Acts 16:21

Modern

…by promoting customs that are unlawful for us Romans to adopt or practice.”

Traditional

And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans.

Literal

…and proclaim customs not lawful for us, being Romans, to accept nor to practice.”

Latin

…et annuntiant morem quem non licet nobis suscipere neque facere, cum simus Romani.

Greek

English

…by promoting customs that are unlawful for us Romans to adopt or practice.”

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.

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

Theme notes and profiles

Esther 3:8
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.
Acts 16:12
From there we went to the Roman colony of Philippi, the leading city of that district of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days.
Jeremiah 10:3
For the customs of the peoples are worthless; they cut down a tree from the forest; it is shaped with a chisel by the hands of a craftsman.
Acts 26:3
…especially since you are acquainted with all the Jewish customs and controversies. I beg you, therefore, to listen to me patiently.

Rome: Capital city of the Roman Empire