Acts 17:6

6 And when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brethren before the city authorities, crying, "These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also,

Acts 17:6 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 17:6

And when they found them not
In Jason's house, as they expected:

they drew Jason, and certain brethren:
the Syriac version adds, "who were there": in Jason's house, who either came along with the apostle, and lodged with him there; or they were some of the inhabitants of Thessalonica, who were lately converted, and were come thither in order to have some Christian conversation; these with Jason the rabble seized on, and in a rude and violent manner dragged them out of the house, and had them,

unto the rulers of the city:
the civil magistrates, the judges in courts of judicature, to which some of these belonged;

crying
in a very noisy and clamorous way;

these that have turned the world upside down:
the Syriac version reads, "the whole earth": the apostles, according to the cry of these men, had thrown the whole world into disorder, and had made disturbances in kingdoms and cities, wherever they came; and had made innovations in religion, and turned men from their old way of worship to another; these; say they,

are come hither also;
to make the like disorders and disturbances, as elsewhere.

Acts 17:6 In-Context

4 And some of them were persuaded, and joined Paul and Silas; as did a great many of the devout Greeks and not a few of the leading women.
5 But the Jews were jealous, and taking some wicked fellows of the rabble, they gathered a crowd, set the city in an uproar, and attacked the house of Jason, seeking to bring them out to the people.
6 And when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brethren before the city authorities, crying, "These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also,
7 and Jason has received them; and they are all acting against the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus."
8 And the people and the city authorities were disturbed when they heard this.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.