This fresh outbreak threw the Roman captain into great perplexity. He had not understood Paul’s Hebrew address, and concluded from the general excitement that his prisoner must be guilty of some great crime. The loud demands of the people that Paul be delivered into their hands made the commander tremble. He ordered him to be immediately taken unto the barracks and examined by scourging, that he might be forced to confess his guilt.{LP 220.1}

Dette nye udbrud kastede den romerske høvedsmand ud i store vanskeligheder. Han forstod ikke Paulus tale på hebræisk, og konkluderede ud fra den almindelige ophidselse at hans fange måtte være skyldig i en stor forbrydelse. De højrøstede krav fra folk at Paulus skulle overgives i deres hænder fik befalingsmanden til at skælve. Hen beordrede at han straks blev taget ud til kassernerne og hjemsøges med pisk, så han måtte tvinges til at bekende hans skyld.