Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Acts 22:25

"And when they had tied him up with the thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned?" — Acts 22:25 (ASV)

Roman citizens were exempt from examination under torture. In such trials there first had to be a formulation of charges and penalties, then a formal accusation laid, and then a hearing before a Roman magistrate and his advisory cabinet. Therefore, as the soldiers “stretched him [Paul] out to flog him,” he said to the centurion in charge, “Is it legal for you to flog a Roman citizen who hasn’t even been found guilty?”