Acts 16:38

16:38 The police officers reported these words to the magistrates. They were frightened when they heard Paul and Silas ¹  were Roman citizens ² 

Acts 22:29

22:29 Then those who were about to interrogate him stayed away ³  from him, and the commanding officer ⁴  was frightened when he realized that Paul ⁵  was ⁶  a Roman citizen ⁷  and that he had had him tied up. ⁸ 

Acts 24:25

24:25 While Paul ⁹  was discussing ¹⁰  righteousness, self-control, ¹¹  and the coming judgment, Felix ¹²  became ¹³  frightened and said, “Go away for now, and when I have an opportunity, ¹⁴  I will send for you.”

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¹ tn Grk “heard they”; the referents (Paul and Silas) have been specified in the translation for clarity.

² 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.

³ tn BDAG 158 s.v. ἀφίστημι 2.b has “keep away…ἀπό τινος… Lk 4:13; Ac 5:38; 2 Cor 12:8…cp. Ac 22:29.” In context, the point would seem to be not that the interrogators departed or withdrew, but that they held back from continuing the flogging.

⁴ tn Grk “the chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). See note on the term “commanding officer” in v. 24.

⁵ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

⁶ tn This is a present tense (ἐστιν, estin) retained in indirect discourse. It must be translated as a past tense in contemporary English.

⁷ tn The word “citizen” is supplied here for emphasis and clarity.

⁸ sn Had him tied up. Perhaps a reference to the chains in Acts 21:33, or the preparations for the lashing in Acts 22:25. A trial would now be needed to resolve the matter. The Roman authorities’ hesitation to render a judgment in the case occurs repeatedly: Acts 22:30; 23:28-29; 24:22; 25:20, 26-27. The legal process begun here would take the rest of Acts and will be unresolved at the end. The process itself took four years of Paul’s life.

⁹ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

¹⁰ tn Or “speaking about.”

¹¹ tn Grk “and self-control.” This καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.

sn The topic of self-control was appropriate in view of the personal history of both Felix and Drusilla (see the note on “Drusilla” in the previous verse), and might well account for Felix’s anxiety.

¹² sn See the note on Felix in 23:26.

¹³ tn Grk “becoming.” The participle γενόμενος (genomenos) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

¹⁴ tn Or “when I find time.” BDAG 639 s.v. μεταλαμβάνω 2 has “καιρὸν μ. have an opportunity = find time…Ac 24:25.”