The Meaning of Acts 22:29 Explained

Acts 22:29

KJV: Then straightway they departed from him which should have examined him: and the chief captain also was afraid, after he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.

YLT: Immediately, therefore, they departed from him who are about to examine him, and the chief captain also was afraid, having learned that he is a Roman, and because he had bound him,

Darby: Immediately therefore those who were going to examine him left him, and the chiliarch also was afraid when he ascertained that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.

ASV: They then that were about to examine him straightway departed from him: and the chief captain also was afraid when he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Then  straightway  they departed  from  him  which  should  have examined  him:  and  the chief captain  also  was afraid,  after he knew  that  he was  a Roman,  and  because  he had  bound  him. 

What does Acts 22:29 Mean?

Study Notes

examined him
Or, tortured him.

Verse Meaning

The soldiers should not have bound Paul until someone had formally charged him with a crime.
"The narrative of an action-packed day ends after this indication that Paul is fully a member of the two worlds to which he has been sent. He is both a devout Jew ( Acts 22:3) and a Roman citizen." [1]

Context Summary

Acts 22:17-30 - Saved For Further Service
To the story of his conversion, as given in Acts 9:1-43, the Apostle here adds a detailed account of that memorable interview in the Temple, when he questioned the advisability of the Lord's command that he should leave Jerusalem, and received his final and irrevocable commission to go to the Gentiles. It is a great privilege to be permitted to overhear this dialogue! How close and intimate is the disciple's relationship with his Lord! God allowed Abraham, Moses, and Jeremiah to reason with Him. He does not crush down our intelligence. It is His own word, "Come, let us reason together." But there is a point beyond which we may not go, when we must accept without question the final instructions of our Captain.
A free-born Roman was Paul. More than once he had asserted his rights as a Roman citizen, as at Philippi. There are various social and political advantages which we can turn to account in our service of the gospel, but they cannot carry us very far, and ultimately we are better off if we step out upon the unwonted waters, simply because Jesus says, Come! [source]

Chapter Summary: Acts 22

1  Paul declares how he was converted to the faith,
17  and called to his apostleship
22  At the very mentioning of the Gentiles the people exclaim on him
24  He would have been scourged;
25  but claiming the privilege of a Roman, he escapes

Greek Commentary for Acts 22:29

Departed from him [απεστησαν απ αυτου]
Second aorist active indicative (intransitive) of απιστημι — aphistēmi stood off from him at once. [source]
Was afraid [εποβητη]
Ingressive aorist passive indicative of ποβεομαι — phobeomai became afraid. He had reason to be. That he was a Roman (οτι ομαιος εστιν — hoti Romaios estin). Indirect assertion with tense of εστιν — estin retained. Because he had bound him Causal οτι — hoti here after declarative οτι — hoti just before. Periphrastic past perfect active of δεω — deō to bind. [source]
That he was a Roman [οτι ομαιος εστιν]
Indirect assertion with tense of εστιν — estin retained. [source]
Because he had bound him [οτι αυτον ην δεδεκως]
Causal οτι — hoti here after declarative οτι — hoti just before. Periphrastic past perfect active of δεω — deō to bind. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Acts 22:29

Acts 22:24 Examined [ἀνετάζεσθαι]
Only here and Acts 22:29. Not found in classical Greek. Apocrypha, Susanna, ver. 14. [source]
Acts 22:24 That he be examined by scourging [μαστιχιν ανεταζεσται αυτον]
The present passive infinitive of ανεταζω — anetazō in indirect command after ειπας — eipas (bidding). This verb does not occur in the old Greek (which used εχεταζω — exetazō as in Matthew 2:8), first in the lxx, in the N.T. only here and Acts 22:29, but Milligan and Moulton‘s Vocabulary quotes an Oxyrhynchus papyrus of a.d. 127 which has a prefect using the word directing government clerks to “examine” The word was evidently in use for such purposes. It was a kind of “third degree” applied to Paul by the use of scourges (μαστιχιν — mastixin), instrumental plural of μαστιχ — mastix old word for whip, as in Hebrews 11:36. But this way of beginning an inquiry by torture (inquisition) was contrary to Roman law (Page): Non esse a tormentis incipiendum, Divus Augustus statuit. [source]

What do the individual words in Acts 22:29 mean?

Immediately therefore departed from him those being about him to examine and the commander also was afraid having ascertained that a Roman he is because he had bound
Εὐθέως οὖν ἀπέστησαν ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ οἱ μέλλοντες αὐτὸν ἀνετάζειν καὶ χιλίαρχος δὲ ἐφοβήθη ἐπιγνοὺς ὅτι Ῥωμαῖός ἐστιν ὅτι ἦν δεδεκώς

Εὐθέως  Immediately 
Parse: Adverb
Root: εὐθέως  
Sense: straightway, immediately, forthwith.
ἀπέστησαν  departed 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: ἀφίστημι  
Sense: to make stand off, cause to withdraw, to remove.
οἱ  those 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
μέλλοντες  being  about 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: μέλλω  
Sense: to be about.
ἀνετάζειν  to  examine 
Parse: Verb, Present Infinitive Active
Root: ἀνετάζω  
Sense: to investigate, to examine.
χιλίαρχος  commander 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: χιλίαρχος  
Sense: a chiliarch, the commander of a thousand soldiers.
δὲ  also 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: δέ  
Sense: but, moreover, and, etc.
ἐφοβήθη  was  afraid 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: φοβέομαι 
Sense: to put to flight by terrifying (to scare away).
ἐπιγνοὺς  having  ascertained 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ἐπιγινώσκω  
Sense: to become thoroughly acquainted with, to know thoroughly.
ὅτι  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ὅτι  
Sense: that, because, since.
Ῥωμαῖός  a  Roman 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Ῥωμαῖος  
Sense: a resident of the city of Rome, a Roman citizen.
ἐστιν  he  is 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: εἰμί  
Sense: to be, to exist, to happen, to be present.
ὅτι  because 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ὅτι  
Sense: that, because, since.
ἦν  he  had 
Parse: Verb, Imperfect Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: εἰμί  
Sense: to be, to exist, to happen, to be present.
δεδεκώς  bound 
Parse: Verb, Perfect Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: δέω  
Sense: to bind tie, fasten.

What are the major concepts related to Acts 22:29?

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