And after he had spent some time there, he departed, and went over all the country of Galatia and Phrygia in order, strengthening all the disciples.
And after he had spent some time there (but probably not long), he departed - little thinking he was never more to return,
And went over (or 'through') [all] the country of Galatia and Phrygia. Galatia, being the region that would first be come to-proceeding in a northwesterly direction from Antioch-is here mentioned before Phrygia; whereas in Acts 16:6, as Phrygia would be first entered, the order is the reverse.
In order - meaning, probably, in the order in which the churches lay х kathexees (G2517) = 150: efexees, an exclusively Lucan word, being used by no other New Testament writer, but by Luke five times - Luke 1:3; Luke 8:1; Acts 3:24; Acts 11:4 - and here]. These places were now visited, as would seem, for the fourth time. From the Epistle to the Galatians we may gather that proceedings, some of them painful, must have taken place in connection with certain of these churches. On the omission of all details of the visitation of these churches of Asia Minor, see the note at Acts 16:6. One thing lay near the apostle's heart on this journey-the raising of a contribution for the poor saints of Palestine from all the Gentile churches, to be by him carried to Jerusalem and presented to the church there, as an offering of love and token of oneness with their Jewish brethren. An understanding that something of this kind should be done had been come to even at the council of Jerusalem, as a means of cementing the two great sections of believers; and the apostles tells the Galatians that this was a scheme into which he eagerly entered (Galatians 2:9-10).
Accordingly, we find him referring to it both in his First Epistle to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 16:14) and in his Second (2 Corinthians 8:1-24; 2 Corinthians 9:1-15), and in his Epistle to the Romans (Romans 15:25-26): see also Acts 24:17. It was in immediate connection with this interesting object, and with the view of having their contributions ready on his arrival, that he now directed all the churches of Galatia and that of Corinth to establish a regular collection on the first day of every week (1 Corinthians 16:1-2); which has ever since that time probably been converted into a public usage throughout all Christendom-though it cannot be shown that the public weekly offering is quite the same as the "laying by himself in store" х par' (G3844) heautoo (G1438)] which the apostle enjoins. (See the notes at 1 Corinthians 16:1-2.) Timotheus and Erastus, Gaius and Aristarchus, appear to have accompanied him on his journey (Acts 19:22; Acts 19:29; 2 Corinthians 1:1), and, from 2 Cor. we may presume, Titus also.
Episode concerning Apollos at Ephesus and Corinth (18:24-28)
This is one of the most interesting and suggestive incidental narratives in this precious History. It is introduced here, apparently, as occurring about the time at which the historian has arrived.