Acts 16:21

16:21 and are advocating ¹  customs that are not lawful for us to accept ²  or practice, ³  since we are ⁴  Romans.”

Acts 16:38

16:38 The police officers reported these words to the magistrates. They were frightened when they heard Paul and Silas ⁵  were Roman citizens ⁶ 

Acts 22:27

22:27 So the commanding officer ⁷  came and asked ⁸  Paul, ⁹  “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” ¹⁰  He replied, ¹¹  “Yes.”

[16:21]  ¹ tn Grk “proclaiming,” but in relation to customs, “advocating” is a closer approximation to the meaning.

[16:21]  ² tn Or “acknowledge.”

[16:21]  ³ sn Customs that are not lawful for us to accept or practice. Ironically, the charges are similar to those made against Jesus in Luke 23:2, where Jews argued he was “twisting” their customs. The charge has three elements: (1) a racial element (Jewish); (2) a social element (unlawful); and (3) a traditional element (not their customs).

[16:21]  ⁴ tn Grk “we being Romans.” The participle οὖσιν (ousin) has been translated as a causal adverbial participle.

[16:38]  ⁵ tn Grk “heard they”; the referents (Paul and Silas) have been specified in the translation for clarity.

[16:38]  ⁶ sn Roman citizens. This fact was disturbing to the officials because due process was a right for a Roman citizen, well established in Roman law. To flog a Roman citizen was considered an abomination. Such punishment was reserved for noncitizens.

[22:27]  ⁹ tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 24.

[22:27]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “and said to.”

[22:27]  ¹¹ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:27]  ¹² tn The word “citizen” is supplied here for emphasis and clarity.

[22:27]  ¹³ tn Grk “He said.”