And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned? And as they bound him, etc. - They were going to tie him to a post, that they might scourge him.
Is it lawful, etc. - The Roman law absolutely forbade the binding of a Roman citizen. See the note on Acts 16:37.