Acts 16:37 (ASV)

Passage

But Paul said unto them, They have beaten us publicly, uncondemned, men that are Romans, and have cast us into prison; and do they now cast us out privily? Nay verily; but let them come themselves and bring us out.

Nearby Context

Acts 16:35 But when it was day, the magistrates sent the sergeants, saying, Let those men go.

Acts 16:36 And the jailor reported the words to Paul, [saying], The magistrates have sent to let you go: now therefore come forth, and go in peace.

Acts 16:37 But Paul said unto them, They have beaten us publicly, uncondemned, men that are Romans, and have cast us into prison; and do they now cast us out privily? Nay verily; but let them come themselves and bring us out.

Acts 16:38 And the sergeants reported these words unto the magistrates: and they feared when they heard that they were Romans;

Acts 16:39 and they came and besought them; and when they had brought them out, they asked them to go away from the city.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "condemn", "paul", "said", "beaten", "publicly", "uncondemned", "romans", and "cast". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "condemn" and "paul", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 36's "And the jailor reported the words to..." into verse 38's "And the sergeants reported these words unto...", so "condemn" and "paul" belong inside that flow. In Acts context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "condemn" and "paul" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.