Acts 22:25

King James Version

And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned?

Parallel Translations

Simplified Cowboy Version
They had just tied Paul down when he said, "Do you think it's a good idea to whip a Roman citizen without a trial?"

New American Standard Bible (1995)
But when they stretched him out with thongs, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, "Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman and uncondemned?"

Legacy Standard Bible
But when they stretched him out with leather straps, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, "Is it lawful for you to flog a man who is a Roman and uncondemned?"

Bible in Basic English
And when they had put leather bands round him, Paul said to the captain who was present, Is it the law for you to give blows to a man who is a Roman and has not been judged?

Darby Translation
But as they stretched him forward with the thongs, Paul said to the centurion who stood [by], Is it lawful for you to scourge a man [who is] a Roman and uncondemned?

New King James Version
And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said to the centurion who stood by, "Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman, and uncondemned?"

Christian Standard Bible®
As they stretched him out for the lash, Paul said to the centurion standing by, "Is it legal for you to scourge a man who is a Roman citizen and is uncondemned?"

World English Bible
When they had tied him up with thongs, Paul asked the centurion who stood by, "Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman, and not found guilty?"

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And as they were binding him with thongs, Paul said to the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a Roman, even uncondemned?

Weymouth's New Testament
But, when they had tied him up with the straps, Paul said to the Captain who stood by, "Does the Law permit you to flog a Roman citizen--and one too who is uncondemned?"

King James Version (1611)
And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said vnto the Centurion that stood by, Is it lawfull for you to scourge a man that is a Romane, and vncondemned?

Literal Translation
But as they stretched him with the thongs, Paul said to the centurion standing by, Is it lawful for you to flog a man, a Roman not found guilty?

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And whan he bounde him with thonges, Paul sayde vnto the vndercaptayne that stode by: Is it laufull for you to scourge a man that is a Romayne, and vncondemned?

Mace New Testament (1729)
as they were tying him with thongs, Paul said to the centurion, does the law allow to scourge a Roman citizen, and without any trial?

Amplified Bible
But when they had stretched him out with the leather straps [in preparation for the whip], Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, "Is it legal for you to whip a man who is a Roman citizen and uncondemned [without a trial]?"

American Standard Version
And when they had tied him up with the thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned?

Revised Standard Version
But when they had tied him up with the thongs, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, "Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman citizen, and uncondemned?"

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And as they bounde him with thoges Paul sayde vnto the Centurion that stode by: Ys it laufull for you to scourge a man that is a Romain and vncondempned?

Update Bible Version
And when they had tied him up with the thongs, Paul said to the captain that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned?

Webster's Bible Translation
And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said to the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned?

Young's Literal Translation
And as he was stretching him with the thongs, Paul said unto the centurion who was standing by, `A man, a Roman, uncondemned -- is it lawful to you to scourge;'

New Century Version
But as the soldiers were tying him up, preparing to beat him, Paul said to an officer nearby, "Do you have the right to beat a Roman citizen who has not been proven guilty?"

New English Translation
When they had stretched him out for the lash, Paul said to the centurion standing nearby, "Is it legal for you to lash a man who is a Roman citizen without a proper trial?"

Berean Standard Bible
But as they stretched him out to strap him down, Paul said to the centurion standing there, "Is it lawful for you to flog a Roman citizen without a trial?"

Contemporary English Version
While the soldiers were tying Paul up to be beaten, he asked the officer standing there, "Is it legal to beat a Roman citizen before he has been tried in court?"

Complete Jewish Bible
But as they were stretching him out with thongs to be flogged, Sha'ul said to the captain standing by, "Is it legal for you to whip a man who is a Roman citizen and hasn't even had a trial?"

English Standard Version
But when they had stretched him out for the whips, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, "Is it lawful for you to flog a man who is a Roman citizen and uncondemned?"

Geneva Bible (1587)
And as they bound him with thongs, Paul sayd vnto the Centurion that stood by, Is it lawfull for you to scourge one that is a Romane, and not condemned?

George Lamsa Translation
And when they had bound him with thongs, Paul said to the centurion who stood over him, Is it lawful for you to scourge a Roman citizen who is uncondemned?

Hebrew Names Version
When they had tied him up with thongs, Sha'ul asked the centurion who stood by, "Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman, and not found guilty?"

International Standard Version
But when they had tied him up with the straps, Paul asked the centurion[fn] who was standing there, "Is it legal for you to whip a Roman citizen who hasn't been condemned?"Acts 16:37;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
And as they exposed him with thongs, Paulos said to the centurion who stood near him, Is it allowed you to scourge a Roman man who is not condemned ?

Murdock Translation
And as they were stretching him with ropes, Paul said to the centurion who stood over him: Is it lawful for you to scourge a man, who is a Roman, and not yet found guilty?

New Living Translation
When they tied Paul down to lash him, Paul said to the officer standing there, "Is it legal for you to whip a Roman citizen who hasn't even been tried?"

New Life Bible
As they tied him up, Paul said to the soldier, "Does the law say that you can beat a Roman citizen when no one has said he is guilty?"

English Revised Version
And when they had tied him up with the thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned?

New Revised Standard
But when they had tied him up with thongs, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, "Is it legal for you to flog a Roman citizen who is uncondemned?"

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
But, when they had stretched him out with straps, Paul said unto the by-standing centurion - A Roman, and uncondemned, is it allowed you to be scourging?

Douay-Rheims Bible
And when they had bound him with thongs, Paul saith to the centurion that stood by him: Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman and uncondemned?

Lexham English Bible
But when they had stretched him out for the lash, Paul said to the centurion standing there, "Is it permitted for you to flog a man who is a Roman citizen and uncondemned?"

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And as they boude him with thonges, Paul saide vnto ye Centurion that stoode by: Is it lawfull for you to scourge a man that is a Romane, and vncondempned?

Easy-to-Read Version
So the soldiers were tying Paul, preparing to beat him. But he said to an army officer there, "Do you have the right to beat a Roman citizen who has not been proven guilty?"

New American Standard Bible
But when they stretched him out with straps, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, "Is it lawful for you to flog a man who is a Roman and uncondemned?"

Good News Translation
But when they had tied him up to be whipped, Paul said to the officer standing there, "Is it lawful for you to whip a Roman citizen who hasn't even been tried for any crime?"

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And whanne thei hadden boundun hym with cordis, Poul seide to a centurien stondinge niy to hym, Whether it is leueful to you, to scourge a Romayn, and vndampned?

Contextual Overview

²² And they gave him audience unto this word, and then lifted up their voices, and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth: for it is not fit that he should live. ²³ And as they cried out, and cast off their clothes, and threw dust into the air, ²⁴ The chief captain commanded him to be brought into the castle, and bade that he should be examined by scourging; that he might know wherefore they cried so against him. ²⁵ And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned? ²⁶ When the centurion heard that, he went and told the chief captain, saying, Take heed what thou doest: for this man is a Roman. ²⁷ Then the chief captain came, and said unto him, Tell me, art thou a Roman? He said, Yea. ²⁸ And the chief captain answered, With a great sum obtained I this freedom. And Paul said, But I was free born. ²⁹ Then straightway they departed from him which should have examined him: and the chief captain also was afraid, after he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him. ³⁰ On the morrow, because he would have known the certainty wherefore he was accused of the Jews, he loosed him from his bands, and commanded the chief priests and all their council to appear, and brought Paul down, and set him before them.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the centurion: Acts 10:1, Acts 23:17, Acts 27:1, Acts 27:3, Acts 27:43, Matthew 8:8, Matthew 27:54

Is it: By the Roman law, no magistrate was allowed to punish a Roman citizen capitally, or by inflicting stripes, or even binding him; and the single expression, I am a Roman citizen, arrested their severest decrees, and obtained, if not an escape, at least a delay of his punishment. Acts 22:27, Acts 22:28, Acts 16:37, Acts 25:16

Reciprocal: Matthew 8:5 - a centurion Matthew 27:2 - bound Luke 7:8 - under John 19:1 - scourged Acts 21:11 - So shall Acts 21:33 - be Acts 21:39 - a citizen Acts 22:24 - that he should Acts 22:29 - the chief Acts 23:27 - having Acts 25:10 - I stand Acts 25:11 - no man Acts 28:18 - General Hebrews 11:35 - tortured

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And as they bound him with thongs,.... To a pillar, in order to be scourged, according to the Roman manner d. Nor was the Jewish form of scourging much unlike, and perhaps might be now used, which was this; when they scourge anyone they bind both his hands to a pillar, here and there --and they do not strike him standing nor sitting, but inclining e; for the pillar to which he was bound was fixed in the ground, and so high as for a man to lean upon f; and some say it was two cubits, and others a cubit and a half high g: and the word here used signifies an extension, or distension; perhaps the stretching out of the arms to the pillar, and a bending forward of the whole body, which fitly expresses the stooping inclining posture of the person scourged, and was a very proper one for such a punishment: now as they were thus fastening him with thongs to the pillar, and putting him in this position,

Paul said unto the centurion that stood by; to see the soldiers execute the orders received from the chief captain:

is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned? Though the apostle puts this by way of question, yet he knew full well what the Roman laws were in such cases; he did not put this through ignorance, or for information, but to let them know who he was, and to put them in mind of these laws, and of their duty; for, according to the Porcian law, Roman citizens were not to be beaten h. Hence, says i Cicero,

"it is a heinous sin to bind a Roman citizen, it is wickedness to beat him, it is next to parricide to kill him, and what shall I say to crucify him?''

And, according to the Valerian law, it was not lawful for magistrates to condemn a Roman without hearing the cause, and pleading in it; and such condemned persons might appeal to the populace k.

d Lipsius de Cruce, l. 2. c. 4. e Misna Maccot, c. 3. sect. 12, 13. f Bartenora in ib. g Yom Tob in ib. h Cicero pro Rabirio Orat. 18. i In Verrem Orat. 10. k Pompon. Laetus de Legibus, p. 157.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Bound him with thongs - With cords, preparatory to scourging.

Is it lawful ... - It was directly contrary to the Roman law to bind and scourge a Roman citizen. See the notes on Acts 16:36-37.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Acts 22:25. And as they bound him, &c.] They were going to tie him to a post, that they might scourge him.

Is it lawful, &c.] The Roman law absolutely forbade the binding of a Roman citizen. Acts 16:37; Acts 16:37.