Acts 16:22

"And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent their garments off them, and commanded to beat them with rods" The crowd demands. verdict. The people in the marketplace very quickly jumped on the anti-Jewish, and pro-Roman bandwagon. The feelings of the crowd evidently influenced the decision made by the magistrates. "Rent their garments off them" That is tore the garments from the bodies of Paul and Silas. "This was always done when the prisoner was about to be beaten with rods. In. Roman court, the criminal was usually stripped entirely naked" (Reese p. 585). "Beat them with rods" This was one of three beatings from non-Jewish authorities that Paul had suffered as of the writing of 2 Corinthians 11:25. "The Romans used. rod (similar in size to. present-day broom stick or hoe handle), and there was no limit to the number of blows that could be struck. Such treatment would leave. man lacerated and bleeding" (Reese p. 585).