And when they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, “These men are Jews, and they are disturbing our city.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The accusers don't just call Paul and Silas "Jews" to identify their ethnicity; they use the label to instantly cast them as troublemakers. Given the Roman decree to expel Jews from Rome and the general Roman antipathy towards Jewish customs at the time, simply calling them "Jews" was a powerful, pre-packaged accusation designed to stir up prejudice and ensure the magistrates would see them as inherently disruptive.
And when they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, “These men are Jews, and they are disturbing our city.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Having been dragged from the house where they were staying, Paul and Silas are brought before the city officials. Their accusers, likely the slave girl's owners, claim the apostles are Jews who are disrupting the peace of Philippi, knowing this label would stir up prejudice and make their charges seem more credible to Roman authorities. The true reason for the complaint, however, is the loss of profit from the girl's spirit-possession, which they conveniently omit to focus on the perceived threat to public order.
The slave owners, furious at losing their income, needed a compelling reason to get the authorities to act. What was their strategy?
When Paul cast the spirit out of the fortune-telling slave girl, her owners lost their livelihood. Their anger and greed drove them to seek revenge.
A New Narrative
They knew their real motive was financial loss, but that wouldn't impress the magistrates. So, they concocted a new story: Paul and Silas were dangerous troublemakers. They cleverly framed their accusation around the idea that these men were 'disturbing the city.' This was a common charge used against those who threatened the social order.
The 'Jew' Card
To make their case even stronger, they added, 'These men are Jews.' At this time, the Jews were often viewed with suspicion and distrust in Roman society. Mentioning their Jewish identity was intended to prejudice the magistrates against them immediately, linking them to a group already perceived as potentially troublesome. It was a tactic to get a harsher response by playing on existing societal biases.
What did it really mean for Paul and Silas to 'disturb the city,' and why was this charge so effective?
The accusation that Paul and Silas were 'disturbing our city' was a serious charge in the Roman world. It implied they were undermining the peace and order that the Roman authorities worked hard to maintain.
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A Threat to Roman Order
Philippi was a Roman colony, and maintaining 'peace and good order' was a top priority for its magistrates. The accusers knew that any suggestion of sedition or public disorder would get the authorities' attention. They framed the gospel message not as spiritual truth, but as a social disruption.
The Gospel as Disruption
In reality, the 'disturbance' was the gospel itself! When the powerful message of Jesus Christ entered a city, it challenged existing power structures, false gods, and sinful practices. The slave girl's demon was cast out, her owners lost their profit, and the spiritual and economic 'order' of the city was indeed shaken. What the accusers saw as a crime, God was using as a catalyst for change.
Understand the original words
stratēgois · Greek Noun
Civil officials or city authorities responsible for maintaining order and adjudicating legal matters within a Roman colony or city.
The accusation that Paul and Silas were 'Jews' disturbing the city played on existing Roman anxieties and prejudices, especially given the recent expulsion of Jews from Rome. This highlights how religious and ethnic identity could easily be conflated with political disruption in the Roman world.
c. 49 AD
Claudius Banishes Jews from Rome
Emperor Claudius expelled Jews from Rome, likely due to disturbances related to 'Chrestus' (often interpreted as Christ). This created a climate of suspicion against Jewish communities across the empire.
c. 50-51 AD— this verse
Paul's Ministry in Philippi
Paul and Silas establish a church in Philippi, a Roman colony in Macedonia. They encounter Lydia and a slave girl possessed by a spirit of divination, leading to their arrest.
c. 50-51 AD
Arrest and Accusation in Philippi
The owners of the slave girl, seeing their profit gone after Paul cast out the spirit, seize Paul and Silas and drag them before the magistrates, accusing them of disturbing the peace.
c. 50-51 AD
Trial and Scourging
The magistrates, influenced by the accusation and the crowd's pressure, order Paul and Silas to be stripped and beaten with rods without a proper trial, as they were perceived as Jews causing unrest.
c. 50-51 AD
Imprisonment and Earthquake
Paul and Silas are thrown into the inner prison and their feet secured in stocks. A violent earthquake shakes the prison, opening all the doors and loosening the prisoners' bonds.
c. 50-51 AD
Conversion of the Jailer
The jailer, fearing execution for the escape, is stopped by Paul from harming himself. He and his household believe in the message of salvation and are baptized.
c. 50-51 AD
Release and Departure
The magistrates, realizing they wrongly punished Roman citizens, escort Paul and Silas out of the city. Paul and Silas depart after visiting the believers.
Jesus warns his disciples they will be brought before rulers and beaten, highlighting the recurring theme of apostles facing opposition from authorities.
Acts 17:6This passage describes a similar accusation against Paul and Silas in Thessalonica, showing the consistent charge of 'turning the world upside down' leveled against the early Christians.
Deuteronomy 28:10This Old Testament passage promises that the nations will see that the Lord's name is called on Israel, implying that their distinct identity could also draw attention, both positive and negative.
1 Peter 4:12Peter's instruction to not be surprised by fiery trials connects to the apostles' experience, framing persecution as a part of the Christian journey.
ellicottActs 16:20: "And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city,"
(20) The magistrates. —The Greek word used ( Stratêgi, literally, generals —the name survived in 1750 in the Italian Stradigo, used of the prefect of Messina) is used with St. Luke’s usual accuracy, for the prætors, or duumviri, who formed the executive of the Roman colonia. These men, being Jews.—We must remember that the decree of Claudius (see Note on Acts 18:2), banishing the J…
pooleActs 16:20: "And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city,"
Magistrates, the same who are called rulers; and the word here shows, that they were under the power of the sword, and ruled by the Romans; though the rulers spoken of in the former verse might be the civil magistrates of the city, and the magistrates here mentioned might be the commanders of the forces therein. They carried them, as they did our Saviour, from one to the other, the…
The accusers don't just call Paul and Silas "Jews" to identify their ethnicity; they use the label to instantly cast them as troublemakers. Given the Roman decree to expel Jews from Rome and the general Roman antipathy towards Jewish customs at the time, simply calling them "Jews" was a powerful, pre-packaged accusation designed to stir up prejudice and ensure the magistrates would see them as inherently disruptive.
Having been dragged from the house where they were staying, Paul and Silas are brought before the city officials. Their accusers, likely the slave girl's owners, claim the apostles are Jews who are disrupting the peace of Philippi, knowing this label would stir up prejudice and make their charges seem more credible to Roman authorities. The true reason for the complaint, however, is the loss of profit from the girl's spirit-possession, which they conveniently omit to focus on the perceived threat to public order.
Having been dragged from the house where they were staying, Paul and Silas are brought before the city officials. Their accusers, likely the slave girl's owners, claim the apostles are Jews who are disrupting the peace of Philippi, knowing this label would stir up prejudice and make their charges seem more credible to Roman authorities. The true reason for the complaint, however, is the loss of profit from the girl's spirit-possession, which they conveniently omit to focus on the perceived threat to public order.
"And when they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, “These men are Jews, and they are disturbing our city." — The accusers don't just call Paul and Silas "Jews" to identify their ethnicity; they use the label to instantly cast them as troublemakers. Given the Roman decree to expel Jews from Rome and the gene…
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Last reviewed October 2026