And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them.
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.
- BSB The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered that they be stripped and beaten with rods.
- 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 2:2But even after that we had suffered before, and were shamefully entreated, as ye know, at Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much contention.
- 2 Cor 6:5In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings;
- Heb 11:36And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:
- Acts 22:22–26And they gave him audience unto this word, and then lifted up their voices, and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth: for it is not fit that he should live.
- 2 Cor 11:23–25Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft.
- Acts 17:5But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people.
- Acts 5:40And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
- Matt 10:17But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues;
- Acts 21:30–31And all the city was moved, and the people ran together: and they took Paul, and drew him out of the temple: and forthwith the doors were shut.
- Matt 27:26Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.
- Acts 16:37But Paul said unto them, They have beaten us openly uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast us into prison; and now do they thrust us out privily? nay verily; but let them come themselves and fetch us out.
- 1 Pet 2:24Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
- Acts 19:28–41And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.
- Acts 18:12And when Gallio was the deputy of Achaia, the Jews made insurrection with one accord against Paul, and brought him to the judgment seat,
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
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.