Acts 22:28
New International Version
Then the commander said, “I had to pay a lot of money for my citizenship.” “But I was born a citizen,” Paul replied.

New Living Translation
“I am, too,” the commander muttered, “and it cost me plenty!” Paul answered, “But I am a citizen by birth!”

English Standard Version
The tribune answered, “I bought this citizenship for a large sum.” Paul said, “But I am a citizen by birth.”

Berean Standard Bible
“I paid a high price for my citizenship,” said the commander. “But I was born a citizen,” Paul replied.

Berean Literal Bible
Then the commander answered, "I bought this citizenship with a great sum." But Paul was saying, "But I even was born so."

King James Bible
And the chief captain answered, With a great sum obtained I this freedom. And Paul said, But I was free born.

New King James Version
The commander answered, “With a large sum I obtained this citizenship.” And Paul said, “But I was born a citizen.

New American Standard Bible
The commander answered, “I acquired this citizenship for a large sum of money.” And Paul said, “But I was actually born a citizen.

NASB 1995
The commander answered, “I acquired this citizenship with a large sum of money.” And Paul said, “But I was actually born a citizen.”

NASB 1977
And the commander answered, “I acquired this citizenship with a large sum of money.” And Paul said, “But I was actually born a citizen.

Legacy Standard Bible
And the commander answered, “I acquired this citizenship with a large sum of money.” And Paul said, “But I have been born a citizen.”

Amplified Bible
The commander replied, “I purchased this citizenship [of mine] for a large sum of money [so how did you acquire yours?].” Paul said, “But I was actually born a citizen.”

Christian Standard Bible
The commander replied, “I bought this citizenship for a large amount of money.” “But I was born a citizen,” Paul said.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The commander replied, “I bought this citizenship for a large amount of money."” But I was born a citizen,” Paul said.

American Standard Version
And the chief captain answered, With a great sum obtained I this citizenship. And Paul said, But I am a Roman born.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And the Chiliarch answered and said, “I bought Roman citizenship with much money.” Paulus said to him, “But I was born with it.”

Contemporary English Version
The commander then said, "I paid a lot of money to become a Roman citizen." But Paul replied, "I was born a Roman citizen."

Douay-Rheims Bible
And the tribune answered: I obtained the being free of this city with a great sum. And Paul said: But I was born so.

English Revised Version
And the chief captain answered, With a great sum obtained I this citizenship. And Paul said, But I am a Roman born.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The officer replied, "I paid a lot of money to become a Roman citizen." Paul replied, "But I was born a Roman citizen."

Good News Translation
The commander said, "I became one by paying a large amount of money." "But I am one by birth," Paul answered.

International Standard Version
Then the tribune replied, "I paid a lot of money for this citizenship of mine." Paul said, "But I was born a citizen."

Literal Standard Version
and the chief captain answered, “I, with a great sum, obtained this citizenship”; but Paul said, “But I have even been born [so].”

Majority Standard Bible
“I paid a high price for my citizenship,” said the commander. “But I was born a citizen,” Paul replied.

New American Bible
The commander replied, “I acquired this citizenship for a large sum of money.” Paul said, “But I was born one.”

NET Bible
The commanding officer answered, "I acquired this citizenship with a large sum of money." "But I was even born a citizen," Paul replied.

New Revised Standard Version
The tribune answered, “It cost me a large sum of money to get my citizenship.” Paul said, “But I was born a citizen.”

New Heart English Bible
The commanding officer answered, "I bought my citizenship for a great price." Paul said, "But I was born a Roman."

Webster's Bible Translation
And the chief captain answered, With a great sum I obtained this freedom. And Paul said, But I was free born.

Weymouth New Testament
"I paid a large sum for my citizenship," said the Tribune. "But I was born free," said Paul.

World English Bible
The commanding officer answered, “I bought my citizenship for a great price.” Paul said, “But I was born a Roman.”

Young's Literal Translation
and the chief captain answered, 'I, with a great sum, did obtain this citizenship;' but Paul said, 'But I have been even born so.'

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Paul the Roman Citizen
27The commander went to Paul and asked, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” “Yes,” he answered. 28“I paid a high price for my citizenship,” said the commander. “But I was born a citizen,” Paul replied. 29Then those who were about to interrogate Paul stepped back, and the commander himself was alarmed when he realized that he had put a Roman citizen in chains.…

Cross References
Acts 22:27
The commander went to Paul and asked, "Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?" "Yes," he answered.

Acts 22:29
Then those who were about to interrogate Paul stepped back, and the commander himself was alarmed when he realized that he had put a Roman citizen in chains.

Ephesians 2:12
remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.

Ephesians 2:19
Therefore you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of God's household,


Treasury of Scripture

And the chief captain answered, With a great sum obtained I this freedom. And Paul said, But I was free born.

But.

Jump to Previous
Acquired Actually Big Birth Born Bought Captain Chief Chiliarch Citizen Citizen Citizenship Commander Commanding Free Freedom Great Large Money Obtain Obtained Officer Paid Paul Pay Price Rights Roman Sum Tribune
Jump to Next
Acquired Actually Big Birth Born Bought Captain Chief Chiliarch Citizen Citizen Citizenship Commander Commanding Free Freedom Great Large Money Obtain Obtained Officer Paid Paul Pay Price Rights Roman Sum Tribune
Acts 22
1. Paul declares how he was converted to the faith,
17. and called to his apostleship.
22. At the very mentioning of the Gentiles the people exclaim on him.
24. He would have been scourged;
25. but claiming the privilege of a Roman, he escapes.














(28) With a great sum obtained I this freedom.--Better, this citizenship, the word expressing, not the transition from bondage to freedom, but from the position of an alien to that of a citizen. Probably the translators used the word in the sense in which we still speak of the "freedom "of a city. The chiliarch was himself, apparently, an alien by birth, and, as was customary at the time, had obtained the citizenship by the payment of a large bribe. As the admission of citizens now rested with the Emperor, as holding the office of Censor, the money had probably been paid to Narcissus, or some other of Claudius' favourite freed-men who carried on a traffic of this kind.

I was free born.--The Greek is somewhat more emphatic: I am one even from birth. This implies that St. Paul's father or grandfather had received the citizenship; how, we cannot tell. Many of the Jews who were taken to Rome by Pompeius as slaves first obtained their freedom and became libertini, and afterwards were admitted on the register as citizens. (See Note on Acts 6:9; Acts 16:37.) The mention of kinsmen or friends at Rome (Romans 16:7; Romans 16:11), makes it probable, as has been said, that the Apostle's father may have been among them.

Verse 28. - Citizenship for freedom, A.V; am a Roman for was free, A.V. A great sum (πολλοῦ κεφαλαίου). The word is only found here in the New Testament in the sense of a "sum of money," but is so used in classical writers. Citizenship; πολιτεία, for "freedom of the city," in Xenophon, AElian, Polybius, Dion Cassius, etc., and 3Macc. 3:21. Dion Cassius (9 17) relates that Messaliua, the wife of the Emperor Claudius, used to sell the freedom of the city, and that at first she sold it (μεγάλων ξρημάτων) for a very high price, but that afterwards it became very cheap. In all probability Lysias had so purchased it, and in consequence took the name of Claudius (Renan, ' St. Paul,' p. 524). I am a Roman born. It is not known how St. Paul's family acquired the Roman citizenship.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
“I
Ἐγὼ (Egō)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.

paid
ἐκτησάμην (ektēsamēn)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Middle - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 2932: (a) I acquire, win, get, purchase, buy, (b) I possess, win mastery over. A primary verb; to get, i.e. Acquire.

a high
πολλοῦ (pollou)
Adjective - Genitive Neuter Singular
Strong's 4183: Much, many; often.

price
κεφαλαίου (kephalaiou)
Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular
Strong's 2774: Neuter of a derivative of kephale; a principal thing, i.e. Main point; specially, an amount.

[for my]
τὴν (tēn)
Article - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

citizenship,”
πολιτείαν (politeian)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 4174: From polites; citizenship; concretely, a community.

said
Ἀπεκρίθη (Apekrithē)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 611: From apo and krino; to conclude for oneself, i.e. to respond; by Hebraism to begin to speak.

the
(ho)
Article - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

commander.
χιλίαρχος (chiliarchos)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 5506: A commander of a thousand men, a military tribune. From chilioi and archo; the commander of a thousand soldiers

“But
δὲ (de)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc.

I
Ἐγὼ (Egō)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.

was born a citizen,”
γεγέννημαι (gegennēmai)
Verb - Perfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1080: From a variation of genos; to procreate; figuratively, to regenerate.

Paul
Παῦλος (Paulos)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3972: Paul, Paulus. Of Latin origin; Paulus, the name of a Roman and of an apostle.

replied.
ἔφη (ephē)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 5346: To say, declare. Properly, the same as the base of phos and phaino; to show or make known one's thoughts, i.e. Speak or say.


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NT Apostles: Acts 22:28 The commanding officer answered I bought my (Acts of the Apostles Ac)
Acts 22:27
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