Acts 22:29 - Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

Bible Comments

Which should have examined him. — The verb had acquired the secondary sense (just as “putting to the question” did in mediæval administration of justice) of examining by torture.

Because he had bound him. — The words seem to refer to the second act of binding (Acts 22:25) rather than the first (Acts 21:33). The chains fastened to the arms were thought of, as we see afterwards, when St. Paul’s citizenship was an acknowledged fact (Acts 26:29; Ephesians 3:1; Ephesians 4:1), as not incompatible with the respect due to a Roman citizen. The binding, as slaves were bound, with leathern thongs, was quite another matter.

Acts 22:29

29 Then straightway they departed from him which should have examined him:a and the chief captain also was afraid, after he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.