And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them.
22. The multitude came together. When Luke declareth that there was great encourses of the people made, after that a few men of no reputation, to wit, such as did juggle and cozen to get gain, and whose filthiness was well known, had made some stir; he reacheth with what fury the world rageth against Christ.
This slave girl, possessed by a spirit that mimicked Apollo's oracles, spoke truth about Paul and his companions, but truth from a demon's mouth is no testimony worth having. She enriched her masters by feeding men's hunger to know the future; the devil himself maintains his dominion by pretending to reveal what lies hidden.
AI summary
Commenting on Acts 16:16-24
And the multitude rose up together against them,.... The crowd of people that were gathered together in the court on this occasion; being no doubt spirited up by the proprietors of the maid, out of whom the spirit of divination was cast, and encouraged by the rulers, and being provoked at the hearing of unlawful customs being introduced among them; and the magistrates rent off...