{Unto them} (pros autous). The lictors by the jailor. The
reply of Paul is a marvel of brevity and energy, almost every
word has a separate indictment showing the utter illegality of
the whole proceeding. {They have beaten us} (deirantes h(886d)as).
First aorist active participle of der(935c), old verb to flay, to
skin, to smite. The _Lex Valeria_ B.C. 509 and the _Lex Poscia_
B.C. 248 made it a crime to inflict blows on a Roman citizen.
Cicero says, "To fetter a Roman citizen was a crime, to scourge
him a scandal, to slay him--parricide." Claudius had "deprived
the city of Rhodes of its freedom for having crucified some
citizen of Rome" (Rackham). {Publicly} (d(886d)osi(8369)). This added
insult to injury. Common adverb (hod(9369)) supplied with
adjective, associative instrumental case, opposed to idi(8369) or
kat' oikous,  Ac 20:20 ) {Uncondemned} (akatakritous). This
same verbal adjective from kata-krin(935c) with a privative is
used by Paul in  22:25  and nowhere else in the N.T. Rare in late
Greek like akatagn(9373)tos, but in late _Koin(825f) (papyri,
inscriptions). The meaning is clearly "without being tried." Paul
and Silas were not given a chance to make a defence. They were
sentenced unheard ( 25:16 ). Even slaves in Roman law had a right
to be heard. {Men that are Romans} (anthr(9370)ous Romaious
huparchontas). The praetors did not know, of course, that Paul
and Silas were Roman citizens any more than Lysias knew it in  Ac
22:27 . Paul's claim is not challenged in either instance. It was
a capital offence to make a false claim to Roman citizenship.
{Have cast us into prison} (ebalan eis phulak(886e)). Second aorist
active indicative of all(935c), old verb, with first aorist ending
as often in the _Koin(825f) (-an, not -on). This was the climax,
treating them as criminals. {And now privily} (kai nun
lathr(8369)). Paul balances their recent conduct with the former.
{Nay verily, but} (ou gar, alla). No indeed! It is the use of
gar so common in answers (ge+ara) as in  Mt 27:23 . Alla
gives the sharp alternative. {Themselves} (autoi). As a public
acknowledgment that they had wronged and mistreated Paul and
Silas. Let them come themselves and lead us out (exagaget(9373)an,
third person plural second aorist active imperative of exag(935c)).
It was a bitter pill to the proud praetors.