Reference: Freedom
Easton
The law of Moses pointed out the cases in which the servants of the Hebrews were to receive their freedom (Ex 21:2-4,7-8; Le 25:39-42,47-55; De 15:12-18). Under the Roman law the "freeman" (ingenuus) was one born free; the "freedman" (libertinus) was a manumitted slave, and had not equal rights with the freeman (Ac 22:28; comp. Ac 16:37-39; 21:39; 22:25; 25:11-12).
See Verses Found in Dictionary
If thou buy a servant that is an Hebrew, sixth years he shall serve, and the seventh he shall go out free paying nothing. If he came alone, he shall go out alone: If he came married, his wife shall go out with him. read more. And if his master have given him a wife and she have borne him sons or daughters: then the wife and her children shall be her master's and he shall go out alone.
"If a man sell his daughter to be a servant: she shall not go out as the menservants do. If she please not her master, so that he hath given her to no man to wife, then shall he let her go free: to sell her unto a strange nation shall he have no power, because he despised her.
"'If thy brother that dwelleth by thee wax poor and sell himself unto thee, thou shalt not let him labour as a bondservant doeth: but as a hired servant and as a sojourner he shall be with thee, and shall serve thee unto the trumpet year, read more. and then shall he depart from thee: both he and his children with him, and shall return unto his own kindred again and unto the possessions of his fathers; for they are my servants which I brought out of the land of Egypt, and shall not be sold as bondmen.
"'When a stranger and a sojourner waxeth rich by thee, and thy brother that dwelleth by him waxeth poor and sell himself unto the stranger that dwelleth by thee or to any of the stranger's kin: after that he is sold he may be redeemed again: one of his brethren may buy him out; read more. whether it be his uncle or his uncle's son, or any that is nigh of kin unto him of his kindred: either if his hand can get so much he may be loosed. And he shall reckon with him that bought him, from the year that he was sold in unto the trumpet year, and the price of his buying shall be according unto the number of years, and he shall be with him as a hired servant. If there be yet many years behind, according unto them he shall give again for his deliverance, of the money that he was sold for. If there remain but few years unto the trumpet year, he shall so count with him, and according unto his years give him again for his redemption, and shall be with him year by year as a hired servant, and the other shall not reign cruelly over him in thy sight. If he be not bought free in the meantime, then he shall go out in the trumpet year and his children with him; for the children of Israel are my servants which I brought out of the land of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.
If thy brother, an Hebrew, sell himself to thee, or an Hebrewess, he shall serve thee six years and the seventh year thou shalt let him go free from thee. And when thou sendest him out free from thee, thou shalt not let him go away empty: read more. but shalt give him of thy sheep and of thy corn and of thy wine, and give him of that wherewith the LORD thy God hath blessed thee. And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and the LORD thy God delivered thee thence: wherefore I command thee this thing today. But and if he say unto thee, 'I will not go away from thee,' because he loveth thee and thine house and is well at ease with thee: Then take an awl and nail his ear to the door therewith and let him be thy servant forever, and unto thy maidservant thou shalt do likewise. And let it not grieve thine eyes to let him go out from thee, for he hath been worth a double hired servant to thee in his service six years. And the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all that thou doest.
Then said Paul unto them, "They have beaten us, openly un-condemned, for all that we are Romans, and have cast us into prison: and now would they send us away privily? Nay not so, but let them come themselves and fetch us out." When the ministers told these words unto the officers, they feared when they heard that they were Romans; read more. and came and besought them, and brought them out, and desired them to depart out of the city.
But Paul said, "I am a man which am a Jew of Tarsus a city in Cilicia, a citizen of no vile city, I beseech thee suffer me to speak unto the people."
And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, "Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman and uncondemned?"
And the high captain answered, "With a great sum obtained I this freedom." And Paul said, "I was freeborn."
If I have hurt them, or committed anything worthy of death, I refuse not to die. If none of these things are, whereof they accuse me, no man ought to deliver me to them. I appeal unto Caesar." Then spake Festus with deliberation, and answered, "Thou hast appealed unto Caesar: unto Caesar shalt thou go."