Acts 16:20 (WEB)

Passage

When they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, “These men, being Jews, are agitating our city,

Nearby Context

Acts 16:18 She was doing this for many days. But Paul, becoming greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!” It came out that very hour.

Acts 16:19 But when her masters saw that the hope of their gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas, and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers.

Acts 16:20 When they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, “These men, being Jews, are agitating our city,

Acts 16:21 and advocate customs which it is not lawful for us to accept or to observe, being Romans.”

Acts 16:22 The multitude rose up together against them, and the magistrates tore their clothes from them, and commanded them to be beaten with rods.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "brought", "magistrates", "said", "jews", "agitating", and "city". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "brought" and "magistrates", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 19's "But when her masters saw that the..." into verse 21's "and advocate customs which it is not...", so "brought" and "magistrates" 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 "brought" and "magistrates" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.