Acts 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.
Acts 22:29 nkjv
Then immediately those who were about to examine him withdrew from him; and the commander was also afraid after he found out that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.
Acts 22:29 niv
Those who were about to interrogate him withdrew immediately. The commander himself was alarmed when he realized that he had put Paul, a Roman citizen, in chains.
Acts 22:29 esv
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.
Acts 22:29 nlt
The soldiers who were about to interrogate Paul quickly withdrew when they heard he was a Roman citizen, and the commander was frightened because he had ordered him bound and whipped.
Acts 22 29 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Acts 16:37 | "But they [the magistrates] have beaten us publicly, though we are Roman citizens, without a trial, and have thrown us into prison. Now do they dare to throw us out secretly? No! They must come themselves and take us out." | Paul asserts his Roman citizenship |
| Acts 25:11 | "If then I am an offender or have committed anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die; but if there is nothing in what these men accuse me of, no one can hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!" | Paul appeals to Caesar |
| Philippians 3:5 | "circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee;" | Paul's heritage |
| 2 Cor 11:22 | "Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they offspring of Abraham? So am I." | Paul defends his Jewish identity |
| Isaiah 49:6 | "It is too small a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved of Israel; I will give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”" | Jesus' mission to the nations |
| Luke 21:12 | "But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name's sake." | Persecution for the name of Jesus |
| Ps 2:6 | "Yet I have set my King on my holy hill of Zion." | God's sovereign plan |
| John 15:18 | "If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you." | The world's hatred of believers |
| Acts 19:40 | "for we are in danger of being called in question for this day’s riot, there being no reason whatever for us, and with no justification we could give to this commotion either.”" | Roman authority intervening in riots |
| Romans 13:3 | "For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval," | Rulers as instruments of God |
| Acts 18:14 | "But when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were a matter of wrongdoing, or of vicious crime, O Jews, as is evident, I would have gladly borne with you." | Roman official acting justly |
| Galatians 3:28 | "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." | Unity in Christ |
| Acts 23:27 | "Then, knowing that I would certainly fall into the hands of the Jews, I went down to Tarsus." | Paul's previous strategic move |
| Acts 21:11 | "and when he came to them, he took Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands and said, 'Thus says the Holy Spirit, “This is how the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man to whom this belt belongs and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.”'" | Prophecy of Paul's suffering |
| Acts 22:30 | "But on the next day, wanting to know the real reason why he was accused by the Jews, he unbound Paul and ordered the chief priests and all the council to assemble, and he brought Paul down and set him before them." | Continuation of Roman investigation |
| John 19:15 | "They cried out, 'Away with him, away with him, crucify him!' Pilate said to them, 'Shall I crucify your King?' The chief priests answered, 'We have no king but Caesar.'" | Jews demanding Jesus' death |
| Matt 27:25 | "And all the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!”" | Responsibility for Jesus' blood |
| Ps 118:22 | "The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone." | Christ rejected, then exalted |
| Eph 2:20 | "built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone," | Christ as cornerstone |
| Acts 9:15 | "But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument to me to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel," | Paul's calling |
Acts 22 verses
Acts 22 29 Meaning
This verse describes the Roman soldiers preventing the Jews from killing Paul after he had recounted his conversion experience. Their intervention is based on their role as Roman citizens, ensuring justice or at least due process.
Acts 22 29 Context
Following his dramatic testimony in Jerusalem, the assembled Jews were enraged, their anger escalating to the point of wanting to kill Paul. This occurred in the temple courtyard after his apprehension by the temple police. The situation was highly volatile, fueled by religious fervor and intense opposition to Paul's ministry, particularly his outreach to Gentiles. The arrival of the Roman commander and his soldiers prevented a violent outcome. This intervention highlights the ongoing tension between Jewish authorities, the Jewish populace, and the Roman occupation. Paul, as a Roman citizen, found a measure of protection under Roman law, even amidst his Jewish accusers.
Acts 22 29 Word Analysis
Διdyžος (Diēgozos): This refers to the commander of the Roman troops. The term signifies a chiliarch or tribune, a high-ranking military officer.
ὅτι (Hoti): Means "because" or "that." Here, it introduces the reason for the commander's action.
Ῥωμαῖος (Rhōmaios): Denotes a "Roman citizen." This status conferred significant legal rights and protections.
ὑπάρχων (Hyparchōn): A present participle, meaning "being," "existing," or "as." It indicates Paul's possession of Roman citizenship.
ἔγνω (Egnō): The aorist tense of ginōskō, meaning "knew" or "came to know." It implies that the commander understood Paul's Roman status.
διαγορεύων (Diagoreuōn): A present participle from diagoreuō, meaning "proclaiming loudly," "publicly stating," or "charging." It indicates the explicit declaration of Paul's citizenship.
συλλαβεῖν (Syllabein): The aorist infinitive of syllambanō, meaning "to seize," "to arrest," or "to take hold of."
παρελθὼν (Parelthōn): The aorist participle of pareirchomai, meaning "having come," "having passed by," or "having approached." This describes the commander's action of approaching the situation.
ἔγνω (Egnō): Repeated usage reinforces the commander's awareness.
συνκαλέσας (Synkalesas): The aorist participle of synkaleō, meaning "having summoned" or "having called together." This refers to the commander assembling others.
σπεκουλάτορας (Spekoulatoras): From the Latin "speculator," meaning "guards" or "soldiers."
πραιτωρίου (Praitōriou): From the Latin "praetorium," meaning "headquarters," "governor's palace," or "barracks." This indicates where Paul was to be taken.
αὐτὸν (Auton): "him" (Paul).
καταβιβασθῆναι (Katabibasthēnai): The aorist passive infinitive of katabibazō, meaning "to be brought down" or "to be taken down."
Grouped Analysis:
- "And when the commander found that he was Roman": The commander's knowledge of Paul's Roman citizenship triggers the protective action.
- "and that he was about to be scourged": This adds urgency to the commander's intervention, as scourging a Roman citizen without due process was illegal and punishable.
- "he turned and said to the commander of the guard": The commander communicates his order to his subordinate.
- "Take precautions with this man": A direct order for protection.
- "and, guarding him": Specifies how he should be guarded – securely.
- "and to the centurion he said, 'Do you know that he is a Roman citizen?'": The commander directly questions the centurion to confirm this vital piece of information.
- "And he replied, 'Yes.'": The centurion confirms Paul's status.
Acts 22 29 Bonus Section
Paul's Roman citizenship was a significant advantage throughout his ministry, enabling him to travel and preach the Gospel under the protection of the Roman Empire. It was a "passport" that, at times, opened doors and at other times, like in this instance, prevented his premature death. This status, deeply rooted in his background as a citizen of Tarsus, a free Roman city, provided a divine protection that allowed the Gospel to advance. It fulfilled God's sovereign plan for Paul to reach kings and nations.
Acts 22 29 Commentary
The commander's swift action demonstrates the legal protection afforded to Roman citizens. This was a critical safeguard against arbitrary abuse of power. Paul's earlier assertion of his citizenship (Acts 16:37) set a precedent for such protections. The commander's recognition of this legal standing overrides the immediate desire of the Jewish mob to harm Paul. He orders Paul to be taken to the barracks (the praetorium) and guarded. Furthermore, he questions the centurion to confirm Paul's citizenship, emphasizing the seriousness of the situation. This sequence of events underscores that even in a tense religious and political environment, Roman law offered a framework for justice, preventing immediate extralegal violence.