Acts 16:21

21 and show a custom, which is not leaveful to us to receive [and show a custom, which it is not leaveful to us to receive], neither do, since we be Romans.

Acts 16:21 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 16:21

And teach customs
The Vulgate Latin and Ethiopic versions read in the singular number, "custom or law"; referring to the doctrine of salvation by Christ, in whose name the spirit of divination was cast out of the maid, and whom they took for a new deity; and so concluded that the apostle and his company were introducing a new religious law or custom, the worship of another God: which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being
Romans;
for the city of Philippi was a Roman colony, and so the inhabitants of it called themselves Romans; or these men might be strictly such, who were transplanted hither; and with the Romans, it was not lawful to receive, observe, and worship, a new or strange deity, without the decree of the senate ^F12.

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FOOTNOTES:

F12 Tertull. Apolog. c. 5. Euseb. Eccl. Hist. l. 2. c. 2.

Acts 16:21 In-Context

19 And the lords of her saw, that the hope of their winning went away, and they took Paul and Silas, and led into the market, either doom place, to the princes [catching Paul and Silas, they led them into the market, or doom place, to the princes].

20 And they brought them to the magistrates, and said, These men disturb our city [These men distrouble our city], for they be Jews,

21 and show a custom, which is not leaveful to us to receive [and show a custom, which it is not leaveful to us to receive], neither do, since we be Romans.

22 And the people and magistrates ran against them [And the people ran against them, and the magistrates], and when they had rent (to pieces) the coats of them, they commanded them to be beaten with rods.

23 And when they had given to them many wounds, they sent them into prison, and commanded to the keeper, that he should keep them diligently [commanding to the keeper, that he diligently should keep them].