Thematic Bible: A roman military officer
Thematic Bible
Claudius lysius » A roman military officer
They were seeking to kill him when tidings came to the military commander of the band that all Jerusalem was in confusion. At once he took soldiers and centurions and ran down to the crowd. When they saw the military commander and the soldiers they quit beating Paul. Then the military commander came near and laid hold on him. He commanded that he be bound with two chains. He asked who he was and what he had done. read more.
Some in the crowd shouted one thing and some another. The commander could not find out the facts because of the uproar so he commanded him to be brought into the barracks. Paul reached the steps. The violence of the mob was so great he had to be carried by the soldiers. The mob followed closely and shouted: Away with him! And as Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the commander, Might I say something to you? He replied: Do you know Greek? Are you the Egyptian who started a revolt and led four thousand assassins into the desert? But Paul said, I am a Jew, of Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no ordinary city and I request that you allow me to speak to the people. The commander gave permission so Paul stood on the stairs, motioned to the people. When there was silence he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, saying:
Some in the crowd shouted one thing and some another. The commander could not find out the facts because of the uproar so he commanded him to be brought into the barracks. Paul reached the steps. The violence of the mob was so great he had to be carried by the soldiers. The mob followed closely and shouted: Away with him! And as Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the commander, Might I say something to you? He replied: Do you know Greek? Are you the Egyptian who started a revolt and led four thousand assassins into the desert? But Paul said, I am a Jew, of Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no ordinary city and I request that you allow me to speak to the people. The commander gave permission so Paul stood on the stairs, motioned to the people. When there was silence he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, saying:
They were screaming, throwing off their clothes, and throwing dust up in the air. The Roman commander ordered his men to take Paul into the barracks. He told them to whip him in order to find out why the Jews were screaming like this against him. When they tied him up to be whipped Paul said to the officer standing there, Is it lawful for you to whip a Roman citizen who has not been tried for a crime? read more.
When the officer heard this, he went to the commander and asked him: What are you doing? That man is a Roman citizen! The commander went to Paul and asked him: Tell me, are you a Roman citizen? Yes, answered Paul. The commander said: I became one by paying a large amount of money. I am one by birth, Paul answered. At once the men who were going to question Paul drew back from him. The commander was frightened when he found out that Paul was a Roman citizen and that he had put him in chains. The commander wanted to find out for sure what the Jews were accusing Paul of. The next day he had Paul's chains taken off and ordered the chief priests and the whole Council to meet. Then he took Paul and made him stand before them.
When the officer heard this, he went to the commander and asked him: What are you doing? That man is a Roman citizen! The commander went to Paul and asked him: Tell me, are you a Roman citizen? Yes, answered Paul. The commander said: I became one by paying a large amount of money. I am one by birth, Paul answered. At once the men who were going to question Paul drew back from him. The commander was frightened when he found out that Paul was a Roman citizen and that he had put him in chains. The commander wanted to find out for sure what the Jews were accusing Paul of. The next day he had Paul's chains taken off and ordered the chief priests and the whole Council to meet. Then he took Paul and made him stand before them.