Add parallel Print Page Options

22 The crowd listened until Paul said that word. Then they all began to shout, “Away with such a fellow! He isn’t fit to live!” 23 They yelled, threw off their coats, and tossed handfuls of dust into the air.

Paul Reveals His Roman Citizenship

24 The commander brought Paul inside and ordered him lashed with whips to make him confess his crime. He wanted to find out why the crowd had become so furious. 25 When they tied Paul down to lash him, Paul said to the officer[a] standing there, “Is it legal for you to whip a Roman citizen who hasn’t even been tried?”

26 When the officer heard this, he went to the commander and asked, “What are you doing? This man is a Roman citizen!”

27 So the commander went over and asked Paul, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?”

“Yes, I certainly am,” Paul replied.

28 “I am, too,” the commander muttered, “and it cost me plenty!”

Paul answered, “But I am a citizen by birth!”

29 The soldiers who were about to interrogate Paul quickly withdrew when they heard he was a Roman citizen, and the commander was frightened because he had ordered him bound and whipped.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 22:25 Greek the centurion; also in 22:26.

22 They listened to him up to this statement, and then they raised their voices and said, “(A)Away with such a man from the earth, for (B)he should not be allowed to live!” 23 And as they were shouting and (C)throwing off their cloaks and (D)tossing dust into the air, 24 the commander ordered that he be brought into (E)the barracks, saying that he was to be (F)interrogated by flogging so that he would find out the reason why they were shouting against him that way. 25 But when they stretched him out [a]with straps, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, “Is it [b]lawful for you to flog (G)a man who is a Roman and uncondemned?” 26 When the centurion heard this, he went to the commander and told him, saying, “What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman.” 27 The commander came and said to [c]Paul, “Tell me, are you a Roman?” And he said, “Yes.” 28 The commander answered, “I acquired this citizenship for a large sum of money.” And Paul said, “But I was actually born a citizen.” 29 Therefore, those who were about to (H)interrogate him immediately backed away from him; and the commander also (I)was afraid when he found out that he was a Roman, and because he had [d](J)put him in chains.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Acts 22:25 Or for the whip
  2. Acts 22:25 Interrogation by torture was a procedure used with slaves
  3. Acts 22:27 Lit him
  4. Acts 22:29 Lit bound him