Acts 16:31-40

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Acts 16:25-34

We have here the designs of the persecutors of Paul and Silas baffled and broken. I. The persecutors designed to dishearten and discourage the preachers of the gospel, and to make them sick of the cause and weary of their work; but here we find them both hearty and heartened. 1. They were themselves hearty, wonderfully hearty; never were poor prisoners so truly cheerful, nor so far from laying their hard usage to heart. Let us consider what their case was. The praetors among the Romans had... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Acts 16:35-40

In these verses we have, I. Orders sent for the discharge of Paul and Silas out of prison Acts 16:35, 36. 1. The magistrates that had so basely abused them the day before gave the orders; and their doing it so early, as soon as it was day, intimates that either they were sensible the terrific earthquake they felt at midnight was intended to plead the cause of their prisoners, or their consciences had smitten them for what they had done and made them very uneasy. While the persecuted were... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Acts 16:25-40

16:25-40 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. Immediately the doors were opened and everyone's bonds were loosed. When the jailer woke up and saw the doors of the prison standing open he drew his sword and he was going to kill himself, for he thought that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouted to him, "Do yourself no harm, for... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 16:31

And they said, believe in the Lord Jesus Christ ,.... Not with a bare historical faith, as only to believe that he was the Son of God, and the Messiah, and that he was come in the flesh, and had suffered, and died, and rose again, and was now in heaven at the right hand of God, and would come again to judge both quick and dead, for there may be such a faith and no salvation; but so as to look unto him alone for life and salvation, to rely upon him, and trust in him; to commit himself, and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 16:32

And they spake unto him the word of the Lord ,.... That is, the Gospel; which comes from the Lord Jesus Christ, as the author of it; and is concerning him, as the subject matter of it, and is what was preached by himself when on earth; this is the word, which is called the word of salvation, the word of reconciliation and peace, the word of life, the word of righteousness, and the word of faith; because it publishes salvation by Christ, peace and reconciliation by his blood, life by his... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 16:33

And he took them the same hour of the night ,.... After they had done preaching to him, and to his family: and washed their stripes ; which were very many and heavy, and whereby they were covered with blood; and which by this time began to fester, and to produce corrupt matter; and all this in a pool, which Grotius supposes was within the bounds of the prison, he washed off from them: his faith worked by love, and showed itself in fruits of charity and righteousness, and in obedience to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 16:34

And when he had brought them into his house ,.... After he and his family had been baptized, either in the pool in the prison, or in the river near the city of Philippi: he set meat before them ; he spread a table for them, with provisions to refresh them after all their fatigue; partly by stripes and imprisonment, partly by the exercises of prayer and praise, and also by the ministration of the word, and the administration of the ordinance of baptism to the jailer and his family: and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 16:35

And when it was day ,.... In one copy Beza says, these words are added, "the magistrates came together in one place in the court, and remembering the earthquake that was made, they were afraid, and sent the sergeants;' but they seem to be no other than a gloss, which crept into the text; however, it seems reasonable to suppose, that in the morning the magistrates met together, to consider what was further to be done with Paul and Silas; when upon cooler thoughts, they judged it best to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 16:36

And the keeper of the prison told this, saying to Paul ,.... The Ethiopic version adds, "and to Silas"; this was the same person with the jailer, whom Paul had baptized; and indeed, the same word is here used, though a little differently rendered, who no doubt reported this message to Paul with great joy: the magistrates have sent to let you go ; they have sent an order to let you out of prison: now therefore depart, and go in peace; which expresses the jailer's pleasure of mind, and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 16:37

But Paul said unto them ,.... The sergeants, who were present when the jailer reported to Paul the message they came with from the magistrates; though the Syriac version reads in the singular number, "Paul said to him", to the jailer: they have beaten us openly uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast us into prison ; what the magistrates ordered to be done to them, is reckoned all one as if they had done it themselves; and which was done "openly", before all the people, in the most... read more

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