Acts 16:37 (DRB)

Passage

But Paul said to them: They have beaten us publicly, uncondemned, men that are Romans, and have cast us into prison. And now do they thrust us out privately? Not so: but let them come.

Nearby Context

Acts 16:35 And when the day was come, the magistrates sent the serjeants, saying: Let those men go.

Acts 16:36 And the keeper of the prison told these words to Paul: The magistrates have sent to let you go. Now therefore depart. And go in peace.

Acts 16:37 But Paul said to them: They have beaten us publicly, uncondemned, men that are Romans, and have cast us into prison. And now do they thrust us out privately? Not so: but let them come.

Acts 16:38 And let us out themselves. And the serjeants told these words to the magistrates. And they were afraid: hearing that they were Romans.

Acts 16:39 And coming, they besought them: and bringing them out, they desired them to depart out of 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 keeper of the prison told..." into verse 38's "And let us out themselves And the...", 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.