And when they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, “These men are Jews, and they are disturbing our city. They advocate customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to accept or practice.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
The accusers emphasize that Paul and Silas are Jews, not to clarify their ethnicity, but to leverage the deeply ingrained Roman prejudice against Jewish people, painting them as inherently troublesome and disruptive to Roman order. This tactic aimed to immediately prejudice the magistrates against them by associating them with a group already considered a source of civil unrest.
And when they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, “These men are Jews, and they are disturbing our city. They advocate customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to accept or practice.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Following Paul and Silas's healing of a slave girl, their angry owners drag them before the city officials. They accuse Paul and Silas of being Jews who are disrupting the peace and order of their Roman colony. The accusers deliberately use the term "Jews" because this group was often viewed with suspicion and associated with unrest by the wider Roman world.
Why did the accusers immediately point out that Paul and Silas were Jews? It wasn't just a descriptor; it was a loaded term used to stir up trouble.
In this Roman colony, being identified as 'Jews' carried a lot of baggage. Historical context shows that Jews were often viewed with suspicion and sometimes outright hostility, partly due to their distinct religious practices and beliefs.
The accusers claim Paul and Silas were 'disturbing the city.' But what kind of disturbance was it, and who was really disturbed?
The charge of 'disturbing our city' was a strategic accusation. The accusers weren't genuinely concerned about public order; they were furious because their source of income was gone.
The Real Disturbance:
Ask a follow-up
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.
ethos · Greek Noun
A custom, habit, or tradition; in this context, it refers to religious or social practices that deviate from established Roman law or tradition.
exestin · Greek Verb/Adverbial concept
That which is in accordance with the law; in a Roman context, it denotes actions that are legally sanctioned or permitted under Roman citizenship and authority.
Rōmaios · Greek Noun
Citizens of the Roman Empire; a status of significant privilege, legal protection, and social standing that carried specific rights and obligations.
The accusation that Paul and Silas were 'Jews' disturbing the city carried significant weight for Roman authorities, drawing on past incidents like Claudius's expulsion of Jews from Rome and the general Roman suspicion of Jewish customs. This label was used to quickly prejudice the magistrates against them, framing their presence as a threat to public order.
c. 49 AD
Claudius Expels Jews from Rome
Emperor Claudius issues a decree expelling Jews from Rome due to disturbances related to 'Chrestus.' This event likely heightened Roman suspicion towards Jewish communities and their associated movements across the empire.
c. 50 AD
Paul and Silas Travel through Asia Minor
Paul and Silas undertake their second missionary journey, passing through cities like Lystra and Derbe, where they likely encountered existing Jewish communities and the associated social and religious tensions.
c. 50-51 AD— this verse
Paul's Ministry in Philippi
Paul and his companions establish a significant Christian community in Philippi, a Roman colony. This involved preaching and healing, including casting out a spirit from a fortune-telling slave girl.
c. 50-51 AD
Owners of Slave Girl Incite Riot
The owners of the slave girl, enraged by the loss of their income due to her deliverance, stir up a mob against Paul and Silas, falsely accusing them of disturbing the peace and promoting illegal practices.
c. 50-51 AD
Paul and Silas Beaten and Imprisoned
Following the accusations, Paul and Silas are publicly beaten with rods and thrown into the city jail, highlighting the summary justice and hostility they faced.
This passage describes how nations would see Israel as distinct and a source of potential trouble due to their unique covenant relationship with God, echoing the accusation against Paul and Silas as 'Jews' that stirred up opposition.
1 Kings 18:17Elijah is confronted by King Ahab with the accusation, 'Is it you, you troubler of Israel?' This shows a historical precedent for religious figures being blamed for societal unrest, similar to how Paul and Silas were accused.
Jeremiah 26:11The priests and prophets threatened Jeremiah, saying, 'This man deserves to die, for he has prophesied against this city.' This illustrates the accusation of being a 'troubler' of the city used against those proclaiming God's message.
Matthew 10:22Jesus warns his disciples, 'You will be hated by all for my name's sake,' highlighting that proclaiming the gospel often leads to persecution and being labeled as a disturber by those in authority or the populace.
Acts 17:6In a similar situation, Paul and Silas are accused of 'turning the world upside down,' which is a direct parallel to the charge of 'exceedingly troubling our city' in this verse, showing a recurring pattern of accusations against the apostles.
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 emphasize that Paul and Silas are Jews, not to clarify their ethnicity, but to leverage the deeply ingrained Roman prejudice against Jewish people, painting them as inherently troublesome and disruptive to Roman order. This tactic aimed to immediately prejudice the magistrates against them by associating them with a group already considered a source of civil unrest.
Following Paul and Silas's healing of a slave girl, their angry owners drag them before the city officials. They accuse Paul and Silas of being Jews who are disrupting the peace and order of their Roman colony. The accusers deliberately use the term "Jews" because this group was often viewed with suspicion and associated with unrest by the wider Roman world.
Following Paul and Silas's healing of a slave girl, their angry owners drag them before the city officials. They accuse Paul and Silas of being Jews who are disrupting the peace and order of their Roman colony. The accusers deliberately use the term "Jews" because this group was often viewed with suspicion and associated with unrest by the wider Roman world.
"And when they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, “These men are Jews, and they are disturbing our city. They advocate customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to accept or practice.”" — The accusers emphasize that Paul and Silas are Jews, not to clarify their ethnicity, but to leverage the deeply ingrained Roman prejudice against Jewish people, painting them as inherently troublesom…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026