Acts Chapter 16 verse 20 Holy Bible

Ellicott's Commentary

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(20) The magistrates.--The Greek word used (Strategi, 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 praetors, 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 Jews from Rome on account of their disturbing that city, would be known, and probably acted on, at Philippi (see Notes on Acts 16:12-13), and would give a special force to the accusation. Here, also, there is something specially characteristic of the nature of many of the early persecutions. Christians were exposed, on the one hand, to the relentless enmity of the Jews, and, on the other, they were identified by heathen rulers and mobs with the Jews, and so came in, where the latter were the objects of popular antipathy, for a two-fold measure of suffering.Parallel Commentaries ...GreekThey brought themπροσαγαγόντες (prosagagontes)Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine PluralStrong's 4317: From pros and ago; to lead towards, i.e. to conduct near, or to approach.to theτοῖς (tois)Article - Dative Masculine PluralStrong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.magistratesστρατηγοῖς (stratēgois)Noun - Dative Masculine PluralStrong's 4755: From the base of stratia and ago or hegeomai; a general, i.e. a governor, the chief of the temple-wardens.[and] said,εἶπαν (eipan)Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person PluralStrong's 2036: Answer, bid, bring word, command. A primary verb; to speak or say.“TheseΟὗτοι (Houtoi)Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine PluralStrong's 3778: This; he, she, it. menἄνθρωποι (anthrōpoi)Noun - Nominative Masculine PluralStrong's 444: A man, one of the human race. From aner and ops; man-faced, i.e. A human being.areὑπάρχοντες (hyparchontes)Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine PluralStrong's 5225: To begin, am, exist, be in possession. From hupo and archomai; to begin under, i.e. Come into existence; expletively, to exist (verb).JewsἸουδαῖοι (Ioudaioi)Adjective - Nominative Masculine PluralStrong's 2453: Jewish. From Iouda; Judaean, i.e. Belonging to Jehudah.[and] are throwingἐκταράσσουσιν (ektarassousin)Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person PluralStrong's 1613: To disturb (trouble) greatly (exceedingly). From ek and tarasso; to disturb wholly.ourἡμῶν (hēmōn)Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person PluralStrong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.city {into turmoil}πόλιν (polin)Noun - Accusative Feminine SingularStrong's 4172: A city, the inhabitants of a city. Probably from the same as polemos, or perhaps from polus; a town.Jump to PreviousAgitating Authorities Chief City Confusion Creating Disturbance Disturbing Exceedingly Great Greatly Jews Magistrates Praetors Throwing Trouble Troubling Uproar Utterly