Acts 22:24-30

24The commander ordered Paul to be taken into the barracks. He directed that he be flogged and questioned in order to find out why the people were shouting at him like this. 25As they stretched him out to flog him, Paul said to the centurion standing there, "Is it legal for you to flog a Roman citizen who hasn't even been found guilty?"

26When the centurion heard this, he went to the commander and reported it. "What are you going to do?" he asked. "This man is a Roman citizen."

27The commander went to Paul and asked, "Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?" "Yes, I am," he answered.

28Then the commander said, "I had to pay a big price for my citizenship." "But I was born a citizen," Paul replied.

29Those who were about to question him withdrew immediately. The commander himself was alarmed when he realized that he had put Paul, a Roman citizen, in chains.

Before the Sanhedrin 30The next day, since the commander wanted to find out exactly why Paul was being accused by the Jews, he released him and ordered the chief priests and all the Sanhedrin to assemble.

Paul the Roman Citizen

Paul's question stopped the centurion immediately because, by law, a Roman citizen could not be punished until he had been proven guilty of a crime. Paul was born a Roman citizen, whereas the commander had purchased his citizenship. Buying citizenship was a comman practice and a good source of income for the Roman government.

The fact that he was a Roman citizen was the only thing that saved him from the pack of wolves ready to devour him. We can see how God has a plan to convert the Gentiles through the lives of people like Paul & Peter. Jewish Christians spreading the Good News into all the world.