Note that in the first clause of verse 37 Paul is not responding to what the jailer has told him but is speaking directly to the police officers. Evidently he had demanded from the jailer the opportunity of speaking to the police officers.

The adjective which the Good News Translation has rendered not found guilty of any crime (New English Bible “not been found guilty”) may be understood in this sense, or it may mean “without a trial” (Phillips, An American Translation*, Barclay). Were not found guilty may need to be restructured in some languages as “the authorities could not prove that we were guilty of a crime” or “the authorities did not prove that we were guilty.”

They whipped us must be understood as a causative “the authorities caused us to be whipped in public” or “they ordered the police authorities to whip us in public.”

In public may be rendered as “with all the people looking on” or “with everyone there present.”

It is essential to set off in some contrastive manner the clause and we are Roman citizens. This is done in the Good News Translation by a dash and followed by an exclamation mark. In many languages, however, one must introduce this expression by some kind of contrastive particle—for example, “but we are Roman citizens.”

Translating Roman citizens is not easy in some languages. In fact, an entire clause may be required, and it may also be necessary to have some marginal note. One may render Roman citizens as “we are just like those who live in Rome,” “we have the same privileges as those who live in Rome,” or “we are to be treated just like those who come from Rome.”

On the basis that the context expresses purpose or intent, the Good News Translation has rendered the verb expression “they are sending us away” as they want to send us away (so also Phillips; see Jerusalem Bible “and then think they can push us out”). Not at all represents a very strong rejection of their proposal by Paul.

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 .