Acts 16:37

But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us publicly, without a trial, men who are Romans, and have cast us into prison! Do they now release us secretly? No, most certainly, but let them come themselves and bring us out!”

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Other translations

WEBBE

But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us publicly without a trial, men who are Romans, and have cast us into prison! Do they now release us secretly? No, most certainly, but let them come themselves and bring us out!”

BSB

But Paul said to the officers, “They beat us publicly without a trial and threw us into prison, even though we are Roman citizens. And now do they want to send us away secretly? Absolutely not! Let them come themselves and escort us out!”

KJV

But Paul said unto them, They have beaten us openly uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast us into prison; and now do they thrust us out privily? nay verily; but let them come themselves and fetch us out.

ASV

But Paul said unto them, They have beaten us publicly, uncondemned, men that are Romans, and have cast us into prison; and do they now cast us out privily? nay verily; but let them come themselves and bring us out.

BBE

But Paul said to them, They have given us who are Romans a public whipping without judging us, and have put us in prison. Will they now send us out secretly? no, truly, let them come themselves and take us out.

Original Greek

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Ὁ Ho (the) G3588 δὲ de But G1161 Παῦλος Paulos Paul G3972 ἔφη ephē was saying G5346 πρὸς pros to G4314 αὐτούς autous them G846 δείραντες deirantes Having beaten G1194 ἡμᾶς hēmas us G3165 δημοσίᾳ dēmosia publicly G1219 ἀκατακρίτους akatakritous uncondemned G178 ἀνθρώπους anthrōpous men G444 Ῥωμαίους Rhōmaious Romans G4514 ὑπάρχοντας huparchontas being G5225 ἔβαλαν ebalan they cast [us] G906 εἰς eis into G1519 φυλακήν phulakēn prison G5438 καὶ kai and G2532 νῦν nun now G3568 λάθρᾳ lathra secretly G2977 ἡμᾶς hēmas us G3165 ἐκβάλλουσιν; ekballousin do they throw out G1544 οὐ ou No G3756 γάρ gar indeed G1063 ἀλλ all᾽ Instead G235 ἐλθόντες elthontes having come G2064 αὐτοὶ autoi themselves G846 ἡμᾶς hēmas us G3165 ἐξαγαγέτωσαν exagagetōsan they should bring out G1806

The early church

But Paul said unto them, they have beaten us openly uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast us into prison; and now do they thrust us out privily? nay verily; but let them come themselves and fetch us out. Even upon the declaration of the magistrates Paul does not go out, but for the sake both of Lydia and the rest he puts them in fear: that they may not be supposed to have come out upon their own request, that they may set the rest in a posture of boldness. The impeachment was twofold: that being Romans, and uncondemned, they had openly cast them into prison. You see that in many things they took their measures as men.
John Chrysostom · d. 407Homilies on Acts
But Paul said unto them: that he may not seem to be receiving his liberty as one condemned, and as one that has done wrong: therefore it is that he says, Having openly beaten us uncondemned - that it may not be matter of grace on their part. And besides, they wish the jailer himself to be out of danger, that he may not be called to account for this afterwards. And they do not say, Having beaten us, who have wrought miracles: for they the magistrates did not even heed these: but, that which was most effectual to shake their minds, uncondemned, and being Romans.
John Chrysostom · d. 407Homilies on Acts

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 35–40

Paul, though willing to suffer for the cause of Christ, and without any desire to avenge himself, did not choose to depart under the charge of having deserved wrongful punishment, and therefore required to be dismissed in an honourable manner. It was not a mere point of honour that the apostle stood upon, but justice, and not to himself so much as to his cause. And when proper apology is made, Christians should never express personal anger, nor insist too strictly upon personal amends. The Lord will make them more than conquerors in every conflict; instead of being cast down by their sufferings, they will become comforters of their brethren.

Read Matthew Henry on Acts 16 →

Cross-references

9

People & places

Paul

Topics

PaulReproofCitizensRoman EmpireBeatingTrial

Cross-references: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. Hebrew and Greek data from STEPBible.org (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0. Library: sources.