Roman Empire

“Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that a census should be taken of the whole empire.”

“In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, while Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene,”

“There he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to visit them,”

“All the saints send you greetings, especially those from the household of Caesar.”

““I paid a high price for my citizenship,” said the commander. “But I was born a citizen,” Paul replied.”

“But Paul said to the officers, “They beat us publicly without a trial and threw us into prison, even though we are Roman citizens. And now do they want to send us away secretly? Absolutely not! Let them come themselves and escort us out!””

“But as they stretched him out to strap him down, Paul said to the centurion standing there, “Is it lawful for you to flog a Roman citizen without a trial?””

“I told them that it is not the Roman custom to hand a man over before he has had an opportunity to face his accusers and defend himself against their charges.”