Acts 16:21 (KJV)

Passage

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

Nearby Context

Acts 16:19 And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers,

Acts 16:20 And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city,

Acts 16:21 And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans.

Acts 16:22 And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them.

Acts 16:23 And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely:

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "teach", "customs", "lawful", "receive", "neither", "observe", and "romans". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "teach" and "customs", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 20's "And brought them to the magistrates saying..." into verse 22's "And the multitude rose up together against...", so "teach" and "customs" belong inside that flow. In Acts context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "teach" and "customs" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.