35The next morning, the Roman officials commanded some police officers to go to the jail to say to the jailer, “ Our bosses say, ‘Let those two prisoners go now!’”
36After the officers went and told that to the jailer, he went and told Paul, “The Roman authorities have sent a message (sg) saying that I should release you (sg) and Silas from prison. So you two can leave the jail now. Now you can go peacefully!”
37But Paul said to the police officers, “The authorities commanded men to beat us in front of a crowd before those authorities had learned if we (exc) had done anything wrong! Then they ordered men to shove us into jail! But that was not legal, because we (exc) are Roman citizens! And now they want RHQ to send us away secretly! We will not accept that! Those Roman officials must come themselves and tell us that they are sorry, and take us out of jail.”
38So the police officers went and told the city authorities what Paul had said. When those authorities heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, they were afraid that someone would report to more important officials what they had done, and as a result they would be punished { those officials would punish them}.
Acts 16
Acts 16:35-38