Acts 16:20

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

And {G2532} brought {G4317} them {G846} to the magistrates {G4755}, saying {G2036}, These {G3778} men {G444}, being {G5225} Jews {G2453}, do exceedingly trouble {G1613} our {G2257} city {G4172},

Bringing them to the judges, they said, “These men are causing a lot of trouble in our city, since they are Jews.

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

and when they had brought them unto the magistrates, they said, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city,

Acts 16:20 describes the moment Paul and Silas were brought before the Roman authorities in Philippi by their accusers, who falsely charged them with disturbing the peace. This verse sets the stage for the dramatic events that follow, including their imprisonment and the miraculous conversion of the Philippian jailer.

Context

This verse immediately follows an incident where Paul, moved by compassion, cast a spirit of divination out of a slave girl. This girl had been a source of significant profit for her owners through her fortune-telling abilities. When her owners realized their source of income was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace, directly before the city's highest officials. Philippi was a Roman colony, meaning it had special status and its citizens were proud of their Roman customs and laws, making accusations of disturbing public order particularly serious.

Key Themes

  • Persecution of the Gospel: The verse highlights the immediate and often hostile opposition faced by early Christian missionaries as they spread the good news. This was not an isolated incident but a recurring pattern in the book of Acts.
  • Misinformation and Prejudice: The accusation, "These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city," was rooted in prejudice and an appeal to Roman xenophobia. The true motive was economic loss, masked by a seemingly civic concern.
  • Conflict with Authority: The early church frequently found itself at odds with established civil and religious authorities, who often perceived the new faith as a threat to their power, traditions, or social order.
  • Economic Motives for Opposition: This situation clearly demonstrates how vested economic interests can fuel opposition to spiritual truth and righteous actions.

Linguistic Insight

The term "magistrates" in the KJV translates the Greek word strategos (στρατηγός), which refers to the Roman praetors or chief officials in a Roman colony. These were powerful military and judicial leaders. By bringing Paul and Silas before such high-ranking officials, the accusers aimed to ensure swift and severe judgment, emphasizing the perceived gravity of their fabricated charges that Paul and Silas were "exceedingly trouble[ing] our city" and disrupting Roman order.

Significance & Application

Acts 16:20 serves as a powerful reminder that proclaiming the Gospel can provoke strong reactions, sometimes leading to false accusations and injustice. For Paul and Silas, this moment of persecution ultimately paved the way for the dramatic conversion of the Philippian jailer and his household, demonstrating how God can use even adverse circumstances for His purposes. It encourages believers to persevere in faith despite opposition, knowing that God is sovereign even in the face of human prejudice and injustice. It also calls us to discern the true motives behind opposition to truth, which are often rooted in selfish interests rather than genuine concern.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • James 4:4

    Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

  • John 15:18

    If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before [it hated] you.

  • John 15:20

    Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.

  • Romans 12:2

    And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

  • Acts 28:22

    But we desire to hear of thee what thou thinkest: for as concerning this sect, we know that every where it is spoken against.

  • Acts 17:6

    And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also;

  • Acts 17:8

    And they troubled the people and the rulers of the city, when they heard these things.

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