But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us publicly, uncondemned, men who are Roman citizens, and have thrown us into prison; and do they now throw us out secretly? No! Let them come themselves and take us out.”

The police reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Roman citizens.

Paul replied, “I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no obscure city. I beg you, permit me to speak to the people.”

But when they had stretched him out for the whips, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, “Is it lawful for you to flog a man who is a Roman citizen and uncondemned?”

When the centurion heard this, he went to the tribune and said to him, “What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman citizen.”

So the tribune came and said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” And he said, “Yes.”

The tribune answered, “I bought this citizenship for a large sum.” Paul said, “But I am a citizen by birth.”

So those who were about to examine him withdrew from him immediately, and the tribune also was afraid, for he realized that Paul was a Roman citizen and that he had bound him.

This man was seized by the Jews and was about to be killed by them when I came upon them with the soldiers and rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman citizen.