John Calvin Commentary Acts 16:20

"and when they had brought them unto the magistrates, they said, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city," — Acts 16:20 (ASV)

These men trouble our city. This accusation was craftily composed to burden the servants of Christ. For on the one hand, they invoked the name of the Romans, than which nothing was more favorable; on the other, they incited hatred and brought them into contempt by naming the Jews, a name that was infamous at that time. For, concerning religion, the Romans had more in common with any other people than with the Jewish nation.

For it was lawful for a Roman to offer sacrifices either in Asia or in Greece, or in any other country where idols and superstitions were found. Indeed, Satan was quite consistent with himself, though he assumed various forms, but the one true religion, than which there was no other in the world, was considered detestable by the Romans. They fabricated a third accusation, that of sedition, alleging that the public peace was being disturbed by Paul and his companions. In the same way, Christ was brought into contempt (Luke 23:5), and even today, the Papists have no more plausible charge with which to incite hatred against us than to cry out that our doctrine leads to nothing but the complete confusion of all things. But we must courageously despise this vile and false disgrace, just as Christ and Paul did, until the Lord brings to light the malice of our enemies and refutes their impudence.