It was legal to arrest a Roman citizen but illegal to have him put in chains, and this explains the reason for the commander’s fear. Had put him in chains may be translated in some languages as “had put chains on him” or “had bound him by means of chains.”

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on The Acts of the Apostles. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1972. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .