Actes 22:28

28 Le tribun reprit: J'ai acheté fort cher cette bourgeoisie. Et moi, dit Paul, je la tiens de ma naissance.

Actes 22:28 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 22:28

And the chief captain answered, with a great sum obtained I
this freedom
For, it seems, he was not a Roman born, but very likely a Grecian, or Syrian, by his name Lysias; and as all things were now venal at Rome, the freedom of the city was to be bought with money, though a large sum was insisted on for it: this the chief captain said, as wondering that so mean a person, and who he understood was a Jew by birth, should be able to procure such a privilege, which cost him so much money:

and Paul said, but I was free born;
being born at Tarsus; which, as Pliny says ^F12, was a free city, and which had its freedom given it by Mark Antony, and which was before the birth of Paul; and therefore his parents being of this city, and free, he was born so.

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FOOTNOTES:

F12 Nat. Hist. l. 5. c. 27.

Actes 22:28 In-Context

26 Le centenier ayant entendu cela, alla le rapporter au tribun, en disant: Prends garde à ce que tu feras; car cet homme est Romain.

27 Le tribun venant donc vers Paul, lui dit: Dis-moi, es-tu Romain? Et il répondit: Oui.

28 Le tribun reprit: J'ai acheté fort cher cette bourgeoisie. Et moi, dit Paul, je la tiens de ma naissance.

29 Ceux donc qui devaient lui donner la question se retirèrent aussitôt de lui; et le tribun lui-même eut peur, voyant qu'il était Romain, et qu'il l'avait fait lier.

30 Le lendemain, voulant savoir au vrai pour quel sujet il était accusé des Juifs, il le fit délier, et ordonna aux principaux sacrificateurs et à tout le Sanhédrin de se réunir, puis faisant descendre Paul, il le plaça au milieu d'eux.