Acts 22:26

26 When the officer heard this, he went to the commander and asked him, "What are you doing? That man is a Roman citizen!"

Acts 22:26 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 22:26

When the centurion heard that
The question put by Paul, which strongly suggested that he was a Roman:

he went and told the chief captain; what Paul had said: saying, take
heed what thou dost;
or "art about to do"; lest some bad consequences should follow; lest he should affront the Roman people and senate, and lose his place, if not incur some corporeal punishment:

for this man is a Roman;
and it can never be answered to bind and beat a Roman.

Acts 22:26 In-Context

24 The Roman commander ordered his men to take Paul into the fort, and he told them to whip him in order to find out why the Jews were screaming like this against him.

25 But when they had tied him up to be whipped, Paul said to the officer standing there, "Is it lawful for you to whip a Roman citizen who hasn't even been tried for any crime?"

26 When the officer heard this, he went to the commander and asked him, "What are you doing? That man is a Roman citizen!"

27 So the commander went to Paul and asked him, "Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?" "Yes," answered Paul.

28 The commander said, "I became one by paying a large amount of money." "But I am one by birth," Paul answered.