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NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Act_16:19-24
19But when her masters saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the market place before the authorities, 20and when they had brought them to the chief magistrates, they said, "These men are throwing our city into confusion, being Jews, 21and are proclaiming customs which it is not lawful for us to accept or to observe, being Romans." 22The crowd rose up together against them, and the chief magistrates tore their robes off them and proceeded to order them to be beaten with rods. 23When they had struck them with many blows, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to guard them securely; 24and he, having received such a command, threw them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.
Act_16:19 "saw that their hope of profit was gone" These "masters" did not care at all that a human being had been freed from the bondage to evil. They were distressed by the monetary loss (cf. Act_16:16), much like the people in Luk_8:26-39.
▣ "seized Paul and Silas" Why Luke and Timothy were not taken is uncertain.
Act_16:20 "chief magistrates" This is the term praetors. Officially their titles were duumvirs, but we learn from Cicero that many liked to be called Praetors. Luke is very accurate in his use of Roman governmental officials' titles. This is one of several evidences of his historicity.
Act_16:20-21 "being Jews. . .being Romans" This shows their racial pride and prejudice. Paul's time in Philippi may be close to Claudius' edict expelling the Jews from Rome, a.d. 49-50 (actually he forbade any Jewish worship practices). Roman anti-Semitism may be seen in Cicero's Pro Fiasco 28 and Javenal 14.96-106.
▣ "proclaiming customs which it is not lawful for us to accept" Notice this charge has nothing to do with the slave girl's exorcism. It apparently refers to their preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Judaism was a legal religion in the Roman Empire, but as it became obvious that Christianity was destined to be seen as a separate and, therefore, illegal religion. It was illegal for Jews to attempt to proselytize Romans, and it was illegal for Paul as well.
Act_16:22 "tore their robes off them and proceeded to order them" The verbal forms imply that the two Praetors, moved by the uproar of the crowd, tore the clothes off Paul and Silas themselves (aorist active participle, plural). This would have been highly unusual for them to be such active participants in a judicial event.
1. they tore off (aorist active participle)
2. they ordered to flog (i.e., an imperfect active indicative followed by a present active infinitive)
▣ "to be beaten with rods" This type of punishment (i.e., verberatio, which was administered by the authority of a city court) was not as severe as Roman scourging. There was no set number for the blows. Paul was beaten like this three times (cf. 2Co_11:25). This is the only recorded one (cf. 1Th_2:2).
Act_16:24 "inner prison" This means maximum security. There was a fear factor here (cf. Act_16:29). Paul's exorcism got their attention.
▣ "feet in the stocks" Most jails of that day had chains attached to the walls to which the prisoner was shackled. Therefore, the doors were only latched, not locked. These stocks would spread the feet wide apart and caused great discomfort and added security.