Acts 16:20

Translations

Modern

They brought them to the magistrates and said, “These men are Jews and are throwing our city into turmoil

Traditional

And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city,

Literal

And having brought them up to the magistrates, they said, “These men, being Jews, exceedingly trouble our city

Latin

…et offerentes eos magistratibus, dixerunt: Hi homines conturbant civitatem nostram, cum sint Judæi:

Original

Greek

English

They brought them to the magistrates and said, “These men are Jews and are throwing our city into turmoil

Notes

Acts 16:19–21

As in the ministry of Jesus, the gospel sometimes threatened existing business interests (see also 19:25–27; Mark 5:1–20). Those who were exploiting the slave girl attacked the Christian missionaries and dragged them to the authorities as criminals. They blamed them for causing trouble, used racial bias ("These men are Jews"), and appealed to the Philippians’ pride ("us Romans"). The Philippians were proud Roman citizens of a Roman colony.
customs that are unlawful: By law, Jews were not permitted to make converts of Romans.

Acts 16:13–36

Luke shares stories of three people in Philippi affected by the gospel:

a wealthy woman (16:14–15),
a demon-possessed slave girl exploited for money (16:16–21), and
a middle-ranking officer (16:23–36).

Theme notes and profiles

Paul (Saul) Philippi The Growth of the Church

Events

Second Missionary Journeyc. AD 46
Paul and Silas imprisonedc. AD 47

Related verses

James 4:4
You adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore, whoever chooses to be a friend of the world renders himself an enemy of God.
John 15:18–20
If the world hates you, understand that it hated Me first.
Romans 12:2
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.
Acts 28:22
But we consider your views worth hearing, because we know that people everywhere are speaking against this sect.”
Acts 17:6–8
But when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some other brothers before the city officials, shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have now come here,
Ezra 4:12–15
Let it be known to the king that the Jews who came from you to us have returned to Jerusalem and are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city. They are restoring its walls and repairing its foundations.
Esther 3:8–9
Then Haman informed King Xerxes, “There is a certain people scattered and dispersed among the peoples of every province of your kingdom. Their laws are different from everyone else’s, and they do not obey the king’s laws. So it is not in the king’s best interest to tolerate them.
1 Kings 18:17–18
When Ahab saw Elijah, he said to him, “Is that you, O troubler of Israel?”
Matthew 2:3
When King Herod heard this, he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.
Acts 18:2
There he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to visit them,
Acts 19:34
But when they realized that he was a Jew, they all shouted in unison for about two hours: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”

People

Judah: Israelite tribe, kingdom, and province

Glossary

Bible, Manuscripts and Text of the (New Testament) Book of the Acts of the Apostles Chronology of the Bible (New Testament) Family Life and Relations Lydia (Person) Macedonia Magistrate Paul the Apostle Persecution Philippi Silas Thyatira Travel

Topics

Christian Minister: Persecution: Paul Courts of Justice: Causes In, Were Opened by The Complainant Criminals: Confined in Prisons False Accusation: Incidents Illustrative of Against Paul and Silas False Teachers: Against Paul Falsehood: Paul's Traducers, Falsely Accusing Him of Treason to Caesar Heresy: Paul and Silas Accused of Indictments: Paul and Silas Magistrate: An officer of Civil Law Malice: Masters of the Sorcerous Damsel Toward Paul Paul: Persecuted, Beaten, and Cast Into Prison with Silas Paul: Persecutions Endured By Philippi: Paul Preaches In Prisoners: Paul Prisoners: Silas Select Readings: Paul and Silas in Prison Silas: Imprisoned with Paul in Philippi

Acts 16:20

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