Acts 16:21
And preach a fashion which it is not lawful for us to receive nor observe, being Romans.
Open Acts 16:21 in the Motif Searcher, word by word across all five texts →Show on the spiral →The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- et annuntiant morem quem non licet nobis suscipere neque facere, cum simus Romani.
- Greek New Testament (SBLGNT)
- καὶ καταγγέλλουσιν ἔθη ἃ οὐκ ἔξεστιν ἡμῖν παραδέχεσθαι οὐδὲ ποιεῖν Ῥωμαίοις οὖσιν.
Haydock's commentary
There was a standing decree of the senate, which forbade the introduction of any new divinity, without the formal consent of the senate. (Bible de Vence)
From Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary, 1859, in the transcription made by Todd Easton and kept online by John Paul Wohlschied at johnblood.gitlab.io/haydock.
The Fathers on this verse
St John Chrysostom A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles, Homily XXXV on Acts xvi. 13, 14
See again Paul judaizing. “Where it was thought,” it says, both from the time and from the place, “that prayer would be. Out of the city, by a river side:” for it is not to be supposed that they prayed only where there was a synagogue; they also prayed out of synagogue, but then for this purpose they set apart, as it were, a certain place, because as Jews they were more corporeal, and, “on the sabbath-day,” when it was likely that a multitude would come together. “And we sat down, and spake to the women which resorted thither.” Mark again the freedom from all pride. “And a certain woman:” a woman and she of low condition, from her trade too: but mark (in her) a woman of elevated mind ( φιλόσοφον ). …
St John Chrysostom A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles, Homily XXXV on Acts xvi. 13, 14
(Recapitulation.) “Out of the city.” ( v. 13 .) The place was convenient for hearing the word, aloof from troubles and dangers. ( b ) “On the sabbath.” As there was no work going on, they were more attentive to what was spoken. (a) “And a certain woman, named Lydia, a seller of purple” ( v. 14 ): observe how the writer of the history is not ashamed of the occupations (of the converts): ( c ) moreover neither was this city of the Philippians a great one. Having learnt these things, let us also be ashamed of no man. Peter abides with a tanner ( ch. ix. 43 ): (Paul) with a woman who was a seller of purple, and a foreigner. Where is pride? “Whose heart the Lord opened.” Therefore we need God, to open the heart: but God opens the hearts that are willing: for there are hardened hearts to be seen. …
The Fathers are given as they wrote. Where a passage lays the Passion on the Jewish people, the Church teaches that it cannot be charged against all the Jews then living, nor against the Jews of today, and that all sinners were its authors (CCC 597, 598).