Discovery BoxActs 16:35 
Context16:35 At daybreak 1 the magistrates 2 sent their police officers, 3 saying, “Release those men.”
Acts 16:38
Context16:38 The police officers reported these words to the magistrates. They were frightened when they heard Paul and Silas 4 were Roman citizens 5
Acts 16:37
Context16:37 But Paul said to the police officers, 6 “They had us beaten in public 7 without a proper trial 8 – even though we are Roman citizens 9 – and they threw us 10 in prison. And now they want to send us away 11 secretly? Absolutely not! They 12 themselves must come and escort us out!” 13
1 tn The translation “day is breaking” for ἡμέρα γίνεται (Jhmera ginetai) in this verse is given by BDAG 436 s.v. ἡμέρα 1.a.
2 tn On the term translated “magistrates,” see BDAG 947-48 s.v. στρατηγός 1. These city leaders were properly called duoviri, but were popularly known as praetors (στρατηγοί, strathgoi). They were the chief officials of Philippi. The text leaves the impression that they came to the decision to release Paul and Silas independently. God was at work everywhere.
3 tn On the term ῥαβδοῦχος (rJabdouco") see BDAG 902 s.v. The term was used of the Roman lictor and roughly corresponds to contemporary English “constable, policeman.”
4 tn Grk “heard they”; the referents (Paul and Silas) have been specified in the translation for clarity.
5 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.
6 tn Grk “to them”; the referent (the police officers) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
7 tn Grk “Having us beaten in public.” The participle δείραντες (deirante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
8 tn Or “in public, uncondemned.” BDAG 35 s.v. ἀκατάκριτος has “uncondemned, without due process” for this usage.
9 tn The participle ὑπάρχοντας (Juparconta") has been translated as a concessive adverbial participle.
10 tn The word “us” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.
11 tn L&N 28.71 has “send us away secretly” for this verse.
12 tn Grk “But they.”
13 sn They themselves must come and escort us out! Paul was asking for the injustice he and Silas suffered to be symbolically righted. It was a way of publicly taking their actions off the record and showing the apostles’ innocence, a major public statement. Note the apology given in v. 39.
