Acts 22:26
What does Acts 22:26 mean?
A plain-English look at Acts 22:26 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Acts 22:26 means
The centurion, alarmed, informs the chief captain that Paul claims Roman citizenship, asking what he is about to do. The seriousness is immediate: to scourge an uncondemned Roman could bring severe consequences. The system that moments before threatened Paul now hesitates. God’s providence uses Paul’s status to restrain injustice. The centurion’s reaction highlights the respect Roman officials had for citizenship rights, contrasting with the crowd’s disregard for due process. This pause creates space for a proper hearing and preserves Paul for further testimony about Jesus before both Jewish and Roman authorities.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000And when the centurion heard it, he went to the chief captain and told him, saying, What art thou about to do? for this man is a Roman.
KJV
King James Version · 1611When the centurion heard that, he went and told the chief captain, saying, Take heed what thou doest: for this man is a Roman.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901And when the centurion heard it, he went to the chief captain and told him, saying, What art thou about to do? for this man is a Roman.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949And hearing this, the man went to the chief captain and gave him an account of it, saying, What are you about to do? for this man is a Roman.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862and the centurion having heard, having gone near to the chief captain, told, saying, `Take heed what thou art about to do, for this man is a Roman;'
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Which the centurion hearing, went to the tribune and told him, saying: What art thou about to do? For this man is a Roman citizen.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890And the centurion, having heard it, went and reported it to the chiliarch, saying, What art thou going to do? for this man is a Roman.
Context
Verse 26 follows Paul’s strategic question in verse 25, escalating the matter to the commander. Next, in verse 27, the commander will personally question Paul about his citizenship. The conversation will reveal differing paths to citizenship (verse 28) and produce fear and withdrawal from the planned scourging (verse 29). This legal turn sets up the more orderly inquiry before the Sanhedrin in verse 30.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Acts 22:29
They then that were about to examine him straightway departed from him: and the chief captain also was afraid when he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.
- Acts 23:27
This man was seized by the Jews, and was about to be slain of them, when I came upon them with the soldiers and rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman.
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