Acts 16:22

the multitude rose up together i.e. together with the aggrieved proprietors of the damsel.

the magistrates rent off their clothes i.e. the clothes of Paul and Silas, as is clear from the Greek verb, but not so evident from the A.V. Better, "rent their clothes off them." (So R. V.only changing clothesinto garments.)

and commanded to beat them The Greek signifies "to beat them with rods," which was the office of the Roman lictor, who carried rods for the purpose when attending on the magistrates. The use of this special word is an indication that St Luke was aware of the particular kind of beating, and perhaps beheld the infliction. This is one of the occasions, no doubt, to which St Paul alludes (2 Corinthians 11:25), "Thrice was I beaten with rods."