Reference: Citizenship
Easton
the rights and privileges of a citizen in distinction from a foreigner (Lu 15:15; 19:14; Ac 21:39). Under the Mosaic law non-Israelites, with the exception of the Moabites and the Ammonites and others mentioned in De 23:1-3, were admitted to the general privileges of citizenship among the Jews (Ex 12:19; Le 24:22; Nu 15:15; 35:15; De 10:18; 14:29; 16:10,14).
The right of citizenship under the Roman government was granted by the emperor to individuals, and sometimes to provinces, as a favour or as a recompense for services rendered to the state, or for a sum of money (Ac 22:28). This "freedom" secured privileges equal to those enjoyed by natives of Rome. Among the most notable of these was the provision that a man could not be bound or imprisoned without a formal trial (Ac 22:25-26), or scourged (Ac 16:37). All Roman citizens had the right of appeal to Caesar (Ac 25:11).
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Seven days shall there be no leaven found in your houses; for whoever eateth what is leavened that soul shall be cut off from the assembly of Israel, whether he be a sojourner, or born in the land.
Ye shall have one law: as the stranger, so the home-born; for I am Jehovah your God.
As to the congregation, there shall be one statute for you, and for the stranger that sojourneth with you, an everlasting statute throughout your generations: as ye are, so shall the stranger be, before Jehovah.
For the children of Israel, and for the stranger, and for the sojourner among them shall these six cities be a refuge, that one who smiteth a person mortally without intent may flee thither.
who executeth the judgment of the fatherless and the widow, and loveth the stranger, to give him food and clothing.
and the Levite for he hath no portion nor inheritance with thee and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, that are within thy gates, shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied; that Jehovah thy God may bless thee in all the work of thy hand which thou doest.
And thou shalt hold the feast of weeks to Jehovah thy God with a tribute of a voluntary-offering of thy hand, which thou shalt give, according as Jehovah thy God hath blessed thee;
And thou shalt rejoice in thy feast, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy bondman, and thy handmaid, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, that are in thy gates.
He that is a eunuch, whether he have been crushed or cut, shall not come into the congregation of Jehovah. A bastard shall not come into the congregation of Jehovah; even his tenth generation shall not come into the congregation of Jehovah. read more. An Ammonite or Moabite shall not come into the congregation of Jehovah; even their tenth generation shall not come into the congregation of Jehovah for ever;
And he went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
But his citizens hated him, and sent an embassy after him, saying, We will not that this man should reign over us.
But Paul said to them, Having beaten us publicly uncondemned, us who are Romans, they have cast us into prison, and now they thrust us out secretly? no, indeed, but let them come themselves and bring us out.
But Paul said, I am a Jew of Tarsus, citizen of no insignificant city of Cilicia, and I beseech of thee, allow me to speak to the people.
But as they stretched him forward with the thongs, Paul said to the centurion who stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman and uncondemned? And the centurion, having heard it, went and reported it to the chiliarch, saying, What art thou going to do? for this man is a Roman.
And the chiliarch answered, I, for a great sum, bought this citizenship. And Paul said, But I was also free born.
If then I have done any wrong and committed anything worthy of death, I do not deprecate dying; but if there is nothing of those things of which they accuse me, no man can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar.
Fausets
Paul's Roman citizenship was of the lower kind, which though not entitling him to vote with the tribes and enjoy a magistracy, yet secured to him the protection of the laws of the empire, and the right of appeal from his own hostile countrymen to Caesar, as also exemption from scourging (Ac 16:37; 22:25-28; 25:11). He seems to have inherited it from his father. Hence, he naturally uses the image to express the believer's high privileges as a citizen of the heavenly Jerusalem.
Our citizenship (Greek, or rather our life as citizens; politeuma, not politeia) is in heaven, etc. (Php 3:20); an image especially appropriate at Philippi, it being a Roman colony and possessing Roman citizenship of which its people were proud. Moreover, it was there that Paul had compelled the magistrates publicly to recognize a Roman citizen's privileges. So believers, though absent from their heavenly city in body, still enjoy its civic privileges and protection; pilgrims on earth, citizens of heaven (Eph 2:6; Ga 4:26; Heb 11:9-10,13-16; 12:22; Re 21:2,10; Lu 10:20).
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Yet in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subjected to you, but rejoice that your names are written in the heavens.
Yet in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subjected to you, but rejoice that your names are written in the heavens.
But Paul said to them, Having beaten us publicly uncondemned, us who are Romans, they have cast us into prison, and now they thrust us out secretly? no, indeed, but let them come themselves and bring us out.
But Paul said to them, Having beaten us publicly uncondemned, us who are Romans, they have cast us into prison, and now they thrust us out secretly? no, indeed, but let them come themselves and bring us out.
But as they stretched him forward with the thongs, Paul said to the centurion who stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman and uncondemned?
But as they stretched him forward with the thongs, Paul said to the centurion who stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman and uncondemned? And the centurion, having heard it, went and reported it to the chiliarch, saying, What art thou going to do? for this man is a Roman.
And the centurion, having heard it, went and reported it to the chiliarch, saying, What art thou going to do? for this man is a Roman. And the chiliarch coming up said to him, Tell me, Art thou a Roman? And he said, Yes.
And the chiliarch coming up said to him, Tell me, Art thou a Roman? And he said, Yes. And the chiliarch answered, I, for a great sum, bought this citizenship. And Paul said, But I was also free born.
And the chiliarch answered, I, for a great sum, bought this citizenship. And Paul said, But I was also free born.
If then I have done any wrong and committed anything worthy of death, I do not deprecate dying; but if there is nothing of those things of which they accuse me, no man can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar.
If then I have done any wrong and committed anything worthy of death, I do not deprecate dying; but if there is nothing of those things of which they accuse me, no man can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar.
but the Jerusalem above is free, which is our mother.
but the Jerusalem above is free, which is our mother.
and has raised us up together, and has made us sit down together in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus,
and has raised us up together, and has made us sit down together in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus,
for our commonwealth has its existence in the heavens, from which also we await the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour,
for our commonwealth has its existence in the heavens, from which also we await the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour,
By faith he sojourned as a stranger in the land of promise as a foreign country, having dwelt in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise;
By faith he sojourned as a stranger in the land of promise as a foreign country, having dwelt in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he waited for the city which has foundations, of which God is the artificer and constructor.
for he waited for the city which has foundations, of which God is the artificer and constructor.
All these died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them from afar off and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and sojourners on the earth.
All these died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them from afar off and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and sojourners on the earth. For they who say such things shew clearly that they seek their country.
For they who say such things shew clearly that they seek their country. And if they had called to mind that from whence they went out, they had had opportunity to have returned;
And if they had called to mind that from whence they went out, they had had opportunity to have returned; but now they seek a better, that is, a heavenly; wherefore God is not ashamed of them, to be called their God; for he has prepared for them a city.
but now they seek a better, that is, a heavenly; wherefore God is not ashamed of them, to be called their God; for he has prepared for them a city.
but ye have come to mount Zion; and to the city of the living God, heavenly Jerusalem; and to myriads of angels,
but ye have come to mount Zion; and to the city of the living God, heavenly Jerusalem; and to myriads of angels,
And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of the heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of the heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
And he carried me away in the Spirit, and set me on a great and high mountain, and shewed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of the heaven from God,
And he carried me away in the Spirit, and set me on a great and high mountain, and shewed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of the heaven from God,
Hastings
Smith
Citizenship.
The use of this term in Scripture has exclusive reference to the usages of the Roman empire. The privilege of Roman citizenship was originally acquired in various ways, as by purchase,
by military services, by favor or by manumission. The right once obtained descended to a man's children.
Among the privileges attached to citizenship we may note that a man could not be bound or imprisoned without a formal trial,
still less be scourged.
Cic. in Verr. v. 63,66. Another privilege attaching to citizenship was the appeal from a provincial tribunal to the emperor at Rome.
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But Paul said to them, Having beaten us publicly uncondemned, us who are Romans, they have cast us into prison, and now they thrust us out secretly? no, indeed, but let them come themselves and bring us out.
And the chiliarch answered, I, for a great sum, bought this citizenship. And Paul said, But I was also free born.
And the chiliarch answered, I, for a great sum, bought this citizenship. And Paul said, But I was also free born. Immediately therefore those who were going to examine him left him, and the chiliarch also was afraid when he ascertained that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.
If then I have done any wrong and committed anything worthy of death, I do not deprecate dying; but if there is nothing of those things of which they accuse me, no man can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar.