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The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered that they be stripped and beaten with rods.
Acts 16:22 · Berean Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB The multitude rose up together against them, and the magistrates tore their clothes off of them, and commanded them to be beaten with rods.
  • KJV And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them.
  • NKJV Then the multitude rose up together against them; and the magistrates tore off their clothes and commanded them to be beaten with rods.
  • NASB The crowd joined in an attack against them, and the chief magistrates tore their robes off them and proceeded to order them to be beaten with rods.
  • NLT A mob quickly formed against Paul and Silas, and the city officials ordered them stripped and beaten with wooden rods.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

The crowd joined the attack, and the magistrates had Paul and Silas stripped and beaten with rods.

Overview

Without trial or evidence, the magistrates yielded to mob pressure and inflicted a brutal Roman beating. This was one of the three beatings with rods Paul later recalls in 2 Corinthians 11. The suffering of these faithful servants, unjustly condemned by a hostile crowd, mirrors the path of their Master and the cost of bearing His name.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 14

  • 1 Th 2:2As you are aware, we had already endured suffering and shameful treatment in Philippi. But in the face of strong opposition, we were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God.
  • 2 Cor 6:5in beatings, imprisonments, and riots; in labor, sleepless nights, and hunger;
  • Heb 11:36Still others endured mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment.
  • Acts 22:22–26The crowd listened to Paul until he made this statement. Then they lifted up their voices and shouted, “Rid the earth of him! He is not fit to live!”
  • 2 Cor 11:23–25Are they servants of Christ? I am speaking like I am out of my mind, but I am so much more: in harder labor, in more imprisonments, in worse beatings, in frequent danger of death.
  • Acts 17:5The Jews, however, became jealous. So they brought in some troublemakers from the marketplace, formed a mob, and sent the city into an uproar. They raided Jason’s house in search of Paul and Silas, hoping to bring them out to the people.
  • Acts 5:40At this, they yielded to Gamaliel. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and released them.
  • Matt 10:17But beware of men; for they will hand you over to their councils and flog you in their synagogues.
  • Acts 21:30–31The whole city was stirred up, and the people rushed together. They seized Paul and dragged him out of the temple, and at once the gates were shut.
  • Matt 27:26So Pilate released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed Him over to be crucified.
  • Acts 16:37But Paul said to the officers, “They beat us publicly without a trial and threw us into prison, even though we are Roman citizens. And now do they want to send us away secretly? Absolutely not! Let them come themselves and escort us out!”
  • 1 Pet 2:24He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. “By His stripes you are healed.”
  • Acts 19:28–41When the men heard this, they were enraged and began shouting, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”
  • Acts 18:12While Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews coordinated an attack on Paul and brought him before the judgment seat.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (7)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Acts videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Acts 16:22YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on ActsMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

Acts is the risen Christ continuing his work by the Spirit through the church, as the apostles preach that there is salvation in no other name under heaven.

How Acts 16:22 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.