Acts 22:22-30 - Paul Questioned By The Military Tribune
22 The people had listened to Paul speaking up to this point [i.e., until he said the word "Gentiles"], then they raised their voices and shouted, "Do away with such a person from the earth; it is not right for him to live."
23 And while the people shouted, waved around [torn] clothing and threw dust into the air, 24 the commander ordered Paul to be brought to headquarters and requested that he be interrogated by means of a flogging, in order to learn the reason why people were shouting against him. 25 Just as they were tying him up [in preparation] for the flogging, Paul said to the officer nearby, "Is it lawful for you to whip a Roman [citizen] before he has been [legally] condemned?"
26 When the officer heard this, he [immediately] went and told the commander, saying, "What are you going to do? For this man is a Roman citizen."
27 Then the commander came and said to him, "Tell me, are you [really] a Roman citizen?" Paul said, "Yes."
28 The commander answered, "It cost me a large sum of money to obtain this [right of] citizenship." Paul replied, "But I am a Roman citizen by birth."
29 Then those who were about to interrogate Paul [with whips] immediately left him, and the commander also became fearful when he realized that he had chained a Roman citizen [illegally].
30 But the next day the commander released Paul [from the chains] because he wanted to know what specific charges the Jews has against him. So, he ordered the leading priests and the entire [Jewish] Council to assemble, then brought Paul down and placed him in front of them.