Acts 16:37 (YLT)

Passage

and Paul said to them, `Having beaten us publicly uncondemned--men, Romans being--they did cast <FI>us<Fi> to prison, and now privately do they cast us forth! why no! but having come themselves, let them bring us forth.'

Nearby Context

Acts 16:35 And day having come, the magistrates sent the rod-bearers, saying, `Let those men go;'

Acts 16:36 and the jailor told these words unto Paul--`The magistrates have sent, that ye may be let go; now, therefore, having gone forth go on in peace;'

Acts 16:37 and Paul said to them, `Having beaten us publicly uncondemned--men, Romans being--they did cast <FI>us<Fi> to prison, and now privately do they cast us forth! why no! but having come themselves, let them bring us forth.'

Acts 16:38 And the rod-bearers told to the magistrates these sayings, and they were afraid, having heard that they are Romans,

Acts 16:39 and having come, they besought them, and having brought <FI>them<Fi> forth, they were asking <FI>them<Fi> to go forth from the city;

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "condemn", "paul", "said", "having", "beaten", "publicly", "uncondemned--men", and "romans". 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 told these words unto..." into verse 38's "And the rod-bearers told to the magistrates...", 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.