Acts 22 24

Acts 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.

Acts 22:24 nkjv

the commander ordered him to be brought into the barracks, and said that he should be examined under scourging, so that he might know why they shouted so against him.

Acts 22:24 niv

the commander ordered that Paul be taken into the barracks. He directed that he be flogged and interrogated in order to find out why the people were shouting at him like this.

Acts 22:24 esv

the tribune ordered him to be brought into the barracks, saying that he should be examined by flogging, to find out why they were shouting against him like this.

Acts 22:24 nlt

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.

Acts 22 verses

Acts 22 24 Meaning

Acts chapter 22 verse 24 describes the immediate aftermath of Paul's address to the Jewish crowd in Jerusalem. Unable to comprehend the cause of the crowd's uproar, and likely baffled by Paul's use of Aramaic or their intense reaction to the mention of Gentiles, the Roman commander in charge issued a command. He ordered Paul to be taken into the barracks of the Antonia Fortress, not for protection, but for a violent interrogation: he was to be examined by scourging. The commander's singular goal was to extract information from Paul, believing that such a severe punishment would force him to reveal the reason for the intense animosity from the crowd. This demonstrates the Roman military's brutal methods for maintaining order and dispensing their form of justice.

Acts 22 24 Context

Acts 22:24 is situated within the dramatic narrative of Paul's arrest and subsequent defenses in Jerusalem. Paul, having returned to Jerusalem, was falsely accused by Jewish religious leaders of desecrating the Temple and stirring up riots (Acts 21:27-30). A violent mob attempted to kill him, but he was rescued by the Roman cohort's commander, Claudius Lysias. Chapter 22 opens with Paul's permission to address the very crowd that sought to murder him. He recounts his zealous past as a Pharisee, his Damascus road conversion, his commission by Christ to go to the Gentiles, and his prophetic instruction to leave Jerusalem. The crowd listened intently until he mentioned being sent to the Gentiles (Acts 22:21-22). At this point, their racial and religious animosity exploded, demanding his death.

The commander, likely positioned within hearing distance but unable to understand Aramaic, observed the abrupt shift from attentive listening to frenzied outrage. He knew Paul had incited this violent reaction, but he did not know why. He needed to understand the situation to restore order and justify his intervention. The immediate historical context highlights Roman occupational authority's pragmatism: maintain peace, even through brutal means, and identify any perceived threats to Roman stability. Scourging was a common, severe Roman practice used to interrogate criminals or as a punishment for non-Roman citizens, aimed at breaking the individual to extract confessions or information.

Acts 22 24 Word analysis

• the commander (ο χιλιαρχος, ho chiliarchos): Refers to Claudius Lysias, the tribune (Acts 21:31). A military officer in charge of 1,000 men. This highlights Roman authority and military presence in Jerusalem, overseeing law and order. His position reflects the practical power dynamic between the occupying Roman force and the Jewish population.
• ordered (εκελευσεν, ekeleusen): An imperative, showing a direct, forceful command. It underscores his authority and decisive action to control the volatile situation, albeit through coercive means.
• him to be brought (αγαγεσθαι, agagesthai): To lead away, implying a forceful escort into confinement. It denotes Paul's immediate subjection to Roman will and the stripping of his temporary freedom to speak.
• into the barracks (εις την παρεμβολην, eis tēn parembolēn): Refers to the Antonia Fortress, a Roman military compound adjacent to the Temple grounds. This location was not just a protective enclosure but a base for Roman control and administration. It signifies Paul being moved from public scrutiny to private, coercive interrogation.
• saying (ειπας, eipas): A participle indicating the purpose of the commander's order.
• that he should be examined (ανατασθαι αυτον, anatasthai auton): To inquire by torture, to examine with a view to extracting truth, specifically implies intense investigation under duress. This verb reveals the commander's intent was not compassionate justice, but an expedient method to obtain information, suggesting he had exhausted other means of understanding.
• by scourging (μαστιξιν, mastixin): From mastix, meaning a whip, lash, or the act of scourging. Roman scourging (verberatio) was a severe punishment, often using whips embedded with pieces of bone or metal to inflict maximum pain and tearing. It was generally prohibited for Roman citizens, indicating the commander's initial ignorance of Paul's citizenship or disregard for it, until challenged later. This practice was meant to terrorize and subdue.
• so that he might find out (ινα επιγνω, hina epignō): "In order that he might know fully, ascertain." This clause explicitly states the commander's motivation. He sought full knowledge and understanding of Paul's perceived offense and the crowd's reaction.
• why (τινος, tinos): A pronoun meaning "for what reason" or "what sort." He wants to pinpoint the precise accusation against Paul.
• they were shouting against him (επενεβων αυτου, epenebōn autou): "They cried out against him," expressing hostile shouts or demands for his execution. The commander was likely confused by the Jewish crowd's passionate, seemingly illogical outburst from a Roman perspective.

Words-Group by words-group analysis

• "the commander ordered him to be brought into the barracks": This phrase encapsulates the swift, authoritative, and logistical aspect of the Roman military's response. It establishes Roman control over Paul and the situation, moving him from a public spectacle to an enclosed, controlled environment. This command shows the shift from managing a riot to an official, though flawed, interrogation process.
• "saying that he should be examined by scourging": This highlights the commander's intention and the brutal means he deemed necessary. The juxtaposition of "examined" (seeking knowledge) with "scourging" (inflicting torture) reveals the Roman legal system's willingness to use violence for expediency rather than due process alone, especially when dealing with foreign populations or civil unrest. This act directly implies a belief that Paul was withholding information that extreme pain would reveal.
• "so that he might find out why they were shouting against him": This phrase precisely defines the commander's motivation: he wanted clarity and control. The chaotic, emotionally charged Jewish outcry was inexplicable to him through typical Roman intelligence channels. He was a practical Roman officer concerned with maintaining peace, not religious disputes, and thus resorted to methods that would quickly yield answers.

Acts 22 24 Bonus section

• Scourging's Brutality: Roman scourging was far more severe than Jewish flogging (which had a limit of 40 lashes less one, typically with rods or a simple whip). The Roman flagellum was a short whip with multiple strands of leather, often tipped with lead balls or pieces of sheep bone. It was designed to rip flesh, leading to immense pain, shock, and sometimes death. It served as a prelude to crucifixion for some criminals. The commander's casual resort to such a brutal measure reveals a deeply ingrained culture of coercion within the Roman legal and military system.
• Paul's Suffering as an Apostle: Paul's willingness to suffer, and indeed his actual suffering, for the sake of the Gospel is a recurring theme in Acts and his epistles. This instance in Jerusalem further cements his identification with Christ's suffering (Isa 53:5, Lk 18:33) and serves as an apostolic credential (2 Cor 11:23-25). His steadfastness amidst potential torture reveals the depth of his conviction and reliance on divine strength.
• Ignorance of Law vs. Practicality: The commander's immediate order to scourge demonstrates a focus on practical information gathering over proper legal investigation or understanding of Jewish law. He bypasses any nuanced understanding of the situation, prioritizing quick resolution and maintenance of control above all else. His action shows the limits of his knowledge regarding Paul's status and the local cultural dynamics, highlighting the potential for miscarriages of justice under colonial rule.

Acts 22 24 Commentary

Acts 22:24 provides a stark illustration of Roman authoritarianism and its often-brutal methods for maintaining civil order. The Roman commander, Claudius Lysias, was caught in a chaotic situation where a large Jewish mob was violently reacting to Paul, yet he couldn't discern the specific cause of their outrage. From his Roman perspective, this was a breach of peace and stability that needed immediate and decisive resolution. Ignorant of Paul's Roman citizenship at this point, and likely culturally insensitive to Jewish religious intricacies, the commander defaulted to the standard, though extreme, Roman interrogation technique: scourging. This method was not intended as an initial punishment but as a coercive tool to extract a confession or truth when an offender refused to speak or the facts were unclear. It underlines a significant clash between Jewish religious fervor, Paul's mission, and Roman practical governance. This episode prefigures Paul's appeal to his Roman citizenship in the following verses, a critical turn that averts his immediate torture and shifts the legal proceedings. The divine hand of God is evident, as this apparent move towards severe suffering ultimately sets Paul on a path towards Caesar.