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Acts 16

Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek:

Which was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium.

Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and took and circumcised him because of the Jews which were in those quarters: for they knew all that his father was a Greek.

And as they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem.

And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily.

Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia,

After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not.

And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas.

And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us.

And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavored to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.

Therefore loosing from Troas, we came with a straight course to Samothracia, and the next day to Neapolis;

And from thence to Philippi, which is the chief city of that part of Macedonia, and a colony: and we were in that city abiding certain days.

And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither.

And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.

And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us.

And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying:

The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation.

And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.

And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers,

And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city,

And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans.

And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them.

And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely:

Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.

And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.

And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed.

And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.

But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.

Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas,

And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.

And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.

And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.

And when it was day, the magistrates sent the serjeants, saying, Let those men go.

And the keeper of the prison told this saying to Paul, The magistrates have sent to let you go: now therefore depart, and go in peace.

But Paul said unto them, They have beaten us openly uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast us into prison; and now do they thrust us out privily? nay verily; but let them come themselves and fetch us out.

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

And they came and besought them, and brought them out, and desired them to depart out of the city.

And they went out of the prison, and entered into the house of Lydia and when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them, and departed.

What does Acts 16:29 mean?

Explanation

Acts 16:29 recounts an episode during Paul and Silas' imprisonment in Philippi.

After an earthquake miraculously opened the prison doors and loosed the prisoners' chains, the jailer, responsible for the inmates' security, assumed they had escaped.

Under Roman law, a guard who allowed prisoners to escape would often be put to death, so the jailer was about to kill himself, thinking his prisoners had fled.

Just then, Paul cried out to reassure him that they were all still there.

The verse describes the jailer's response: he calls for a light, rushes in, and, overcome with relief and awe at the supernatural events and Paul and Silas' decision not to escape, falls down before them in a display of respect and desperation for salvation.

This moment leads to the conversion of the jailer and his household.

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Historical Context

This event takes place during Paul's second missionary journey around 49-51 AD, as recounted in the Book of Acts in the New Testament of the Bible.

Philippi was a Roman colony in Macedonia, and societal norms were heavily influenced by Roman law and order.

The jailer's fear of punishment following a potential prison break reflects the severe consequences imposed by such laws.

This story reflects the early spread of Christianity and the kind of miraculous events that were reported to have led to the conversion of non-believers.

Theological Insights

Theologically, this verse touches on several important concepts.

First, it demonstrates divine intervention; the earthquake is interpreted as an act of God to showcase His power and further His purposes.

Second, it highlights the faith and integrity of Paul and Silas who, despite being unjustly imprisoned, stay put after the prison is opened, showing adherence to a higher moral code.

Third, the jailer's reaction can be seen as the conviction of sin and recognition of God's power, which plays a central role in Christian conversion narratives.

Practical Applications

From a practical perspective, this verse encourages several behaviors important in Christian life: bravery and trust in divine plans during adversity, taking opportunities to lead others to faith, and showing compassion and witness to those who may have wronged us, as Paul and Silas did to the jailer.

It suggests that believers should act in ways that challenge the norms when these are unjust, as a demonstration of their faith and integrity.

Cross-References

Acts 16:26-28 describes the preceding events: the earthquake and Paul's cry to the jailer.
Acts 16:30-31 continues the story with the jailer's conversion: the jailer asks what he must do to be saved, and Paul and Silas respond with the message of salvation through belief in Jesus Christ.
Acts 12:6-7 offers another account of an angel facilitating Peter's miraculous escape from prison.

Language Study

The key words in the original Greek for Acts 16:29 are as follows:

"called for a light" (φωτὸς αἰτήσας), a phrase indicating the jailer's urgent desire to illuminate the situation.
"sprang in" (εἰσπηδήσας), which implies a quick and hurried entrance.
"came trembling" (τρέμων), reflecting the jailer's intense emotional state of fear and awe.
"fell down" (προσέπεσεν), a term often used to indicate falling at one's feet in an act of humility or supplication.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

The act of "falling down" before someone, seen in many ancient cultures, signifies reverence, fear, or supplication to a deity or person of higher status.

In Roman society, where honor and respect for authority figures were paramount, such an act would be a powerful gesture.

In religious contexts, similar expressions of humility can be found in numerous traditions, often associated with moments of revelation or conversion.

Scientific Perspectives

Modern science would tend to explain the earthquake in this account as a natural tectonic event rather than a divine intervention.

The psychological response of the jailer could be explained through concepts such as acute stress reactions, where individuals might experience intense fear and relief in life-or-death situations, possibly leading them to sudden life changes or new belief systems.

commentaries

Commentaries on this verse often focus on the transformational power of encountering the divine.

Matthew Henry's commentary emphasizes the mercy shown by God to the jailer and the promptness with which the jailer responds to his moment of crisis.

John Wesley notes the fear the jailer felt was not only due to the risk of punishment but the recognition of God's work.

Calvin's commentary highlights the importance of divine providence, using the earthquake as a means of bringing about the jailer's salvation.

These interpretations underscore the narrative's function as both a historical account and a lesson in faith and divine grace.

Acts 16

Acts 16

What does Acts 16:29 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Acts Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

commentaries

Want more context?

What does Acts 16:29 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Acts Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

commentaries

Want more context?