The jailor being roused for the keeper of the prison awaking, A.V.; sleep for his sleep, A.V.; drew for he drew out, A.V.; was about to kill for would have killed, A.V.; escaped for been fled, A.V. This readiness to kill himself rather than incur the disgrace of failure in his charge is characteristic of the Roman soldier (comp. Acts 27:43 ). read more
Would have killed himself - This was done in the midst of agitation and alarm. He supposed that the prisoners had fled. He presumed that their escape would be charged on him. It was customary to hold a jailor responsible for the safe keeping of prisoners, and to subject him to the punishment due them if he suffered them to escape. See Acts 12:19. It should be added that it was common and approved among the Greeks and Romans for a man to commit suicide when he was encompassed with dangers from... read more
Acts 16:25-28. At midnight Paul and Silas prayed Doubtless, for their persecutors as well as for themselves; and sang praises unto God Notwithstanding weariness, hunger, stripes, and blood; and the prisoners heard them Heard a song to which they had not been accustomed, and such as had never been heard in that prison before. And suddenly While they were thus engaged; there was a great earthquake A token of God’s favour toward them, and threatening vengeance to their persecutors; so... read more
Philippi - first church in Europe (16:11-40)The missionaries left Troas with another addition to the party, Luke, the author of the book (note the word ‘we’ in verse 11). Luke’s home appears to have been in Philippi, the city to which the group was now heading (11-12). It seems that Philippi had few Jews and no synagogue, but a group of God-fearers met for prayer at the river bank. The missionaries joined with them and made known to them the gospel of Jesus Christ. As a result a cloth merchant... read more
keeper of the prison . Same as "jailor" (Acts 16:23 ). awaking out of his sleep . Literally becoming awake. Greek. exupnos. Only here. The verb exupnizo only in John 11:11 . drew out = drew. would have killed = was about to kill. Greek. anaireo. See note on Acts 2:23 . supposing . Greek. nomizo. See note on Acts 14:19 . been fled = escaped. Compare Acts 12:19 ; Acts 27:42 . Roman soldiers were responsible with their lives for prisoners in their charge. read more
And the jailor, being roused out of sleep and seeing the prison doors open, drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped.Pagan that he was, the jailer lived by a harsh code and was willing to die by it. Philippi was the place where "Cassius, unable to survive defeat, covered his face in the empty tent, and ordered his freedman to strike the blow."[14] Here his messenger Titinius held it to be a Roman's part to follow his master as a suicide; and here... read more
Acts 16:27. He drew out his sword, &c.— By the Roman law, if a prisoner escaped, the gaoler was to suffer what the prisoner was to have suffered. When therefore this man apprehended that all the prisoners were fled, and remembered what strict orders he had received the day before concerning Paul and Silas, he was afraid of the most rigorous treatment from the magistrates, for having executed their orders no better; and, on this account, in his hurry and consternation, was about to have... read more
27. the keeper . . . awaking . . . drew . . . his sword, and would have killed himself, c.—knowing that his life was forfeited in that case ( :- and compare Acts 27:42). read more
Ministry in Philippi 16:11-40Luke devoted more space to Paul’s evangelizing in Philippi than he did to the apostle’s activities in any other city on the second and third journeys, even though Paul was there only briefly. It was the first European city in which Paul preached the gospel. [Note: The ancients did not view the Dardanelles as separating Europe and Asia, as we do today. Luke’s original readers would have viewed Paul’s crossing the Hellespont as simply moving from one region to another... read more
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The Pulpit Commentary - Acts 16:26-34
God in the earthquake. God does not always manifest himself " in the still small voice" ( 1 Kings 19:1-21 .); there are times when he makes himself known in other forms. We learn from our text— I. THAT GOD IS SOMETIMES , IF NOT OFTEN , IN THE TERRIBLE . ( Acts 16:26 .) "By terrible things in righteousness," as well as by gracious things in mercy and in love, does he answer us. He is in the earthquake and in the fire and in the great and strong wind,... read more