Hechos 22:28

28 —A mí me costó una fortuna adquirir mi ciudadanía —le dijo el comandante.—Pues yo la tengo de nacimiento —replicó Pablo.

Hechos 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.

---

FOOTNOTES:

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

Hechos 22:28 In-Context

26 Al oír esto, el centurión fue y avisó al comandante.—¿Qué va a hacer usted? Resulta que ese hombre es ciudadano romano.

27 El comandante se acercó a Pablo y le dijo:—Dime, ¿eres ciudadano romano?—Sí, lo soy.

28 —A mí me costó una fortuna adquirir mi ciudadanía —le dijo el comandante.—Pues yo la tengo de nacimiento —replicó Pablo.

29 Los que iban a interrogarlo se retiraron en seguida. Al darse cuenta de que Pablo era ciudadano romano, el comandante mismo se asustó de haberlo encadenado.

30 Al día siguiente, como el comandante quería saber con certeza de qué acusaban los judíos a Pablo, lo desató y mandó que se reunieran los jefes de los sacerdotes y el Consejo en pleno. Luego llevó a Pablo para que compareciera ante ellos.