Acts 16:38

So the officers relayed this message to the magistrates, who were alarmed to hear that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens.

BSB

Parallel translations

4 additional translations

▾

KJV

And the serjeants told these words unto the magistrates: and they feared, when they heard that they were Romans.

ASV

And the serjeants reported these words unto the magistrates: and they feared when they heard that they were Romans;

YLT

And the rod-bearers told to the magistrates these sayings, and they were afraid, having heard that they are Romans,

DBT

And the lictors reported these words to the praetors. And they were afraid when they heard they were Romans.

⋯

Commentary voices

loading…

Voices3

On this verse

"And the serjeants told these words to the magistrates," etc. When they heard the words of the apostles, the magistrates were very afraid, because the apostles had called themselves innocent Romans sent to prison. Going to the apostles, they besought them to depart unhurt out …

Cassiodorus· Complexiones on the Acts of the Apostles, 585patristic

Related commentary

And the sergeants told these words unto the magistrates,....

John Gill· Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748)reformed

They feared when they heard - they were Romans - They feared, because the Roman law was so constituted that an insult offered to a citizen was deemed an insult to the whole Roman people. There is a remarkable addition here, both in the Greek and Latin of the Codex Bezae. It is as follows: And when they were come with many of their friends to the prison, they besought them to go out, saying: We were ignorant of your circumstances, that ye were righteous men.

Adam Clarke· Commentary on the Bible, 1832evangelical

Voices on this verse

loading…

Cross-references

3 linked verses

The verses this one reaches3

Acts 22:29
Then those who were about to interrogate Paul stepped back, and the commander himself was alarmed when he realized that he had put a Roman citizen in chains.
Matthew 21:46
Although they wanted to arrest Him, they were afraid of the crowds, because the people regarded Him as a prophet.
Matthew 14:5
Although Herod wanted to kill John, he was afraid of the people, because they regarded John as a prophet.

Cross-references

loading…

The quotation web

loading…

Original language

loading…

Around this verse

Word doors

Rare words are the text's own signal of a deliberate thread — the fewer the occurrences, the more the places it appears belong together.

Who & where

PersonNew TestamentSilasA leading man among the brethren, sent from Jerusalem to carry the Council's letter to Antioch, and then Paul's companion on the s…

About this book

The Ascension — Gustave Doré (engraving, public domain)

Acts — The Gospel's sequel. Jerusalem → Judea and Samaria → the ends of the earth. Three missionary journeys and the voyage to Rome.

Canon: New Testament
Author: Luke, companion of Paul — the 'we' passages begin in 16:10
Date: c. AD 62

Where the connections lead

Follow this verse’s cross-references two steps out. Each card is a verse this one points to, and beneath it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several different paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first — the text keeps returning to it. Every stop shows its own words, and every stop is a page.

Through
Matthew 14:5
Although Herod wanted to kill John, he was afraid of the people, because they regarded John as a prophet.
leads to
- Matthew 21:26
  But if we say, ‘From men,’ we are afraid of the people, for they all regard John as a prophet.”
  Reached by 2 independent paths from here.
- Matthew 21:32
  For John came to you in a righteous way and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe…
- Matthew 11:9
  What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.
- Acts 4:21
  After further threats they let them go. They could not find a way to punish them, because all the people were glorifying God for what had happened.
Through
Acts 22:29
Then those who were about to interrogate Paul stepped back, and the commander himself was alarmed when he realized that he had put a Roman citizen in chains.
leads to
- Acts 21:33
  The commander came up and arrested Paul, ordering that he be bound with two chains. Then he asked who he was and what he had done.
- Acts 22:24–26
  the commander ordered that Paul be brought into the barracks. He directed that Paul be flogged and interrogated to determine the reason for this outcry against him.
Through
Matthew 21:46
Although they wanted to arrest Him, they were afraid of the crowds, because the people regarded Him as a prophet.
leads to
- Matthew 21:11
  The crowds replied, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”
- Acts 2:22
  Men of Israel, listen to this message: Jesus of Nazareth was a man certified by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs, which God did among you through Him, as you yourselves know.

The whole web at once: see the Arc.

Where the connections lead

loading…

Continue: Acts 16 →