Acts 16:38
 Acts 16:38 
New International Version (©2011)
The officers reported this to the magistrates, and when they heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, they were alarmed.

New Living Translation (©2007)
When the police reported this, the city officials were alarmed to learn that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens.

English Standard Version (©2001)
The police reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Roman citizens.

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
The policemen reported these words to the chief magistrates. They were afraid when they heard that they were Romans,

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
And the serjeants told these words unto the magistrates: and they feared, when they heard that they were Romans.

Holman Christian Standard Bible (©2009)
Then the police reported these words to the magistrates. They were afraid when they heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens.

International Standard Version (©2012)
The guards reported these words to the magistrates, and they became afraid when they heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens.

NET Bible (©2006)
The police officers reported these words to the magistrates. They were frightened when they heard Paul and Silas were Roman citizens

Aramaic Bible in Plain English (©2010)
And the Rod Bearers went and they told the Magistrates these words that were spoken to them, and when they heard that they were Romans, they were afraid.

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
The guards reported to the officials what Paul had said. When the Roman officials heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, they were afraid.

King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
And the officers told these words unto the magistrates: and they feared, when they heard that they were Romans.

American King James Version
And the sergeants told these words to the magistrates: and they feared, when they heard that they were Romans.

American Standard Version
And the sergeants reported these words unto the magistrates: and they feared when they heard that they were Romans;

Douay-Rheims Bible
And let us out themselves. And the serjeants told these words to the magistrates. And they were afraid, hearing that they were Romans.

Darby Bible Translation
And the lictors reported these words to the praetors. And they were afraid when they heard they were Romans.

English Revised Version
And the serjeants reported these words unto the magistrates: and they feared, when they heard that they were Romans;

Webster's Bible Translation
And the sergeants told these words to the magistrates: and they feared when they heard that they were Romans.

Weymouth New Testament
This answer the lictors took back to the praetors, who were alarmed when they were told that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens.

World English Bible
The sergeants reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Romans,

Young's Literal Translation
And the rod-bearers told to the magistrates these sayings, and they were afraid, having heard that they are Romans,

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

16:35-40 Paul, though willing to suffer for the cause of Christ, and without any desire to avenge himself, did not choose to depart under the charge of having deserved wrongful punishment, and therefore required to be dismissed in an honourable manner. It was not a mere point of honour that the apostle stood upon, but justice, and not to himself so much as to his cause. And when proper apology is made, Christians should never express personal anger, nor insist too strictly upon personal amends. The Lord will make them more than conquerors in every conflict; instead of being cast down by their sufferings, they will become comforters of their brethren.


Pulpit Commentary

Verse 38. - Reported for told, A.V.


Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And the sergeants told these words unto the magistrates,.... They returned to them, and acquainted them with what the prisoners said:

and they feared when they heard that they were Romans; they were not concerned for the injury they had done them; nor for the injustice and cruelty they had been guilty of; nor did they fear the wrath of God, and a future judgment; but they were put into a panic, when they found the men they had so ill used were Romans; lest they should be called to an account by the Roman senate, and be found guilty, and have their places taken away from them, and their persons punished.


Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

38. they feared when they heard they were Romans—their authority being thus imperilled; for they were liable to an action for what they had done.


Acts 16:38 Parallel Commentaries

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Paul and Silas are Released
37But Paul said to them, They have beaten us openly uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast us into prison; and now do they thrust us out privately? no truly; but let them come themselves and fetch us out. 38And the sergeants told these words to the magistrates: and they feared, when they heard that they were Romans. 39And they came and sought them, and brought them out, and desired them to depart out of the city.

Luke 12:11 "When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say,
Acts 16:35 When it was daylight, the magistrates sent their officers to the jailer with the order: "Release those men."
Acts 22:29 Those who were about to interrogate him withdrew immediately. The commander himself was alarmed when he realized that he had put Paul, a Roman citizen, in chains.