American Standard Version
Acts 16:38
38And the serjeants reported these words unto the magistrates: and they feared when they heard that they were Romans;
Acts 16:38 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And the serjeants told these words unto the magistrates: and they feared, when they heard that they were Romans.
- New International Version (NIV)The officers reported this to the magistrates, and when they heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, they were alarmed.
- English Standard Version (ESV)The police reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Roman citizens.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And the officers told these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Romans.
Context of Acts 16:38
36And the jailor reported the words to Paul, saying, The magistrates have sent to let you go: now therefore come forth, and go in peace. 37But 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. And the serjeants reported these words unto the magistrates: and they feared when they heard that they were Romans; 39and they came and besought them; and when they had brought them out, they asked them to go away from the city. 40And they went out of the prison, and entered into the house of Lydia: and when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them, and departed.
Read all of Acts 16Acts 16:38 word by word
ἀπήγγειλαν δὲ τοῖς στρατηγοῖς οἱ ῥαβδοῦχοι τὰ ῥήματα ταῦτα· ἐφοβήθησαν δὲ ἀκούσαντες ὅτι Ῥωμαῖοί εἰσιν,Read the interlinear
Cross-references for Acts 16:38
- Acts 22:29They then that were about to examine him straightway departed from him: and the chief captain also was afraid when he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.
- Matthew 14:5And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.
- Matthew 21:46And when they sought to lay hold on him, they feared the multitudes, because they took him for a prophet.
Commentaries on Acts 16:38
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 38They feared when they heard - they were Romans - They feared, because the Roman law was so constituted that an insult offered to a citizen was deemed an insult to the whole Roman people. There is a remarkable addition here, both in the Greek and Latin of the Codex Bezae. It is as follows: "And when they were come with many of their friends to the prison, they besought them to go out, saying: We were ignorant of your circumstances, that ye were righteous…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 38They feared when they heard - They were apprehensive of punishment for having imprisoned them in violation of the laws of the empire. To punish unjustly a Roman citizen was deemed an offence to the majesty of the Roman people, and was severely punished by the laws. Dionysius Hal. (Ant. Rom., ii.) says, “The punishment appointed for those who abrogated or transgressed the Valerian law was death, and the confiscation of his property.” The emperor Claudius…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 35-40Verses 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…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 37-39Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, so it was illegal to beat and imprison them (16:22–24). When the city officials learned this, they were understandably alarmed because they had broken Roman law. Let them come themselves and escort us out!: Paul used his rights as a Roman citizen to save his reputation and protect the Christian message from receiving a bad name. Luke wanted to show that Christianity should have the same status as Judaism in the Roman…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3838. they feared when they heard they were Romans--their authority being thus imperilled; for they were liable to an action for what they had done.Read the comment
Topics related to Acts 16:38
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Acts 16
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
American Standard Version — 1901 — Public Domain
Commentaries