Acts 16:37

Δείραντες ἡμᾶς δ.: in flagrant violation of the Lex Valeria, B.C. 500, and the Lex Porcia B.C. 248; see also Cicero, In Verrem, v., 57, 66, it was the weightiest charge brought by Cicero against Verres. To claim Roman citizenship falsely was punishable with death, Suet., Claud., xxv. ἀκατακρίτους : “uncondemned” gives a wrong idea, cf. also Acts 22:25, although it is difficult to translate the word otherwise. The meaning is “without investigating our cause,” res incognita, “causa cognita multi possunt absolvi; incognita quidem condemnari nemo potest,” Cicero, In Verrem, i., 9, see also Wetstein, in loco. The word is only found in N.T., but Blass takes it as = Attic, ἄκριτος, which might be sometimes used of a cause not yet tried. The rendering “uncondemned” implies that the flogging would have been legal after a fair trial, but it was illegal under any circumstances, Ramsay, St. Paul, p. 224. δημοσίᾳ. contrasted with λάθρα, so a marked contrast between ἔβαλον εἰς φυλ. and ἐκβάλλουσιν. Ῥωμαίους ὑπάρχοντας : “Roman citizens as we are,” the boast made by the masters of the girl, Acts 16:21. St. Paul, too, had his rights as a Roman citizen, see below on Acts 22:28. The antithesis is again marked in the Apostles' assertion of their claim to courtesy as against the insolence of the prætors they wish ἐκβάλλειν λάθρα; nay, but let them come in person (αὐτοί), and conduct us forth (ἐξαγαγέτωσαν). οὐ γὰρ : non profecto; Blass, Grammatik, pp. 268, 269, “ut sæpe in responsis,” see also Page, in loco. ἐξαγ.: not only his sense of justice, but the fact that the public disgrace to which they had been subjected would seriously impede the acceptance of the Gospel message, and perhaps raise a prejudice to the injury of his Philippian converts, would prompt Paul to demand at least this amount of reparation. Wetstein's comments are well worth consulting.