ACT 22:22-30

Paul the Roman Citizen

22They were listening to him up to this word, and then they raised their voice, saying, "Away with such a man from the earth! For it is not fitting for him to live!"

23And as they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and flinging dust into the air,

24the commander ordered him to be brought into the barracks, saying that he should be examined by flogging, so that he might determine for what reason they were shouting against him like this.

25But when they had stretched him out with the straps, Paul said to the centurion standing by, "Is it lawful for you to flog a man who is a Roman citizen and uncondemned?"

26When the centurion heard this, he went to the commander and reported it, saying, "What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman citizen."

27The commander came and said to him, "Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?" He said, "Yes."

28The commander answered, "I acquired this citizenship for a large sum." Paul said, "But I was born into it."

29So those who were about to examine him immediately stepped back from him. The commander also was afraid when he realized that Paul was a Roman citizen and that he had bound him.

30But on the next day, wanting to know the certain facts as to why he was accused by the Judean authorities, he released him and ordered the chief priests and the entire council to assemble, and he brought Paul down and set him before them.

In the world it was spoken into

In the Roman Empire, citizenship was a prized legal status, granting significant privileges and protections. Roman citizens were exempt from certain forms of punishment, such as flogging, which was reserved for non-citizens and slaves. The (whip) and (leather straps) were instruments of torture used to extract confessions or punish the condemned, often publicly to deter others. The commander’s order to examine Paul through flogging reflects standard Roman military procedure for interrogating non-citizens. However, Paul’s declaration of his Roman citizenship immediately halts the process, as flogging a citizen without trial was illegal and could result in severe consequences for the commander. The crowd’s violent reaction, throwing dust and garments, was a common expression of outrage in the Greco-Roman world, often signaling a demand for justice or punishment. Paul’s status as a Roman citizen, likely inherited or purchased, underscores the tension between his Jewish identity and his Roman legal protections in this volatile setting.

›See the receipts

How other translations render this

ACT 22:22

KJV: And they gave him audience unto this word, and then lifted up their voices, and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth: for it is not fit that he should live.
BSB: The crowd listened to Paul until he made this statement. Then they lifted up their voices and shouted, “Rid the earth of him! He is not fit to live!”
Koinōnos: They were listening to him up to this word, and then they raised their voice, saying, "Away with such a man from the earth! For it is not fitting for him to live!

ACT 22:23

KJV: And as they cried out, and cast off their clothes, and threw dust into the air,
BSB: As they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and tossing dust into the air,
Koinōnos: And as they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and flinging dust into the air,

ACT 22:24

KJV: The chief captain commanded him to be brought into the castle, and bade that he should be examined by scourging; that he might know wherefore they cried so against him.
BSB: the commander ordered that Paul be brought into the barracks. He directed that Paul be flogged and interrogated to determine the reason for this outcry against him.
Koinōnos: the commander ordered him to be brought into the barracks, saying that he should be examined by flogging, so that he might determine for what reason they were shouting against him like this.

ACT 22:25

KJV: And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned?
BSB: But as they stretched him out to strap him down, Paul said to the centurion standing there, “Is it lawful for you to flog a Roman citizen without a trial?”
Koinōnos: But when they had stretched him out with the straps, Paul said to the centurion standing by, "Is it lawful for you to flog a man who is a Roman citizen and uncondemned?

ACT 22:26

KJV: When the centurion heard that, he went and told the chief captain, saying, Take heed what thou doest: for this man is a Roman.
BSB: On hearing this, the centurion went and reported it to the commander. “What are you going to do?” he said. “This man is a Roman citizen.”
Koinōnos: When the centurion heard this, he went to the commander and reported it, saying, "What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman citizen.

ACT 22:27

KJV: Then the chief captain came, and said unto him, Tell me, art thou a Roman? He said, Yea.
BSB: The commander went to Paul and asked, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” “Yes,” he answered.
Koinōnos: The commander came and said to him, "Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?" He said, "Yes.

ACT 22:28

KJV: And the chief captain answered, With a great sum obtained I this freedom. And Paul said, But I was free born.
BSB: “I paid a high price for my citizenship,” said the commander. “But I was born a citizen,” Paul replied.
Koinōnos: The commander answered, "I acquired this citizenship for a large sum." Paul said, "But I was born into it.

ACT 22:29

KJV: Then straightway they departed from him which should have examined him: and the chief captain also was afraid, after he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.
BSB: At once those who were about to interrogate Paul stepped back, and the commander himself was alarmed when he realized that he had put a Roman citizen in chains.
Koinōnos: So those who were about to examine him immediately stepped back from him. The commander also was afraid when he realized that Paul was a Roman citizen and that he had bound him.

ACT 22:30

KJV: On the morrow, because he would have known the certainty wherefore he was accused of the Jews, he loosed him from his bands, and commanded the chief priests and all their council to appear, and brought Paul down, and set him before them.
BSB: The next day the commander, wanting to learn the real reason Paul was accused by the Jews, released him and ordered the chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin to assemble. Then he brought Paul down and had him stand before them.
Koinōnos: But on the next day, wanting to know the certain facts as to why he was accused by the Judean authorities, he released him and ordered the chief priests and the entire council to assemble, and he brought Paul down and set him before them.

Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.

Where the historical framing draws from

Josephus, WarsWars 2.9.2

›Josephus, Wars Wars 2.9.2

“Now Pilate, who was sent as procurator into Judea by Tiberius, sent by night those images of Caesar that are called ensigns into Jerusalem.”

Cited to ground: Pilate, who was sent as procurator into Judea by Tiberius

Translator's notes

ACT 22:24

by flogging:The word translated 'by flogging' refers to a severe beating with a whip or scourge, often used as a form of torture or punishment, not merely a light lashing.
to be examined:The term used here for 'to be examined' specifically implies an examination conducted under torture or by severe questioning, not a simple inquiry.

ACT 22:25

straps,:The word translated 'straps' refers to leather thongs or strips, often used for binding or as part of a whip, indicating the instrument of torture.

ACT 22:28

citizenship:The word translated 'citizenship' refers to the full rights and status of a citizen, including legal protections and privileges, not just the state of being a resident.