Definition: And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city,

Explanation: Okay, let's break down this verse from Acts 16:20. It’s a really important and slightly surprising part of the story about Paul and his team in Rome. Here’s what it means in plain language: “And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city.” "And brought them..." : This means Paul and his companions went to a local government official – a magistrate. "...to the magistrates..." : Magistrates are like local leaders or officials who are responsible for maintaining order in a community. They’re usually people with some authority, like town elders or officials. "...saying..." : Paul was explaining something to them. "...These men, being Jews..." : This is the crucial part. Paul is telling these officials that these specific men – they're Jewish people – are causing trouble. "...do exceedingly trouble our city." : This means they’re behaving in a way that’s disrupting the peace and order of the city. It's not just a little disagreement; it's actively causing problems. So, essentially, Paul is saying: “We’ve been told these men are acting aggressively and causing problems for our community. They are Jewish people, and their actions are upsetting things.” What does this verse tell us about Paul? This is a very revealing moment in the story. It suggests: Paul was being targeted: He wasn’t just complaining; he was explicitly warning someone about specific individuals causing problems. The authorities were aware of the situation: The fact that the officials were involved shows they recognized the issue and were taking it seriously. In short, this verse is a snapshot of Paul's initial awareness of a potentially serious conflict – a group of Jewish people behaving in a way that was causing trouble for the city. --- Would you like me to: Explain another Bible verse? Discuss the context of this verse within the larger story of Acts 16?