Amplified Bible
Acts 16:20
20and when they had brought them before the chief magistrates, they said, “These men, who are Jews, are throwing our city into confusion and causing trouble.
Acts 16:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city,
- New International Version (NIV)They brought them before the magistrates and said, “These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar
- English Standard Version (ESV)And when they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, "These men are Jews, and they are disturbing our city.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And they brought them to the magistrates, and said, “These men, being Jews, exceedingly trouble our city;
Context of Acts 16:20
18She continued doing this for several days. Then Paul, being greatly annoyed and worn out, turned and said to the spirit [inside her], “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ [as His representative] to come out of her!” And it came out at that very moment. 19But when her owners saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them before the authorities in the market place [where trials were held], and when they had brought them before the chief magistrates, they said, “These men, who are Jews, are throwing our city into confusion and causing trouble. 21They are publicly teaching customs which are unlawful for us, as Romans, to accept or observe.” 22The crowd also joined in the attack against them, and the chief magistrates tore their robes off them and ordered that Paul and Silas be beaten with rods.
Read all of Acts 16Acts 16:20 word by word
καὶ προσαγαγόντες αὐτοὺς τοῖς στρατηγοῖς εἶπαν· οὗτοι οἱ ἄνθρωποι ἐκταράσσουσιν ἡμῶν τὴν πόλιν Ἰουδαῖοι ὑπάρχοντες·Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- broughtπροσάγωprosagō · to bring nearG4317
- themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- to the magistratesὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- to the magistratesστρατηγόςstratēgos · officer/magistrateG4755
- sayingλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- Theseοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
- menἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
- beingὑπάρχωhuparchō · be alreadyG5225
- JewsἸουδαῖοςIoudaios · JewG2453
- do exceedingly troubleἐκταράσσωektarassō · to disturb greatlyG1613
- ourἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- cityπόλιςpolis · cityG4172
Cross-references for Acts 16:20
- Acts 18:2There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife, Priscilla, because [the Roman Emperor] Claudius had issued an edict that all the Jews were to leave Rome. Paul went to see them,
- Acts 19:34But when they realized that he was a Jew, a single outcry went up from the crowd as they shouted for about two hours, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”
- Ezra 4:12Let it be known to the king that the Jews who came up from you have come to us at Jerusalem. They are rebuilding this rebellious and evil city and are finishing its walls and repairing the foundations.
- Esther 3:8Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, “There is a certain people scattered [abroad] and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom; their laws are different from those of all other people, and they do not observe the king’s laws. Therefore it is not in the king’s interest to [tolerate them and] let them stay here.
- Acts 17:6But when they failed to find them, they dragged Jason and some brothers before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here too;
- Acts 28:22But we would like to hear from you what your views are [that is, exactly what you believe]; for in regard to this sect (Christianity), we are fully aware that it is denounced everywhere.”
- 1 Kings 18:17When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, “Are you the one who is bringing disaster on Israel?”
- Matthew 2:3When Herod the king heard this, he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.
- John 15:18“If the world hates you [and it does], know that it has hated Me before it hated you.
- Romans 12:2And do not be conformed to this world [any longer with its superficial values and customs], but be transformed and progressively changed [as you mature spiritually] by the renewing of your mind [focusing on godly values and ethical attitudes], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His plan and purpose for you].
- James 4:4You adulteresses [disloyal sinners—flirting with the world and breaking your vow to God]! Do you not know that being the world’s friend [that is, loving the things of the world] is being God’s enemy? So whoever chooses to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
Commentaries on Acts 16:20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20Brought them to the magistrates - , The commanders of the army, who, very likely, as this city was a Roman colony, possessed the sovereign authority. The civil magistrates, therefore, having heard the case, as we shall soon find, in which it was pretended that the safety of the state was involved, would naturally refer the business to the decision of those who had the supreme command. Exceedingly trouble our city - They are destroying the public peace…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20And brought them to the magistrates - To the military rulers ͂ stratēgoisor praetors. Philippi was a Roman colony, and it is probable that the officers of the army exercised the double function of civil and military rulers. Do exceedingly trouble our city - In what way they did it they specify in the next verse. The charge which they wished to substantiate was that of being disturbers of the public peace. All at once they became conscientious. They…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 16-24Verses 16-24 Satan, though the father of lies, will declare the most important truths, when he can thereby serve his purposes. But much mischief is done to the real servants of Christ, by unholy and false preachers of the gospel, who are confounded with them by careless observers. Those who do good by drawing men from sin, may expect to be reviled as troublers of the city. While they teach men to fear God, to believe in Christ, to forsake sin, and to live…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 19-21As 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…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2020. These men, being Jews--objects of dislike, contempt, and suspicion by the Romans, and at this time of more than usual prejudice. do exceedingly trouble our city--See similar charges, Ac 17:6; 24:5; 1Ki 18:17. There is some color of truth in all such accusations, in so far as the Gospel, and generally the fear of God, as a reigning principle of human action, is in a godless world a thoroughly revolutionary principle ... How far external commotion and…Read the comment
Topics related to Acts 16:20
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Acts 16
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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