Acts 16:21

 Acts 16:21

And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans.

a. NLT: “They are teaching customs that are illegal for us Romans to practice.” [Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.]

b. ASV: And set forth customs which it is not lawful for us to receive, or to observe, being Romans. [Thomas Nelson & Sons first published the American Standard Version in 1901. This translation of the Bible is in the public domain.]

c. YLT: And they proclaim customs that are not lawful for us to receive nor to do, being Romans.' [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.] 

d. Classic Amplified: They encourage the practice of customs which it is unlawful for us Romans to accept or observe! [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

e. Peshitta Eastern Text:  And they preach customs to us which are not lawful for us to accept and practice, because we are Romans. [HOLY BIBLE FROM THE ANCIENT EASTERN TEXT.Copyright  Ⓒ 1933 by A.J. Holmon Co.; copyright  Ⓒ renewed 1961 by A.J. Holmon Co.; Copyright  Ⓒ 1939 by A.J. Holmon Co.; copyright  Ⓒ renewed 1967  by A.J. Holmon Co.;  Copyright  Ⓒ 1940 by A.J. Holmon Co.; copyright  Ⓒ renewed 1968 by A.J. Holmon Co.; Copyright  Ⓒ 1957 by A.J. Holmon Co. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. HarperCollins Publishers, 195 Broadway, New York, NY 10007.]

Bby advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice.” [THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by Permission of Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide.]

1. “And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive…”

a. And [Strong: 2532. kai kahee apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.]

b. teach [Strong: 2605. kataggello kat-ang-gel'-lo from 2596 and the base of 32; to proclaim, promulgate:--declare, preach, shew, speak of, teach.]

c. customs [Strong: 1485. ethos eth'-os from 1486; a usage (prescribed by habit or law):--custom, manner, be wont.]

d. which [Strong: 3739. hos hos, including feminine he hay, and neuter ho ho probably a primary word (or perhaps a form of the article 3588); the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun, who, which, what, that:--one, (an-, the) other, some, that, what, which, who(-m, -se), etc.] 

e. [are] not [Strong: 3756. ou oo, also (before a vowel) ouk ook, and (before an aspirate) ouch ookh a primary word; the absolute negative (compare 3361) adverb; no or not:--+ long, nay, neither, never, no (X man), none, (can-)not, + nothing, + special, un(-worthy), when, + without, + yet but.]

f. lawful [Strong: 1832. exesti ex'-es-tee third person singular present indicative of a compound of 1537 and 1510; so also exon ex-on' neuter present participle of the same (with or without some form of 1510 expressed); impersonally, it is right (through the figurative idea of being out in public):--be lawful, let, X may(-est).]

g. [for] us [Strong: 2254. hemin hay-meen' dative case plural of 1473; to (or for, with, by) us:--our, (for) us, we.]

h. [to] receive [Strong: 3858. paradechomai par-ad-ekh'-om-ahee from 3844 and 1209; to accept near, i.e. admit or (by implication) delight in:--receive.]

2. “...neither to observe, being Romans.”

a. neither [Strong: 3761. oude oo-deh' from 3756 and 1161; not however, i.e. neither, nor, not even:--neither (indeed), never, no (more, nor, not), nor (yet), (also, even, then) not (even, so much as), + nothing, so much as.]

b. [to] observe [Strong: 4160. poieo poy-eh'-o apparently a prolonged form of an obsolete primary; to make or do (in a very wide application, more or less direct):--abide, + agree, appoint, X avenge, + band together, be, bear, + bewray, bring (forth), cast out, cause, commit, + content, continue, deal, + without any delay, (would) do(-ing), execute, exercise, fulfil, gain, give, have, hold, X journeying, keep, + lay wait, + lighten the ship, make, X mean, + none of these things move me, observe, ordain, perform, provide, + have purged, purpose, put, + raising up, X secure, shew, X shoot out, spend, take, tarry, + transgress the law, work, yield.]

c. being [Strong: 5607. on oan, including the feminine ousa oo'-sah; and the neuter on on present participle of 1510; being:--be, come, have.]

d. Romans [Strong: 4514. Rhomaios hro-mah'-yos from 4516; Romaean, i.e. Roman (as noun):--Roman, of Rome.]

1). The Book of Acts, Stanley Horton: The slave girls' masters were quite upset when they saw the ope of their gain was gone. So they seized Paul and Silas and dragged (pulled) them into the marketplace (Greek, agora) before the rulers (Governors, leading men), that is, before the two praetors or chief Roman magistrates of the city.

2). Philippi was a Roman colony (Acts 16:12), and ruled by Roman praetors.

3). Paul and Silas were publicly flogged with a rod, a common Roman punishment. Paul wrote in the second epistle to the Corinthians  that he was beaten three times in this manner (2 Corinthians 11:25).