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Acts 17:5

New Testament Historical ASV (1901)

What does Acts 17:5 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “But the Jews, being moved with jealousy, took unto them certain vile fellows of the rabble, and gathering a crowd, set the city on an uproar; and assaulting the house of Jason, they sought to bring them forth to the people.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

But the Jews, being moved with jealousy, took unto them certain vile fellows of the rabble, and gathering a crowd, set the city on an uproar; and assaulting the house of Jason, they sought to bring them forth to the people.
Acts 17:5 — American Standard Version

Context — Acts 17

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
2and Paul, as his custom was, went in unto them, and for three sabbath days reasoned with them from the Scriptures,
3opening and alleging that it behooved the Christ to suffer, and to rise again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom, [said he,] I proclaim unto you, is the Christ.
4And some of them were persuaded, and consorted with Paul and Silas, and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few.
5But the Jews, being moved with jealousy, took unto them certain vile fellows of the rabble, and gathering a crowd, set the city on an uproar; and assaulting the house of Jason, they sought to bring them forth to the people.
6And when they found them not, they dragged Jason and certain brethren before the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also;
7whom Jason hath received: and these all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, [one] Jesus.
8And they troubled the multitude and the rulers of the city, when they heard these things.
← Acts 17:4Acts 17:6 →
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What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“But the Jews which believed not, etc.] The Alexandrian copy, the Vulgate Latin, and Syriac versions leave out the words, “which believed not”; but whether this character is expressed or not, it is certain that the unbelieving Jews are here intended: moved with envy; at the success of the apostles, many of their own people and of their proselytes, and some of the better sort being converted by them: or “with zeal”; for what they called the glory of God, but it was not according to knowledge; it was a blind and ignorant zeal, a zeal for the rites and ceremonies of the law of Moses, and for the traditions of the elders: took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort; or of the market…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“the Jews . . . moved with envy--seeing their influence undermined by this stranger. lewd fellows of the baser sort--better, perhaps, "worthless market people," that is, idle loungers about the market-place, of indifferent character. gathered a company--rather, "having raised a mob." assaulted the house of Jason--with whom Paul and Silas abode (Act 17:7), one of Paul's kinsmen, apparently (Rom 16:21), and from his name, which was sometimes used as a Greek form of the word Joshua [GROTIUS], probably a Hellenistic Jew. sought to bring them--Jason's lodgers.”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“Moved with envy - That they made so many converts, and met with such success. Certain lewd fellows of the baser sort - This is an unhappy translation. The word “lewd” is not in the original. The Greek is, “And having taken certain wicked people of those who were about the forum,” or market-place. The forum, or market-place, was the place where the idle assembled, and where those were gathered together that wished to be employed, Matthew 20:3. Many of these would be of abandoned character, the idle, the dissipated, and the worthless, and, therefore, just the materials for a mob. It does not appear that they felt any particular interest in the subject; but they were, like other mobs, easily…”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“17:5-7 Once again, the enemies of the Christian faith saw it as a disruptive threat (cp. 16:19-21). Ironically, they gathered some troublemakers and then accused Paul and Silas of causing trouble by disturbing the peace and committing treason against Caesar—serious charges of threatening the stability of the empire (cp. Luke 23:2).”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“moved: Act 17:13, Act 7:9, Act 13:45, Act 14:2, Act 14:19, Act 18:12; Pro 14:30; Isa 26:11; Mat 27:18; Co1 3:3; Gal 5:21, Gal 5:26; Jam 4:5 took: Jdg 9:4; Job 30:1-10; Psa 35:15, Psa 69:12 and set: Act 19:24-34, Act 19:40 Jason: Act 17:7; Rom 16:21 Acts 17:6”
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Related study paths

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