Acts 22:24-29 - Paul Reveals His Roman Citizenship
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].