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But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy (jealousy), took unto them (proslambano:
hired, received) certain lewd fellows (poneros: evil men, wicked, malicious) of the baser sort
(agoraios: from the marketplace, vulgar), and gathered a company (mob), and set (incited) all
the city on an uproar (into a riot), and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them
out to the people.

When we reject the Word, we fall back on our emotions. When logic and reasoning are
exhausted, many resort to shouting and making unfounded accusations. This is true in liberal
politics and religion. When a person is controlled by emotions, sin is the result. The evil men
from the marketplace are paid by the religious leaders to speak against Paul and Silas. These
evil men are hucksters, petty thieves, and traffickers. These vagrants hang around the
marketplace each day looking for ways to make a quick dollar by petty crimes and pick-
pocketing. They are good contacts for what was happening in the streets and know of ways to
get a person into trouble. These men began a riot against Paul and Silas, and the entire city is
pulled into it. After hearing about Paul and Silas staying in the house of Jason, the crowd then
commits breaking and entering. Paul and Silas are not in Jason’s home at the time of the crime,
and Jason receives the brunt of the attack.
ENSUING RIOT

act 17:6 But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some brethren to the rulers
of the city, crying out, "These who have turned the world upside down have come here too.

And when they found them (Paul and Silas) not, they drew (dragged) Jason and certain
brethren (recent converts) unto the rulers (judges) of the city, crying, These that have turned
the world upside down are come hither also; This mob is yelling exactly what they had been
told. They accused Paul of causing the riot. They also claimed Paul and his team have caused
riots in other cities and are now trying to do the same thing in Thessalonica.

17:6 Guidelines Amid a Visitation, REVIVAL. So explosive was the revival in Acts, it was
as if the world had turned “upside down.” A visitation of God’s spirit puts leadership in a
role requiring wisdom in “handling” such explosiveness. To see His purpose fully
accomplished, these guidelines may help: 1) Follow the life of the Holy Spirit. If we
respond to the revival in fear (quenching the Spirit) or presumption (seizing initiative
God has not given us), we grieve the Holy Spirit. See Ephesians 4:30; 5:18; 1
Thessalonians 5:19. 2) Resolve not to “control” the revival. Seek God for discernment
between “leading” and “restricting”; monitor the visitation, but stay submitted to Him.
Give wise stewardship to the gracious move of the Spirit. See 1 Corinthians 4:1-2; James
4:7; 1 Peter 2:21. 3) Seek the counsel of gifted ministries, each submitting to and
complementing the other as God has designed His church to work together. See
Proverbs 11:14; 1 Corinthians 12:1-28; 14:32; Ephesians 4:11-12; 1 Thessalonians 5:11.
4) Always complement the experiential side of the visitation with the consistent,
systematic teaching of the Word of God. See Luke 24:27; Acts 17:11; Ephesians 6:17;