Acts 16:37–40

16:37 But Paul said to the police officers,134 “They had us beaten in public135 without a proper trial136—even though we are Roman citizens137—and they threw us138 in prison. And now they want to send us away139 secretly? Absolutely not! They140 themselves must come and escort us out!”141 16:38 The police officers reported these words to the magistrates. They were frightened when they heard Paul and Silas142 were Roman citizens143 16:39 and came144 and apologized to them. After145 they brought them out, they asked them repeatedly146 to leave the city. 16:40 When they came out of the prison, they entered Lydia’s house, and when they saw the brothers, they encouraged them and then147 departed.

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134	tn Grk “to them”; the referent (the police officers) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
135	tn Grk “Having us beaten in public.” The participle δείραντες (deirantes) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
136	tn Or “in public, uncondemned.” BDAG 35 s.v. ἀκατάκριτος has “uncondemned, without due process” for this usage.
137	tn The participle ὑπάρχοντας (huparchontas) has been translated as a concessive adverbial participle.
138	tn The word “us” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.
139	tn L&N 28.71 has “send us away secretly” for this verse.
140	tn Grk “But they.”
141	sn They themselves must come and escort us out! Paul was asking for the injustice he and Silas suffered to be symbolically righted. It was a way of publicly taking their actions off the record and showing the apostles’ innocence, a major public statement. Note the apology given in v. 39.
142	tn Grk “heard they”; the referents (Paul and Silas) have been specified in the translation for clarity.
143	sn Roman citizens. This fact was disturbing to the officials because due process was a right for a Roman citizen, well established in Roman law. To flog a Roman citizen was considered an abomination. Such punishment was reserved for noncitizens.
144	tn Grk “and coming, they apologized.” The participle ἐλθόντες (elthontes) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
145	tn Grk “and after.” Because of the length of the Greek sentence, the conjunction καί (kai) has not been translated here. Instead a new English sentence is begun.
146	tn The verb ἐρώτων (erōtōn) has been translated as an iterative imperfect; the English adverb “repeatedly” brings out the iterative force in the translation.
147	tn “Then” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to clarify the logical sequence in the translation.

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