Acts 22:27 - Printer Friendly

ESV: So the tribune came and said to him, "Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?" And he said, "Yes."

NIV: The commander went to Paul and asked, "Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?" "Yes, I am," he answered.

NASB: The commander came and said to Paul, 'Tell me, are you a Roman?' And he said, 'Yes.'

CSB: The commander came and said to him, "Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?" "Yes," he said.

NLT: So the commander went over and asked Paul, 'Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?' 'Yes, I certainly am,' Paul replied.

KJV: Then the chief captain came, and said unto him, Tell me, art thou a Roman? He said, Yea.

NKJV: Then the commander came and said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman?” He said, “Yes.”

It wasn't easy to be the tribune of a Roman military outpost in Jerusalem. The language the locals spoke was obscure. The local politics were mystifying. And the local God is invisible. Fortunately, the assignment was probably only for a year. Unfortunately, this left little time to learn anything useful.

This tribune knows that a crowd on the temple mount was trying to kill a Jewish man who speaks flawless Greek and is definitely not an Egyptian assassin. Attempting to learn more, he allows the man, Paul, to address the crowd. Either because of the mystifying politics or the obscure language, he learns nothing (Acts 21:31–39). He resorts to the Roman way—flogging—but is foiled by the fact that his detainee is a Roman citizen; even the straps used to tie the man to the frame are illegal, not to mention the chains around his wrists (Acts 21:33).

The tribune has one more option: take Paul before the Sanhedrin—the Jewish ruling council—and ask them what the problem is. Unfortunately, Paul is ahead of him there, too, and quickly sets the Pharisees and Sadducees into such a fuss they are no use (Acts 23:1–10). When the tribune learns that a group has now vowed to fast until they have killed Paul, he gives up. He sends Paul to the governor in Caesarea and doesn't even show up for the trial (Acts 23:12–33; 24:22).

Acts 22:23–30 describes how the Roman army tribune continues to seek understanding. A mob of Jews on the temple mount want Paul dead (Acts 21:27–40). The officer let Paul speak, hoping to uncover the cause, but Paul only managed to agitate the crowd more (Acts 22:1–22). Now, the tribune tries the traditional Roman way of uncovering the truth: flogging. Unfortunately, he missed the part where Paul is a Roman citizen. Even the chains on Paul's wrists are illegal. The next morning, the tribune will try one last tactic: the Sanhedrin. It doesn't end well (Acts 23:1–10).

In Acts 22, a young Roman military officer realizes he cannot control Jews who do not wish to be controlled. He has just rescued Paul from a crowd that largely doesn't know why they want to kill Paul. In hopes of gathering information, the tribune allows Paul to speak to the crowd. The crowd listens only briefly, then explodes again. The tribune tries flogging but is foiled by Paul's Roman citizenship. Finally, the tribune schedules a meeting with the Sanhedrin. It does not go well (Acts 23:1–10).

Paul came to Jerusalem to tell the church of his ministry's success with Gentiles. The leaders are more worried about a rumor that Paul no longer respects the Jewish law. Paul agrees to perform a very Jewish ritual, but in the process is falsely accused of bringing a Gentile into the temple. A mob assaults him, and the Roman tribune arrests him (Acts 21:17–36). The tribune tries to uncover the truth by letting Paul speak to the crowd, then almost flogging him (Acts 21:37—22). Next, he will bring Paul to the Sanhedrin, to no avail (Acts 23:1–10).

The summary of the book of Acts is provided in Jesus' words in Acts 1:8: ''But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.'' In Acts 2:1–13, the Christ-followers receive the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:14—7:60 describes the rapid growth of the church in Jerusalem. Chapters 8—12 find Jewish persecution inadvertently spreading the gospel throughout Judea and Samaria. And in chapters 13—28, Paul and his companions spread the good news throughout the Roman Empire.