Acts 22:28 Made Simple

KJV ORIGINAL

And the chief captain answered, With a great sum obtained I this freedom. And Paul said, But I was free born.

Close to the original. Clear modern English.

✦ MADE SIMPLE

The commander was like, 'I had to pay a ton of money to become a Roman citizen.' But Paul hit him back with, 'Actually, I was born one.'

⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE

Paul just casually dropped that he had something money couldn't buy, he was born free.

📚 Historical Context

In the book of Acts, Paul is arrested in Jerusalem and about to be flogged when he reveals his Roman citizenship to the chief captain, preventing the punishment. The chief captain admits he purchased his citizenship with a large sum of money, while Paul declares he was born a citizen, which highlighted the varying ways people obtained this status in the Roman Empire. This scene underscores the cultural value of Roman citizenship in the first century, as it provided legal protections and social advantages amid the empire's governance.

Explore Similar Verses

Acts 22:27

So the captain walked over and was like, 'Hey, tell me straight up, are you a Roman citizen?' And Paul was like, 'Yeah, I am.'

Acts 22:26

When the centurion heard this, he rushed to tell his commanding officer, 'Hey, you need to be careful what you do here, this guy is a Roman citizen.'

Acts 21:39

But Paul replied, 'I'm a Jewish man from Tarsus in Cilicia, and that's not some random small town, it's actually a pretty significant city. Please, just let me speak to these people.'

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