³⁶ The guard told Paul. He said, `The judges have sent a message that you may go free. So now, come out and go on your way. You will have no more trouble.'

³⁷ But Paul said, `We are Romans. And they have beaten us outside where people can see. They have put us in prison without proving we have done wrong. Now, are they going to take us out of prison secretly? No, they themselves must come and take us out.'

³⁸ The soldiers told this to the judges. They were very much afraid when they heard that Paul and Silas were Romans.