Act 23:27 | NETfull | STEP | This man was seized by the Jews and they were about to kill him, when I came up with the detachment and rescued him, because I had learned that he was a Roman citizen.

Acts 23:27

27 This man was seized ^{▼▼ The participle συλλημφθέντα (sullēmfqenta) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. The remark reviews events of Acts 21:27–40.} by the Jews and they were about to kill him, ^{▼▼ Grk “and was about to be killed by them.” The passive construction has been converted to an active one in the translation for stylistic reasons.} when I came up ^{▼▼ Or “approached.”} with the detachment ^{▼▼ Normally this term means “army,” but according to BDAG 947 s.v. στράτευμα, “Of a smaller detachment of soldiers, sing. Ac 23:10, 27.” In the plural it can be translated “troops,” but it is singular here.} and rescued him, because I had learned that he was ^{▼▼ In Greek this is a present tense retained in indirect discourse.} a Roman citizen. ^{▼▼ The word “citizen” is supplied here for emphasis and clarity.} ^{▼▼ The letter written by the Roman commander Claudius Lysias was somewhat self-serving. He made it sound as if the rescue of a Roman citizen had been a conscious act on his part. In fact, he had made the discovery of Paul’s Roman citizenship somewhat later. See Acts 21:37–39 and 22:24–29.}