SEV Biblia, Chapter 22:28
Y respondi el tribuno: Yo con grande suma alcanc esta ciudadanía. Entonces Pablo dijo: Pero yo lo soy de nacimiento.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Acts 22:28
Verse 28. With a great sum obtained I this freedom] So it appears that the freedom, even of Rome, might be purchased, and that it was sold at a very high price. But I was free born.] It has been generally believed that the inhabitants of Tarsus, born in that city, had the same rights and privileges as Roman citizens, in consequence of a charter or grant from Julius Caesar. Calmet disputes this, because Tarsus was a free not a colonial city; and he supposes that Paul's father might have been rewarded with the freedom of Rome for some military services, and that it was in consequence of this that Paul was horn free. But that the city of Tarsus had such privileges appears extremely probable. In chap. xxi. 39, Paul says he was born at Tarsus in Cilicia, and in ver. 28, he says he was free born; and, at ver. 26, he calls himself a Roman; as he does also chap. xvi. 37. From whence it has been concluded, with every show of reason, that Tarsus, though no Roman colony, yet had this privilege granted to it, that its natives should be citizens of Rome. PLINY, in Hist. Nat. lib. v. 27, tells us that Tarsus was a free city. And APPIAN, Deuteronomy Bello Civil. lib. v. p. 1077, edit. Tollii, says that Antony, tarseav eleuqerouv hfiei, kai ateleiv forwn, made the people of Tarsus free, and discharged them from paying tribute. DIO CASSIUS, lib. xlvii. p. 508, edit. Reimar, farther tells us, Adeo Caesari priori, et ejus gratia etiam posteriori, favebant Tarsenses, ut urbem suam pro Tarso JULIOPOLIN vocaverint: "that, for the affection which the people of Tarsus bore to Julius Caesar, and afterwards to Augustus, the former caused their city to be called Juliopolis." The Greek text is as follows:- outw prosfilwv tw kaisari proterw, kai di ekeinon tw deuterw, oi tarseiv eicon, wste kai iouliopolin sfav ap autou metonomasai. To which I add, that PHILO, de Virt. vol.
ii. p. 587, edit. Mang., makes Agrippa say to Caligula, filwn eniwn patridav olav thv rwmaikhv hxiwsav politeiav? You have made whole countries, to which your friends belong, to be citizens of Rome. See the note on chap. xxi. 39. These testimonies are of weight sufficient to show that Paul, by being born at Tarsus, might have been free born, and a Roman. See Bishop Pearce on chap. xvi. 37.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 28. And the chief captain answered, with a great sum obtained I this freedom , etc.] For, it seems, he was not a Roman born, but very likely a Grecian, or Syrian, by his name Lysias; and as all things were now venal at Rome, the freedom of the city was to be bought with money, though a large sum was insisted on for it: this the chief captain said, as wondering that so mean a person, and who he understood was a Jew by birth, should be able to procure such a privilege, which cost him so much money: and Paul said, but I was free born ; being born at Tarsus; which, as Pliny says f1139 , was a free city, and which had its freedom given it by Mark Antony, and which was before the birth of Paul; and therefore his parents being of this city, and free, he was born so.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 22-30 - The Jews listened to Paul's account of his conversion, but the mentio of his being sent to the Gentiles, was so contrary to all their national prejudices, that they would hear no more. Their franti conduct astonished the Roman officer, who supposed that Paul must have committed some great crime. Paul pleaded his privilege as a Roma citizen, by which he was exempted from all trials and punishments whic might force him to confess himself guilty. The manner of his speakin plainly shows what holy security and serenity of mind he enjoyed. A Paul was a Jew, in low circumstances, the Roman officer questioned ho he obtained so valuable a distinction; but the apostle told him he wa free born. Let us value that freedom to which all the children of God are born; which no sum of money, however large, can purchase for thos who remain unregenerate. This at once put a stop to his trouble. Thu many are kept from evil practices by the fear of man, who would not be held back from them by the fear of God. The apostle asks, simply, Is i lawful? He knew that the God whom he served would support him under all sufferings for his name's sake. But if it were not lawful, the apostle's religion directed him, if possible, to avoid it. He neve shrunk from a cross which his Divine Master laid upon his onward road and he never stept aside out of that road to take one up __________________________________________________________________
Greek Textus Receptus
απεκριθη 611 5662 V-ADI-3S τε 5037 PRT ο 3588 T-NSM χιλιαρχος 5506 N-NSM εγω 1473 P-1NS πολλου 4183 A-GSN κεφαλαιου 2774 N-GSN την 3588 T-ASF πολιτειαν 4174 N-ASF ταυτην 3778 D-ASF εκτησαμην 2932 5662 V-ADI-1S ο 3588 T-NSM δε 1161 CONJ παυλος 3972 N-NSM εφη 5346 5713 V-IXI-3S εγω 1473 P-1NS δε 1161 CONJ και 2532 CONJ γεγεννημαι 1080 5769 V-RPI-1S
Vincent's NT Word Studies
28. Sum (kefalaiou). Lit., capital. The purchase of Roman citizenship was an investment. Under the first Roman emperors it was obtained only at large cost and with great difficulty; later, it was sold for a trifle. I was free born (egw kai gegennhmai). Lit., I am even so born, leaving the mind to supply free or a Roman. Better, as Rev., I am a Roman born.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
22:28 {With a great sum} (pollou kefalaiou). The use of kefalaiou (from kefale, head) for sums of money (principal as distinct from interest) is old and frequent in the papyri. Our word capital is from caput (head). The genitive is used here according to rule for price. "The sale of the Roman citizenship was resorted to by the emperors as a means of filling the exchequer, much as James I. made baronets" (Page). Dio Cassius (LX., 17) tells about Messalina the wife of Claudius selling Roman citizenship. Lysias was probably a Greek and so had to buy his citizenship. {But I am a Roman born} (egw de kai gegennemai). Perfect passive indicative of gennaw. The word "Roman" not in the Greek. Literally, "But I have been even born one," (i.e. born a Roman citizen). There is calm and simple dignity in this reply and pardonable pride. Being a citizen of Tarsus (#21:39) did not make Paul a Roman citizen. Tarsus was an _urbs libera_, not a _colonia_ like Philippi. Some one of his ancestors (father, grandfather) obtained it perhaps as a reward for distinguished service. Paul's family was of good social position. "He was educated by the greatest of the Rabbis; he was at an early age entrusted by the Jewish authorities with an important commission; his nephew could gain ready access to the Roman tribune; he was treated as a person of consequence by Felix, Festus, Agrippa, and Julius" (Furneaux).
