35 But when it was day, the authorities sent the police, saying, Let these men go. 36 And the keeper said to Paul, The authorities have given orders to let you go: come out now, and go in peace. 37 But Paul said to them, They have given us who are Romans a public whipping without judging us, and have put us in prison. Will they now send us out secretly? no, truly, let them come themselves and take us out. 38 And the police gave an account of these words to the authorities, and they were full of fear on hearing that they were Romans; 39 Then they came and made prayers to them, requesting them, when they had taken them out, to go away from the town. 40 And they came out of the prison and went to the house of Lydia: and when they had seen the brothers they gave them comfort and went away.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Acts 16:35-40
Commentary on Acts 16:35-40
(Read Acts 16:35-40)
Paul, though willing to suffer for the cause of Christ, and without any desire to avenge himself, did not choose to depart under the charge of having deserved wrongful punishment, and therefore required to be dismissed in an honourable manner. It was not a mere point of honour that the apostle stood upon, but justice, and not to himself so much as to his cause. And when proper apology is made, Christians should never express personal anger, nor insist too strictly upon personal amends. The Lord will make them more than conquerors in every conflict; instead of being cast down by their sufferings, they will become comforters of their brethren.