22:28a

“I paid a high price for my citizenship,”: Someone could not buy Roman citizenship. The commander paid a bribe to someone who put his name on a list of people to become citizens.

In some languages, it is more natural to say who the money was paid to. If that is true in your language, refer generally to a person. For example:

I had to pay ⌊someone⌋ a big price for my citizenship

for my citizenship: The word citizenship means “being a citizen.” Other ways to translate this phrase are:

to become a Roman citizen (God’s Word)
-or-
to be called Roman
-or-
for the privilege to be named a citizen of Rome

22:28b

“But I was born a citizen,” Paul replied: The Berean Standard Bible placed the phrase Paul replied after the spoken words. Place it where it would be most natural in your language.

But I was born a citizen: Paul became a citizen because his father or both his parents were citizens of Rome.

In the Greek clause, the words But and I are emphasized. It implies that the way Paul became a citizen was superior to the way the commander became a citizen. Some ways to indicate the emphasis are:

But I myself was born a citizen.
-or-
However, as for me, I have been a citizen from birth.

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