Acts 16:38

Modern

So the officers relayed this message to the magistrates, who were alarmed to hear that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens.

Traditional

And the serjeants told these words unto the magistrates: and they feared, when they heard that they were Romans.

Literal

And the officers reported these words to the captains, and they were afraid, having heard that they are Romans.

Latin

…et ipsi nos ejiciant. Nuntiaverunt autem magistratibus lictores verba hæc. Timueruntque audito quod Romani essent:

Greek

English

So the officers relayed this message to the magistrates, who were alarmed to hear that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens.

Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, so it was illegal to beat and imprison them (16:22–24). When the city officials learned this, they were understandably alarmed because they had broken Roman law.
Let them come themselves and escort us out!: Paul used his rights as a Roman citizen to save his reputation and protect the Christian message from receiving a bad name. Luke wanted to show that Christianity should have the same status as Judaism in the Roman Empire as a legal religion.
The Christian faith was not at odds with Roman citizenship. It was important to note that Paul used his rights as a Roman citizen. He was willing to use his privileges as a citizen to promote Christianity in a hostile world (comparing 22:25–27).

Theme notes and profiles

Acts 22:29
At once those who were about to interrogate Paul stepped back, and the commander himself was alarmed when he realized that he had put a Roman citizen in chains.
Matthew 21:46
Although they wanted to arrest Him, they were afraid of the crowds, because the people regarded Him as a prophet.
Matthew 14:5
Although Herod wanted to kill John, he was afraid of the people, because they regarded John as a prophet.

Rome: Capital city of the Roman Empire