Acts 22:28

28 And the tribune answered, I with much sum got this freedom. And Paul said, And I was born a citizen of Rome [And Paul saith, I soothly and am born].

Acts 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.

Acts 22:28 In-Context

26 And when this thing was heard, the centurion went to the tribune, and told to him, and said [saying], What art thou to doing? for this man is a citizen of Rome [forsooth this man is a citizen Roman].

27 And the tribune came nigh, and said to him, Say thou to me, whether thou art a Roman [Forsooth the tribune coming to, said to him, Say thou to me, if thou art a Roman]? And he said, Yea.

28 And the tribune answered, I with much sum got this freedom. And Paul said, And I was born a citizen of Rome [And Paul saith, I soothly and am born].

29 Therefore at once [Therefore anon] they that should have tormented him, departed away from him. And the tribune dreaded, after that he knew, that he was a citizen of Rome, and for he had bound him [and that he had bound him].

30 But in the day following he would know more diligently, for what cause he were accused of the Jews, and unbound him, and commanded [the] priests and all the council to come together. And he brought forth Paul, and set him among them.