Acts 16:20

“And brought them to the magistrates, etc.] The same as before; wherefore the Syriac version omits them there, and reads them both together here, calling them the magistrates and chief men of the city; though the word here used, properly signifies military captains, captains of the Roman militia: but that they were the same with the Decuriones, or ten men before mentioned, appears from what Harpocratian says f827, that every year were chosen “ten strathgoi, magistrates”, the word here used: saying, these men being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city; they call Paul and Silas Jews, either because they knew them to be so, or because they attended at the Jewish oratory, or place of worship;…”

“These men, being Jews--objects of dislike, contempt, and suspicion by the Romans, and at this time of more than usual prejudice. do exceedingly trouble our city--See similar charges, Act 17:6; Act 24:5; Kg1 18:17. There is some color of truth in all such accusations, in so far as the Gospel, and generally the fear of God, as a reigning principle of human action, is in a godless world a thoroughly revolutionary principle . . . How far external commotion and change will in any case attend the triumph of this principle depends on the breadth and obstinacy of the resistance it meets with.”

“And brought them to the magistrates - To the military rulers στρατηγοῖς stratēgois or praetors. Philippi was a Roman colony, and it is probable that the officers of the army exercised the double function of civil and military rulers. Do exceedingly trouble our city - In what way they did it they specify in the next verse. The charge which they wished to substantiate was that of being disturbers of the public peace. All at once they became conscientious. They forgot the subject of their gains, and were greatly distressed about the violation of the laws. There is nothing that will make people more hypocritically conscientious than to denounce, and detect, and destroy their unlawful and…”

“Being Jews - A nation peculiarly despised by the Romans. Acts 16:21”

“being: Act 18:2, Act 19:34; Ezr 4:12-15; Est 3:8, Est 3:9 do: Act 17:6-8, Act 28:22; Kg1 18:17, Kg1 18:18; Mat 2:3; Joh 15:18-20; Rom 12:2; Jam 4:4 Acts 16:21”