Discovery BoxActs 16:19-21 
Context16:19 But when her owners 1 saw their hope of profit 2 was gone, they seized 3 Paul and Silas and dragged 4 them into the marketplace before the authorities. 16:20 When 5 they had brought them 6 before the magistrates, they said, “These men are throwing our city into confusion. 7 They are 8 Jews 16:21 and are advocating 9 customs that are not lawful for us to accept 10 or practice, 11 since we are 12 Romans.”
1 tn Or “masters.”
2 tn On this use of ἐργασία (ergasia), see BDAG 390 s.v. 4. It is often the case that destructive practices and commerce are closely tied together.
3 tn Grk “was gone, seizing.” The participle ἐπιλαβόμενοι (epilabomenoi) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
4 tn On the term ἕλκω ({elkw) see BDAG 318 s.v. 1.
5 tn Grk “And when.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.
6 tn Grk “having brought them.” The participle ἐπιλαβόμενοι (epilabomenoi) has been taken temporally. It is also possible in English to translate this participle as a finite verb: “they brought them before the magistrates and said.”
7 tn BDAG 309 s.v. ἐκταράσσω has “agitate, cause trouble to, throw into confusion” for the meaning of this verb.
8 tn Grk “being Jews, and they are proclaiming.” The participle ὑπάρχοντες (Juparconte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
9 tn Grk “proclaiming,” but in relation to customs, “advocating” is a closer approximation to the meaning.
10 tn Or “acknowledge.”
11 sn Customs that are not lawful for us to accept or practice. Ironically, the charges are similar to those made against Jesus in Luke 23:2, where Jews argued he was “twisting” their customs. The charge has three elements: (1) a racial element (Jewish); (2) a social element (unlawful); and (3) a traditional element (not their customs).
12 tn Grk “we being Romans.” The participle οὖσιν (ousin) has been translated as a causal adverbial participle.
