Acts 16:23

Acts 16:23 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely:
• New International Version (NIV)After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And when they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to keep them securely.

Context of Acts 16:23

21They are publicly teaching customs which are unlawful for us, as Romans, to accept or observe.” 22The crowd also joined in the attack against them, and the chief magistrates tore their robes off them and ordered that Paul and Silas be beaten with rods. After striking them many times [with the rods], they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to guard them securely. 24He, having received such a [strict] command, threw them into the inner prison (dungeon) and fastened their feet in the stocks [in an agonizing position]. 25But about midnight when Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them;

Acts 16:23 word by word

πολλάς τε ἐπιθέντες αὐτοῖς πληγὰς ἔβαλον εἰς φυλακὴν παραγγείλαντες τῷ δεσμοφύλακι ἀσφαλῶς τηρεῖν αὐτούς·Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andτεte · and/bothG5037
• when they had laidἐπιτίθημιepitithēmi · to put/lay onG2007
• manyπολύςpolus polos · muchG4183
• stripesπληγήplēgē · plague/blow/woundG4127
• upon themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• they castβάλλωballō · to throw: throwG906
• intoεἰςeis · towardG1519
• prisonφυλακήphulakē · prison/watch: prisonG5438
• chargingπαραγγέλλωparaggellō · to orderG3853
• the jailorὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the jailorδεσμοφύλαξdesmophulax · jailerG1200
• to keepτηρέωtēreō · to keep: guardG5083
• safelyἀσφαλῶςasphalōs · securelyG806

Cross-references for Acts 16:23

• Acts 5:18They arrested the apostles and put them in a public jail.
• Acts 8:3But Saul began ravaging the church [and assaulting believers]; entering house after house and dragging off men and women, putting them in prison.
• Acts 9:2and he asked for letters [of authority] from him to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any men or women there belonging to the Way [believers, followers of Jesus the Messiah], men and women alike, he could arrest them and bring them bound [with chains] to Jerusalem.
• Acts 12:4When he had seized Peter, he put him in prison, turning him over to four squads of soldiers of four each to guard him [in rotation throughout the night], planning after the Passover to bring him out before the people [for execution].
• Luke 21:12“But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and will persecute you, turning you over to the synagogues and prisons, and bringing you before kings and governors for My name’s sake.
• Ephesians 3:1For this reason [because I preach that you and believing Jews are joint heirs] I, Paul, am the prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles—
• Ephesians 4:1So I, the prisoner for the Lord, appeal to you to live a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called [that is, to live a life that exhibits godly character, moral courage, personal integrity, and mature behavior—a life that expresses gratitude to God for your salvation],
• 2 Timothy 2:9for that [gospel] I am suffering even to [the point of] wearing chains like a criminal; but the word of God is not chained or imprisoned!
• Philemon 1:9yet for love’s sake I prefer to appeal to you—since I am such a person as Paul, an old man, and now also a prisoner [for the sake] of Christ Jesus—
• Revelation 1:9I, John, your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patient endurance which are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos, [exiled there] because of [my preaching of] the word of God [regarding eternal salvation] and the testimony of Jesus Christ.
• Revelation 2:10Fear nothing that you are about to suffer. Be aware that the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested [in your faith], and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful to the point of death [if you must die for your faith], and I will give you the crown [consisting] of life.
• Acts 5:23“We found the prison securely locked and the guards standing at the doors, but when we opened [the doors], we found no one inside.”
• Acts 12:18Now when day came, there was no small disturbance among the soldiers over what had become of Peter.
• 1 Samuel 23:22Go now, be very persistent and investigate, and see where his haunt is and who has seen him there; for I am told he is very cunning.
• Matthew 26:48Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “Whomever I kiss, He is the one; seize Him.”
• Matthew 27:63and said, “Sir, we have remembered that when He was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise [from the dead].’

Commentaries on Acts 16:23

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23Laid many stripes upon them - The Jews never gave more than thirty-nine stripes to any criminal; but the Romans had no law relative to this: they gave as many as they chose; and the apostles had, undoubtedly, the fullest measure. And perhaps St. Paul refers to this, where he says, 2 Corinthians 11:23; : ̔, in stripes beyond measure or moderation.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 23And when they had laid many stripes on them - The Jews were by law prohibited from inflicting more than 40 stripes, and usually inflicted but 39, 2 Corinthians 11:24. But there was no such law among the Romans. They were unrestricted in regard to the number of lashes, and probably inflicted many more. Perhaps Paul refers to this when he says 2 Corinthians 11:23, “In stripes above measure.” that is, beyond the usual measure among the Jews, or beyond…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 16-24Verses 16-24 Satan, though the father of lies, will declare the most important truths, when he can thereby serve his purposes. But much mischief is done to the real servants of Christ, by unholy and false preachers of the gospel, who are confounded with them by careless observers. Those who do good by drawing men from sin, may expect to be reviled as troublers of the city. While they teach men to fear God, to believe in Christ, to forsake sin, and to live…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 22-24They took all necessary security measures. They wanted to guarantee that Paul and Silas did not escape after they stripped and beat them with wooden rods (see 22:24–26; 2 Corinthians 6:5; 11:23–25). However, as at Christ’s tomb, human efforts could not stop God's intervention (Matthew 27:65).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 23-2423-24. when they had laid many stripes upon them--the bleeding wounds from which they were not washed till it was done by the converted jailer (Ac 16:33). charged the jailer ... who ... thrust them into the inner prison--"pestilential cells, damp and cold, from which the light was excluded, and where the chains rusted on the prisoners. One such place may be seen to this day on the slope of the Capitol at Rome" [Howson].Read the comment

Topics related to Acts 16:23

• Afflictions and Adversities
• Criminals
• Heresy
• Malice
• Minister, Christian
• Paul
• Philippi
• Prisoners
• Readings, Select
• Scourging
• Silas

In the dictionaries

• Establish
• Gather
• Gone
• Harm
• Jailer
• James
• Judge
• Light
• Macedonia
• Note

Commentaries on Acts 16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings