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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And he went and joined himself to a citizen 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 have this man to reign over us.
But Paul said to them, They have beaten us publickly, uncondemned, and have cast us into prison, who are Romans: and do they now thrust us out privately? Nay verily: but let them come themselves and conduct us out.
But Paul said, I am a man who am a Jew of Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city: and I beseech thee, suffer me to speak to the people.
And as they were binding him with thongs, Paul said to the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a Roman, even uncondemned? The centurion hearing it, went and told the tribune, saying, Consider what thou art about to do; for this man is a Roman.
He said, Yea. And the tribune answered, I purchased this freedom with a great sum of money.
For if indeed I have done wrong, and have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die: but if there is nothing of the things whereof these accuse me, no man can give me up to them.
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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and nothing shall in any wise hurt you.
and nothing shall in any wise hurt you.
But Paul said to them, They have beaten us publickly, uncondemned, and have cast us into prison, who are Romans: and do they now thrust us out privately? Nay verily: but let them come themselves and conduct us out.
But Paul said to them, They have beaten us publickly, uncondemned, and have cast us into prison, who are Romans: and do they now thrust us out privately? Nay verily: but let them come themselves and conduct us out.
And as they were binding him with thongs, Paul said to the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a Roman, even uncondemned?
And as they were binding him with thongs, Paul said to the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a Roman, even uncondemned? The centurion hearing it, went and told the tribune, saying, Consider what thou art about to do; for this man is a Roman.
The centurion hearing it, went and told the tribune, saying, Consider what thou art about to do; for this man is a Roman. Then the tribune came and said to him, Tell me, Art thou a Roman?
Then the tribune came and said to him, Tell me, Art thou a Roman? He said, Yea. And the tribune answered, I purchased this freedom with a great sum of money.
He said, Yea. And the tribune answered, I purchased this freedom with a great sum of money.
For if indeed I have done wrong, and have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die: but if there is nothing of the things whereof these accuse me, no man can give me up to them.
For if indeed I have done wrong, and have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die: but if there is nothing of the things whereof these accuse me, no man can give me up to them.
But Jerusalem that is above is free, which is the mother of us all.
But Jerusalem that is above is free, which is the mother of us all.
and made us sit together in heavenly places through Christ Jesus:
and made us sit together in heavenly places through Christ Jesus:
who mind earthly things) For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ,
who mind earthly things) For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ,
By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the joint heirs of the same promise.
By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the joint heirs of the same promise. For he looked for the city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
For he looked for the city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
All these died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and embraced them, and confest that they were strangers and sojourners on the earth.
All these died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and embraced them, and confest that they were strangers and sojourners on the earth. For they who speak thus, shew plainly, that they seek their own country.
For they who speak thus, shew plainly, that they seek their own country. And truly if they had been mindful of that from which they came out, they might have had opportunity to return.
And truly if they had been mindful of that from which they came out, they might have had opportunity to return. But they now desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for he hath prepared a city for them.
But they now desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for he hath prepared a city for them.
But ye are come to mount Sion, and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem,
But ye are come to mount Sion, and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem,
And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride, adorned for her husband.
And I saw the holy city, the 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 shewed me the holy city Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me the holy city 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.
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But Paul said to them, They have beaten us publickly, uncondemned, and have cast us into prison, who are Romans: and do they now thrust us out privately? Nay verily: but let them come themselves and conduct us out.
He said, Yea. And the tribune answered, I purchased this freedom with a great sum of money.
He said, Yea. And the tribune answered, I purchased this freedom with a great sum of money. And Paul said, But I was free-born. Then they who were going to examine him, immediately departed from him: and the tribune was afraid, after he knew he was a Roman, because he had bound him.
For if indeed I have done wrong, and have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die: but if there is nothing of the things whereof these accuse me, no man can give me up to them.