Acts 16:9

Acts 16:9

And 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.

a. NLT: That night Paul had a vision: A man from Macedonia in northern Greece was standing there, pleading with him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us!”

b. NIV: During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.”

c. YLT: And a vision through the night appeared to Paul -- a certain man of Macedonia was standing, calling upon him, and saying, 'Having passed through to Macedonia, help us;' --

d. Amplified Bible Classic: [There] a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man from Macedonia stood pleading with him and saying, Come over to Macedonia and help us!

e. Worrell Translation: And a vision appeared to Paul by night: a certain man of Macedonia was standing, and beseeching him, saying, “Crossing over into Macedonia, help us!”

f. Wuest Translation: And a vision appeared to Paul during the night. A certain man, a Macedonian, was standing and begging him and saying, Come over into Macedonia at once and give us aid.

g. Peshitta Eastern Text: And, in a vision of the night, there appeared to Paul a man resembling a Macedonian, standing and begging him, saying, Come to Macedonia and help me.

1. “And a vision appeared to Paul in the night…”

a. And [Strong: 2532 kai kahee apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.]

b. a vision [Strong: 3705 horama hor'-am-ah from 3708; something gazed at, i.e. a spectacle (especially supernatural):--sight, vision.]

c. appeared [Strong: 3700 optanomai op-tan'-om-ahee, a (middle voice) prolonged form of the primary (middle voice) optomai op'-tom-ahee; which is used for it in certain tenses; and both as alternate of 3708 to gaze (i.e. with wide-open eyes, as at something remarkable; and thus differing from 991, which denotes simply voluntary observation; and from 1492, which expresses merely mechanical, passive or casual vision; while 2300, and still more emphatically its intensive 2334, signifies an earnest but more continued inspection; and 4648 a watching from a distance):--appear, look, see, shew self.]

d. to Paul [Strong: 3972 Paulos pow'-los of Latin origin; (little; but remotely from a derivative of 3973, meaning the same); Paulus, the name of a Roman and of an apostle:--Paul, Paulus.]

e. in [Strong: 1223 dia dee-ah' a primary preposition denoting the channel of an act; through (in very wide applications, local, causal, or occasional):--after, always, among, at, to avoid, because of (that), briefly, by, for (cause) ... fore, from, in, by occasion of, of, by reason of, for sake, that, thereby, therefore, X though, through(-out), to, wherefore, with (-in). In composition it retains the same general importance.]

f. the [Strong: 3588 ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.]

g. night [Strong: 3571 nux noox a primary word; "night" (literally or figuratively):-- (mid-)night.]

1). Kenneth Hagin, Concerning Spiritual Gifts: The Word of Knowledge is the supernatural revelation by the Holy Ghost of certain facts in the mind of God. In his excellent book Kenneth Hagin gives three different examples where the Word of Knowledge is manifested through visions. The vision given to John on the Isle of Patmos, the vision given to Ananias concerning Saul of Tarsus, and finally the vision given to Peter concerning the Gentiles coming to visit him.

2). In this vision given to Paul, the Spirit of God would give Paul direction to go into Macedonia.

2.  “…There stood a man of Macedonia…”

                                                         

a. There stood [Strong: 2258 en ane imperfect of 1510; I (thou, etc.) was (wast or were):--+ agree, be, X have (+ charge of), hold, use, was(-t), were.]

b. stood [Strong: 2476 histemi his'-tay-mee a prolonged form of a primary stao stah'-o (of the same meaning, and used for it in certain tenses); to stand (transitively or intransitively), used in various applications (literally or figuratively):--abide, appoint, bring, continue, covenant, establish, hold up, lay, present, set (up), stanch, stand (by, forth, still, up).]

c. a man [Strong: 5101 tis tis probably emphatic of 5100; an interrogative pronoun, who, which or what (in direct or indirect questions):--every man, how (much), + no(-ne, thing), what (manner, thing), where (-by, -fore, -of, -unto, - with, -withal), whether, which, who(-m, -se), why.]

d. man [Strong: 435 aner an'-ayr a primary word (compare 444); a man (properly as an individual male):--fellow, husband, man, sir.]

e. of Macedonia [Strong: 3110 Makedon mak-ed'-ohn of uncertain derivation; a Macedon (Macedonian), i.e. inhabitant of Macedonia:--of Macedonia, Macedonian.]

1). Some scholars believe this Macedonian was Luke.

3. “…and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us.”    

a. and prayed [Strong: 3870 parakaleo par-ak-al-eh'-o from 3844 and 2564; to call near, i.e. invite, invoke (by imploration, hortation or consolation):--beseech, call for, (be of good) comfort, desire, (give) exhort(-ation), intreat, pray.]

b. him [Strong: 846 autos ow-tos' from the particle au (perhaps akin to the base of 109 through the idea of a baffling wind) (backward); the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative 1438) of the third person , and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons:--her, it(-self), one, the other, (mine) own, said, (self-), the) same, ((him-, my-, thy- )self, (your-)selves, she, that, their(-s), them(-selves), there(-at, - by, -in, -into, -of, -on, -with), they, (these) things, this (man), those, together, very, which.]

c. [Strong: 2532 kai kahee apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.]

d. saying [Strong: 3004 lego leg'-o a primary verb; properly, to "lay" forth, i.e. (figuratively) relate (in words (usually of systematic or set discourse; whereas 2036 and 5346 generally refer to an individual expression or speech respectively; while 4483 is properly to break silence merely, and 2980 means an extended or random harangue)); by implication, to mean:--ask, bid, boast, call, describe, give out, name, put forth, say(-ing, on), shew, speak, tell, utter.]

e. Come over [Strong: 1224 diabaino dee-ab-ah'-ee-no from 1223 and the base of 939; to cross:--come over, pass (through).]

    

f. into [Strong: 1519 eis ice a primary preposition; to or into (indicating the point reached or entered), of place, time, or (figuratively) purpose (result, etc.); also in adverbial phrases:--(abundant-)ly, against, among, as, at, (back-)ward, before, by, concerning, + continual, + far more exceeding, for (intent, purpose), fore, + forth, in (among, at, unto, -so much that, -to), to the intent that, + of one mind, + never, of, (up-)on, + perish, + set at one again, (so) that, therefore(-unto), throughout, til, to (be, the end, -ward), (here-)until(-to), ...ward, (where-)fore, with. Often used in composition with the same general import, but only with verbs (etc.) expressing motion (literally or figuratively).]

g. Macedonia [Strong: 3109 Makedonia mak-ed-on-ee'-ah from 3110; Macedonia, a region of Greece:--Macedonia.]

h. and help [Strong: 997 boetheo bo-ay-theh'-o from 998; to aid or relieve:--help, succor.]

i. us [Strong: 2254 hemin hay-meen' dative case plural of 1473; to (or for, with, by) us:--our, (for) us, we.]

1). The vision described in the text is not complicated. A man from Macedonia asks Paul to come over to help them. After the vision, the decision was made to go into Macedonia. Paul believed it was God leading them, “…assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.” Before we proceed there are a number of things that must be addressed. It is in the next verse where the first person is introduced into the text, i.e., the author of Acts is indicating he is now in the missionary group. Without going into detail here is my opinion which is not original with me. Paul and Silas arrive in Troas and somehow they run into Luke who happens to be Macedonian and a believer. They talk and realize they are very similar who both desire to spread the gospel. They retire for the evening and Paul has the vision. He sees Luke asking him to help them in Macedonia to spread the gospel and after the vision everyone is agreement the next step is to go into Macedonia.