And when the governor had read the letter, he asked of what province he was. And when he understood that he was of Cilicia;
Parallel translations
- WEB When the governor had read it, he asked what province he was from. When he understood that he was from Cilicia, he said,
- BSB The governor read the letter and asked what province Paul was from. Learning that he was from Cilicia,
- NKJV And when the governor had read it, he asked what province he was from. And when he understood that he was from Cilicia,
- NASB Now when he had read it, he also asked from what province Paul was, and when he learned that he was from Cilicia,
- NLT He read it and then asked Paul what province he was from. “Cilicia,” Paul answered.
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
Felix reads the letter and asks Paul's home province, learning he is from Cilicia. He is establishing jurisdiction over the case.
Overview
A Roman governor would confirm where a prisoner came from to determine whether he had authority to try him. Cilicia (Paul's native region, with Tarsus as its capital) fell under Roman administration linked to Syria, so Felix could proceed. The procedural care reflects the rule of law that, under God's hand, repeatedly shields Paul and gives him a platform to testify.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- Acts 21:39But Paul said, I am a man which am a Jew of Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city: and, I beseech thee, suffer me to speak unto the people.
- Acts 25:1Now when Festus was come into the province, after three days he ascended from Caesarea to Jerusalem.
- Dan 6:1It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom;
- Dan 2:49Then Daniel requested of the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, over the affairs of the province of Babylon: but Daniel sat in the gate of the king.
- Luke 23:6When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked whether the man were a Galilaean.
- Acts 6:9Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen.
- Esth 8:9Then were the king’s scribes called at that time in the third month, that is, the month Sivan, on the three and twentieth day thereof; and it was written according to all that Mordecai commanded unto the Jews, and to the lieutenants, and the deputies and rulers of the provinces which are from India unto Ethiopia, an hundred twenty and seven provinces, unto every province according to the writing thereof, and unto every people after their language, and to the Jews according to their writing, and according to their language.
- Acts 15:41And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches.
- Esth 1:1Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus, (this is Ahasuerus which reigned, from India even unto Ethiopia, over an hundred and seven and twenty provinces:)
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Original language
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