Acts 17:6

6 When they did not find them, they began ¹dragging Jason and some brethren before the city authorities, shouting, "These men who have upset ²the world 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, along with a large number of the God-fearing Greeks and a number of the leading women.

5 But the Jews, becoming jealous and taking along some wicked men from the market place, formed a mob and set the city in an uproar; and attacking the house of Jason, they were seeking to bring them out to the people.

6 When they did not find them, they began dragging Jason and some brethren before the city authorities, shouting, "These men who have upset the world have come here also;

7 and Jason has welcomed them, and they all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus."

8 They stirred up the crowd and the city authorities who heard these things.

Cross References

• 1. Acts 16:19
• 2. Matthew 24:14; Acts 17:31

Footnotes

• [a] Lit "the inhabited earth"