Acts 16 21

Acts 16:21 kjv

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

Acts 16:21 nkjv

and they teach customs which are not lawful for us, being Romans, to receive or observe."

Acts 16:21 niv

by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice."

Acts 16:21 esv

They advocate customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to accept or practice."

Acts 16:21 nlt

"They are teaching customs that are illegal for us Romans to practice."

Acts 16 verses

Acts 16 21 Meaning

This verse describes the accusers proclaiming that the apostles, Paul and Silas, teach customs unlawful for Romans to adopt or practice.

Acts 16 21 Context

The city of Philippi, a Roman colony, was influenced by Roman law and customs. Paul and Silas had been arrested on the charges of causing public disorder and promoting illegal customs. These accusations stem from their preaching and healing activities, particularly freeing a slave girl from a spirit of divination. The accusers, likely the owners of the slave girl and others agitated by the disruption of the status quo, are framing the apostles' teachings as a threat to Roman civic order and religious traditions. They are not concerned with the truth of the Gospel but with the social and economic consequences of its spread, accusing the apostles of promoting practices contrary to Roman civic and religious life.

Acts 16 21 Word Analysis

• "And": Conjunction connecting the previous accusation to this one, showing a continuation of their denunciation.
• "they": Refers back to Paul and Silas.
• "advocate": (Greek: kataggellō) - To proclaim, announce, report, declare publicly. It suggests they are actively and openly teaching these practices.
• "customs": (Greek: ethē) - Refers to established practices, manners, institutions, and usages of a people. In this context, it specifically refers to religious customs.
• "which": Relative pronoun connecting "customs" to the description of their illegitimacy.
• "it is not lawful": (Greek: ou themis) - Expresses strong prohibition, indicating something that is forbidden by law, custom, or divine sanction. It carries a serious implication of transgression.
• "for us": Refers to the Romans, emphasizing their perspective and their legal framework.
• "Romans": Denotes Roman citizens and by extension, the Roman state and its established norms.
• "to adopt": (Greek: paradechomai) - To receive, accept, welcome, or embrace.
• "or": Conjunction offering an alternative action, both being deemed unlawful.
• "to practice": (Greek: poieō) - To do, make, perform. In this context, to carry out or observe these customs.

Word Group Analysis

• "advocate customs": Implies a teaching or promulgation of ways of life or worship that are foreign to Roman norms.
• "not lawful for us Romans to adopt or to practice": This is the core accusation. It suggests that the teachings of Paul and Silas, interpreted through the eyes of their accusers, challenged Roman religious and social order, implying that accepting or following such teachings would be a violation of Roman law or deeply ingrained tradition. This highlights the clash between the universal claims of the Gospel and the specific civic and religious observances expected of Roman citizens and inhabitants of Roman territories.

Acts 16 21 Bonus Section

This verse underscores the legal and social realities faced by early Christians. Being a Roman colony, Philippi enforced Roman laws and customs strictly. The charge of promoting unlawful customs highlights the tension between monotheistic worship of Christianity and the polytheistic and often syncretic religious practices of the Roman Empire. Roman religious practice was not merely personal devotion but was intricately linked with civic duty and national identity. By refusing to participate in these public rites or by offering an alternative that required renouncing them, believers were seen as undermining the foundations of society and disrespecting the Roman state. This also connects to the theme of Christian distinctiveness and separation from the world's practices, as seen in verses like 2 Corinthians 6:14-18. Furthermore, the accusation implicitly touches on Paul's own Roman citizenship, which he would later use to his advantage (Acts 16:37-39), but here it serves as the basis of the charge from their accusers who saw them as upsetting the established order.

Acts 16 21 Commentary

The accusation "they advocate customs which it is not lawful for us Romans to adopt or to practice" reveals the charge brought against Paul and Silas in Philippi. The magistrates likely interpreted their Jewish background and Christian teachings as introducing foreign religious practices into the Roman colony, which was seen as a threat to public order and state religion. In Roman society, the worship of Roman deities and adherence to established customs were tied to the well-being and stability of the state. Introducing new religious practices could be interpreted as disloyalty or as an invitation for divine displeasure. Paul and Silas's message, which included worshipping the one true God and practicing new ways of life centered on Christ, was fundamentally different from and potentially opposed to the prevailing Roman religious and cultural milieu. This accusation shows how the Gospel was often misunderstood and persecuted as a social and political disruption rather than a spiritual message.