Barnes New Testament Notes

Verse 39. And they came and besought them. A most humiliating act for Roman magistrates; but in this case it was unavoidable. The apostles had them completely in their power, and could easily effect their disgrace and ruin. Probably they besought them by declaring them innocent; by affirming that they were ignorant that they were Roman citizens, etc.

And desired them to depart, etc. Probably,

(1.) to save their own character, and to secure from their taking any further steps to convict the magistrates of violating the laws; and;

(2.) to evade any further popular tumult on their account. This advice they saw fit to comply with, after they had seen and comforted the brethren, Ac 16:40. They had accomplished their main purpose in going to Philippi; they had preached the gospel; had laid, the foundation of a flourishing church, (comp. the Epistle to the Philippians;) and they were now prepared to prosecute the purpose of their agency into surrounding regions. Thus the opposition of the people and the magistrates at Philippi was the occasion of the founding of the church there; and thus their unkind and inhospitable request that they should leave them, was the means of the extension of the gospel into adjacent regions.

{a} "besought them" Ex 11:8; Re 3:9 {b} "desired them" Mt 8:34