Acts 22:24-29

the commander had Paul brought back into the compound. He ordered that he be whipped with a lash and interrogated to find out what he said that so infuriated the crowd. When the soldiers stretched Paul out with ropes, he said to the captain, who was standing nearby, “Is it legal for you to torture a Roman citizen like this, without a proper trial?” When the officer heard this, he immediately went to his commander and reported it, saying, “This man is a Roman citizen. What should we do now?” The commander came to Paul and asked him, “Tell me the truth, are you a Roman citizen?” “Yes I am,” he replied. The commander said, “I had to purchase my citizenship with a great sum of money.” Paul replied, “I was born as a citizen!” All of the soldiers who were about to whip Paul backed away, because they were afraid of the consequences for tying up and holding a Roman citizen against his will.