Bible Strands
Acts 22:25
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?”
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Paul addresses a standing centurion at the precise moment soldiers stretch him forward to bind him for scourging under the commander’s order.
The words — προέτειναν (proeteinan) denotes they stretched forward, while ἱμᾶσιν (himasin) identifies the straps used to secure him for punishment.
The thread — This legal appeal parallels the public confrontation in Acts 16:37, the procedural defense in Acts 25:16, and the centurion’s protective intervention in Acts 27:43.
Why it lands — The text records Paul’s direct question regarding the legality of scourging a Roman citizen without a trial before inferring that civic status and judicial procedure override arbitrary military force.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
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?
Cross-references
- Acts 16:37 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!”
- Acts 25:16 I told them that it is not the Roman custom to hand a man over before he has had an opportunity to face his accusers and defend himself against their charges.
- Acts 27:43 But the centurion, wanting to spare Paul’s life, thwarted their plan. He commanded those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land.
- Acts 22:27 The commander went to Paul and asked, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” “Yes,” he answered.
- Acts 23:17 Then Paul called one of the centurions and said, “Take this young man to the commander; he has something to tell him.”
- Matthew 8:8 The centurion answered, “Lord, I am not worthy to have You come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed.
- Matthew 27:54 When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified and said, “Truly this was the Son of God.”
- Acts 10:1 At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was called the Italian Regiment.
- Acts 27:1 When it was decided that we would sail for Italy, Paul and some other prisoners were handed over to a centurion named Julius, who belonged to the Imperial Regiment.
- Acts 27:3 The next day we landed at Sidon, and Julius treated Paul with consideration, allowing him to visit his friends and receive their care.