But Paul said unto them, They have beaten us openly uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast us into prison; and now do they thrust us out secretly? nay verily; but let them come themselves and bring us out.
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George Leo Haydock
AD 1849
Romans. St. Paul inherited his right of citizenship from his father; it does not appear how Silas obtained it, perhaps by purchase. There is no proof that Silas was a freeman of Rome. (Denis the Carthusian)
It was forbidden by the Porcian and Sempron Ian laws, for a Roman citizen to be scourged, unless he was likewise convicted of a capital crime. Cicero pro Rabirio. Facinus est vinciri civem Romanum: scelus verberari. Id. cont. Verrem. The Romans were always very jealous of the dignity of their city. We cannot but admire St. Paul's astonishing desire of suffering for the name of Jesus, in concealing a circumstance, the very naming of which would have saved him the cruel scourging he suffered. If he now refuses to go out of the prison privately, it is to vindicate his honour, and to avert the scandal, which the new converts would naturally feel, in seeing their master treated as a criminal. He exemplified in this instance St. Augustine's principal; "Our lives are necessary for ourselv...
that he may not seem to be receiving his liberty as one condemned, and as one that has done wrong: therefore it is that he says, Having openly beaten us uncondemned, etc.— that it may not be matter of grace on their part. (e) And besides, they wish the jailer himself to be out of danger, that he may not be called to account for this afterwards. And they do not say, Having beaten us, who have wrought miracles: for they (the magistrates) did not even heed these: but, that which was most effectual to shake their minds, uncondemned, and being Romans. (c) Observe how diversely grace manages things: how Peter went out, how Paul, though both were Apostles. They feared,
