PrevActs 16:35Next

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 16:35 mean?

Explanation

The verse Acts 16:35 is part of the narrative describing the imprisonment of Paul and Silas in Philippi. The quote "[And when it was day, the magistrates sent the sergeants, saying, Let those men go.]" signifies that the local authorities, magistrates, had decided to release Paul and Silas.

However, this isn't just a simple release; it comes after a miraculous event where an earthquake opened the prison doors and loosened the prisoners' chains, yet Paul and Silas did not escape.

This verse, while on the surface is about a legal decision, symbolizes the authority of God's purpose and the power of faith, as well as human recognition of injustice.

Top Rated Acts Books

Historical Context

At the time of this narrative, Paul was on his second missionary journey, and Philippi was a Roman colony in Macedonia.

The context of this verse is that Paul and Silas were imprisoned for casting out a spirit of divination from a slave girl, which led to her owners losing their source of income, prompting them to bring Paul and Silas to the local authorities.

The magistrates ordered them to be beaten and imprisoned without a proper trial, violating their rights as Roman citizens.

The earthquake and their subsequent release underscore God’s hand in their mission and also highlights the injustice of the Roman legal system.

Theological Insights

Theological insights from this verse focus on divine intervention and justice.

Some theologians argue that the miraculous earthquake represents God’s power to free His servants, implying that God oversees the affairs of His people and can intervene supernaturally.

Another point of view looks at the aftermath of the divine act; the integrity of Paul and Silas, as they did not flee when they had the chance, indicates a greater obedience to God's will over personal safety.

Furthermore, this episode demonstrates that civil authorities can recognize their mistakes and act justly, even after an initial injustice.

Practical Applications

This verse can be applied in several practical ways. Firstly, it teaches the importance of integrity and trust in God; when facing unjust treatment, believers are encouraged to maintain their faith.

Additionally, it serves as a reminder for those in authority to act justly and to rectify any wrongdoing. This can be extended to personal life, where individuals should seek to correct their mistakes and pursue fairness in their dealings with others.

Cross-References

Acts 16:26-28: "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."
Acts 5:19: "But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said,"
Acts 12:6-10: Describes the angelic liberation of Peter from prison, another example of divine intervention.

Language Study

The original Greek language provides further insight into this verse.

The term "magistrates" refers to the "στρατηγοί" (strategoi), which means military leaders or civil officers, emphasizing that they had significant authority in the colony.

"Serjeants" is a translation of the Greek word "ῥαβδούχοι" (rabdouchoi), which literally means "rod-bearers" or officers who executed punishment.

The command "Let those men go" in Greek is "Ἀπόλυσον τοὺς ἀνθρώπους" (Apoluon tous anthropous), which carries a tone of immediacy and resolution, indicating a final decision to release them without condition.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In ancient mythology and other religious texts, divine intervention is a common theme.

For example, in Greek mythology, deities often intervene in the affairs of heroes.

Similarly, in the Old Testament, numerous accounts exist of God intervening on behalf of His chosen people, such as parting the Red Sea for the Israelites.

The Acts 16 narrative can be compared to these, with the earthquake as an act of God to protect and vindicate His servants.

Scientific Perspectives

From a scientific standpoint, earthquakes are natural phenomena with tectonic, volcanic, or other geological causes.

While the narrative presents the earthquake as a miraculous event, it can be considered a "fortunate timing" within the context of their beliefs.

Modern readers could attribute Paul and Silas' survival and the subsequent decisions by the magistrates to a blend of natural occurrences and human responses influenced by those occurrences.

Commentaries

Various Bible scholars and commentators have offered interpretations of this verse:

John Calvin notes that the magistrates' decision to release Paul and Silas is a demonstration of God softening their hearts, leading to a just action after an unjust one.
Matthew Henry comments that the magistrates were likely motivated by a mixture of fear, guilt, and the desire to cover up their unlawful actions now that they knew Paul and Silas were Roman citizens.
The Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary suggests that the magistrates' instructions to release the prisoners indicate a change of mind, which could have been caused by a fear of the consequences of their hasty judgment.

Each commentary reflects on the complexities of interpreting the actions of the magistrates, the interplay between divine influence and human conscience, and the overarching themes of justice and redemption present in the narrative.

Acts 16

Acts 16

What does Acts 16:35 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 16:35 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?