If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.”
and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this city some days.
They advocate customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to accept or practice.”
But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us publicly, uncondemned, men who are Roman citizens, and have thrown us into prison; and do they now throw us out secretly? No! Let them come themselves and take us out.”
The police reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Roman citizens.
But when they had stretched him out for the whips, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, “Is it lawful for you to flog a man who is a Roman citizen and uncondemned?”
When the centurion heard this, he went to the tribune and said to him, “What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman citizen.”
So the tribune came and said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” And he said, “Yes.”
So those who were about to examine him withdrew from him immediately, and the tribune also was afraid, for he realized that Paul was a Roman citizen and that he had bound him.
This man was seized by the Jews and was about to be killed by them when I came upon them with the soldiers and rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman citizen.
I answered them that it was not the custom of the Romans to give up anyone before the accused met the accusers face to face and had opportunity to make his defense concerning the charge laid against him.
After three days he called together the local leaders of the Jews, and when they had gathered, he said to them, “Brothers, though I had done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans.
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