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 there shall be no leaven found in your houses. For whoever eats that which is leavened, even that soul shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, among the aliens and among the natives of the land.
One judgment shall be for you whether an alien or a native; for I am Jehovah your God.
One ordinance for you of the congregation and also for the stranger that resides with you, an ordinance forever in your generations. As you are, so the stranger shall be before Jehovah.
These six cities shall be a refuge for the sons of Israel, and for the stranger, and for anyone who stays among them, so that everyone who kills any person through error may flee there.
He executes justice for the fatherless and widow, and loves the stranger in giving him food and clothing.
And the Levite, because he has no part nor inheritance with you, and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, who are inside your gates, shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied, so that Jehovah your God may bless you in all the work of your hand which you do.
And you shall keep the Feast of Weeks to Jehovah your God with a measure of a free-will offering of your hand, which you shall give according as Jehovah your God has blessed you.
And you shall rejoice in your feast, you, and your son, and your daughter, and your male slave, and your slave-girl, and the Levite, the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow inside your gates.
He who is wounded, crushed, or who has his male member cut off, shall not enter into the congregation of Jehovah. A bastard shall not enter into the congregation of Jehovah. Even to his tenth generation he shall not enter into the congregation of Jehovah. read more. An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter into the congregation of Jehovah. Even to their tenth generation they shall not enter into the congregation of Jehovah forever,
And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country. And he sent him into his fields to feed pigs.
But his citizens hated him. And they sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this one to reign over us.
But Paul said to them, Having beaten us publicly, men who are Romans and uncondemned, they threw us into prison. And now do they put us out secretly? No indeed! But coming themselves, let them bring us out.
But Paul said, I am a man, a Jew of Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no small city. And I beseech you, allow me to speak to the people.
And as they stretched him with 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 hearing, coming near the centurion reported to the chiliarch, saying, Watch what you are about to do, for this man is a Roman.
And the chiliarch answered, With a great sum I bought this citizenship. And Paul said, But I was even born free.
For if I am an offender or have committed anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die. But if there is nothing of which these accuse me, no one can deliver me 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 do not rejoice in this, that the evil spirits are subject to you, rather rejoice because your names are written in Heaven.
Yet do not rejoice in this, that the evil spirits are subject to you, rather rejoice because your names are written in Heaven.
But Paul said to them, Having beaten us publicly, men who are Romans and uncondemned, they threw us into prison. And now do they put us out secretly? No indeed! But coming themselves, let them bring us out.
But Paul said to them, Having beaten us publicly, men who are Romans and uncondemned, they threw us into prison. And now do they put us out secretly? No indeed! But coming themselves, let them bring us out.
And as they stretched him with 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 as they stretched him with 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 hearing, coming near the centurion reported to the chiliarch, saying, Watch what you are about to do, for this man is a Roman.
And hearing, coming near the centurion reported to the chiliarch, saying, Watch what you are about to do, for this man is a Roman. And coming up the chiliarch said to him, Tell me, are you a Roman? And He said, Yes.
And coming up the chiliarch said to him, Tell me, are you a Roman? And He said, Yes. And the chiliarch answered, With a great sum I bought this citizenship. And Paul said, But I was even born free.
And the chiliarch answered, With a great sum I bought this citizenship. And Paul said, But I was even born free.
For if I am an offender or have committed anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die. But if there is nothing of which these accuse me, no one can deliver me to them. I appeal to Caesar.
For if I am an offender or have committed anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die. But if there is nothing of which these accuse me, no one can deliver me to them. I appeal to Caesar.
But the Jerusalem from above is free, who is the mother of us all.
But the Jerusalem from above is free, who is the mother of us all.
and has raised us up together and made us sit together in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus,
and has raised us up together and made us sit together in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus,
For our citizenship is in Heaven, from which also we are looking for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,
For our citizenship is in Heaven, from which also we are looking for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,
By faith he lived in the land of promise as a stranger, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs of the same promise with him.
By faith he lived in the land of promise as a stranger, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs of the same promise with him. For he looked for a city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
For he looked for a city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
These all died by way of faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off. And they were persuaded of them and embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
These all died by way of faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off. And they were persuaded of them and embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they who say such things declare plainly that they seek a fatherland.
For they who say such things declare plainly that they seek a fatherland. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from which they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.
And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from which they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they stretch forth to a better fatherland, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.
But now they stretch forth to a better fatherland, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.
But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
And I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of Heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her Husband.
And I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of Heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her Husband.
And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of Heaven from God,
And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of 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.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
But Paul said to them, Having beaten us publicly, men who are Romans and uncondemned, they threw us into prison. And now do they put us out secretly? No indeed! But coming themselves, let them bring us out.
And the chiliarch answered, With a great sum I bought this citizenship. And Paul said, But I was even born free.
And the chiliarch answered, With a great sum I bought this citizenship. And Paul said, But I was even born free. Then immediately, those being about to examine him stood away from him. And the chiliarch also was afraid, fully knowing that he was a Roman, and that he had bound him.
For if I am an offender or have committed anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die. But if there is nothing of which these accuse me, no one can deliver me to them. I appeal to Caesar.