³ “I am a Jew,^(A) born in Tarsus^(B) of Cilicia,^(C) but brought up in this city. I studied under^(D) Gamaliel^(E) and was thoroughly trained in the law of our ancestors.^(F) I was just as zealous^(G) for God as any of you are today. ⁴ I persecuted^(H) the followers of this Way^(I) to their death, arresting both men and women and throwing them into prison,^{(J) 5} as the high priest and all the Council^(K) can themselves testify. I even obtained letters from them to their associates^(L) in Damascus,^(M) and went there to bring these people as prisoners to Jerusalem to be punished.

²⁵ As they stretched him out to flog him, Paul said to the centurion standing there, “Is it legal for you to flog a Roman citizen who hasn’t even been found guilty?”^(A)

²⁶ When the centurion heard this, he went to the commander and reported it. “What are you going to do?” he asked. “This man is a Roman citizen.”

²⁷ The commander went to Paul and asked, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?”

“Yes, I am,” he answered.

²⁸ Then the commander said, “I had to pay a lot of money for my citizenship.”

“But I was born a citizen,” Paul replied.

²⁹ Those who were about to interrogate him^(B) withdrew immediately. The commander himself was alarmed when he realized that he had put Paul, a Roman citizen,^(C) in chains.^(D)