Acts 24:23. And he commanded a centurion to keep Paul, and to let him have liberty, and that he should forbid none of his acquaintance to minister or come unto him. There were three descriptions of imprisonment or custody among the Romans (1) Imprisonment in the common prison, custodia publica. We have an instance of this at Philippi, when Paul and Silas were arrested there. (2) Military arrest, custodia militaris, when the prisoner was bound or chained to the soldier who guarded him. This appears to have been the form of captivity to which the apostle was relegated during his long Roman confinement. (3) Free custody, custodia libera. In this last the arrested was usually released on bail. In some cases the accused, if an illustrious person, was entrusted to the care of a magistrate. Paul remained at Cæsarea evidently under military arrest, the conditions of which were clearly relaxed, the word rendered ‘indulgence' (ἄνεσιν) plainly indicates this, though watched by a soldier, and possibly chained to him. Free access to him was also accorded to his friends. An ulterior motive, which we shall notice presently, seems to have suggested this last relaxation in the case of persons wishing to visit him.

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Old Testament