Acts 16:22 - Exposition

Rent their garments off them for rent off their clothes, A.V.; beat them with rods for beat them, A.V. Beat them ; ῥαβδίζειν , marking that they were beaten by the lictors, or ῥαβδοῦχοι (see Acts 16:35 ). The phrase rent … off ( περιῤῥήξαντες ) is only found here in the New Testament, but it is frequently used of stripping off garments, in classical Greek and in 2 Macc. 4:38; and by Josephus ('Ant. Jud.,' 6. 14:6) of David rending his garments—a circumstance not mentioned in the Bible narrative ( 1 Samuel 30:1-31 : 4).