Thematic Bible: A roman military officer
Thematic Bible
Claudius lysius » A roman military officer
They were attempting to kill him, when word reached the commander of the garrison that the whole of Jerusalem was in confusion. Taking some soldiers and officers, he at once rushed down to them, and when they saw the commander and the soldiers they stopped beating Paul. Then the commander came up and seized him; he ordered him to be bound with a couple of chains, and asked "Who is he?" and "What has he done?" read more.
Some of the crowd roared one thing, some another, and as he could not learn the facts owing to the uproar, he ordered Paul to be taken to the barracks. By the time he reached the steps, he had actually to be carried by the soldiers on account of the violence of the crowd, for the whole mass of the people followed shouting, "Away with him!" Just as he was being taken into the barracks, Paul said to the commander, "May I say a word to you?" "You know Greek!" said the commander. "Then you are not the Egyptian who in days gone by raised the four thousand assassins and led them out into the desert?" Paul said, "I am a Jew, a native of Tarsus in Cilicia, the citizen of a famous town. Pray let me speak to the people." As he gave permission, Paul stood on the steps and motioned to the people. A great hush came over them, and he addressed them as follows in Hebrew.
Some of the crowd roared one thing, some another, and as he could not learn the facts owing to the uproar, he ordered Paul to be taken to the barracks. By the time he reached the steps, he had actually to be carried by the soldiers on account of the violence of the crowd, for the whole mass of the people followed shouting, "Away with him!" Just as he was being taken into the barracks, Paul said to the commander, "May I say a word to you?" "You know Greek!" said the commander. "Then you are not the Egyptian who in days gone by raised the four thousand assassins and led them out into the desert?" Paul said, "I am a Jew, a native of Tarsus in Cilicia, the citizen of a famous town. Pray let me speak to the people." As he gave permission, Paul stood on the steps and motioned to the people. A great hush came over them, and he addressed them as follows in Hebrew.
They yelled and threw their clothes into the air and flung dust about, till the commander ordered him to be taken inside the barracks and examined under the lash, so as to find out why the people shouted at him in this way. They had strapped him up, when Paul said to the officer who was standing by, "Are you allowed to scourge a Roman citizen ??and to scourge him without a trial?" read more.
When the officer heard this, he went to the commander and said to him, "What are you going to do? This man is a Roman citizen." So the commander went to him and said, "Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?" "Yes," he said. The commander replied, "I had to pay a large sum for this citizenship." "But I was born a citizen," said Paul. Then those who were to have examined him left him at once alone; even the commander was alarmed to find that Paul was a Roman citizen and that he had bound him. Next day, as he was anxious to find out the real reason why the Jews accused him, he unbound him, ordered the high priests and all the Sanhedrin to meet, and brought Paul down, placing him in front of them.
When the officer heard this, he went to the commander and said to him, "What are you going to do? This man is a Roman citizen." So the commander went to him and said, "Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?" "Yes," he said. The commander replied, "I had to pay a large sum for this citizenship." "But I was born a citizen," said Paul. Then those who were to have examined him left him at once alone; even the commander was alarmed to find that Paul was a Roman citizen and that he had bound him. Next day, as he was anxious to find out the real reason why the Jews accused him, he unbound him, ordered the high priests and all the Sanhedrin to meet, and brought Paul down, placing him in front of them.