6
| Text | Greek Verb / Phrase | Form | Function / Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acts 16:6 | διελθόντες | Aorist active participle, nominative masculine plural | “Having passed through”; indicates completed movement through regions |
| Acts 16:6 | κωλυθέντες | Aorist passive participle, nominative masculine plural | “Having been prevented”; divine prohibition by the Holy Spirit |
| Acts 16:6 | λαλῆσαι τὸν λόγον | Aorist active infinitive + accusative noun | “To speak the word”; expresses the action they were hindered from carrying out |
The Verse as a Paradigm of Koine Greek Richness
Acts 16:6 reveals how Koine Greek can simultaneously narrate human action and divine intervention with clarity and brevity. Through flowing participles and succinct infinitives, Luke shows that faithful mission is not only about movement but about listening—sometimes moving forward, sometimes waiting for God’s redirection at the right καιρός.
