Acts 16:26

Acts 16:26 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose.
• English Standard Version (ESV)and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's bonds were unfastened.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed.

Context of Acts 16:26

24On receiving this order, he placed them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. 25About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly a strong earthquake shook the foundations of the prison. At once all the doors flew open and everyone’s chains came loose. 27When the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, presuming that the prisoners had escaped. 28But Paul called out in a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself! We are all here!”

Acts 16:26 word by word

ἄφνω δὲ σεισμὸς ἐγένετο μέγας ὥστε σαλευθῆναι τὰ θεμέλια τοῦ δεσμωτηρίου· ἠνεῴχθησαν δὲ παραχρῆμα αἱ θύραι πᾶσαι, καὶ πάντων τὰ δεσμὰ ἀνέθη.Read the interlinear

• Suddenlyδέde · thenG1161
• Suddenlyἄφνωaphnō · suddenlyG869
• ·γίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
• a strongμέγαςmegas · greatG3173
• earthquakeσεισμόςseismos · earthquakeG4578
• ·ὥστεhōste · soG5620
• shookσαλεύωsaleuō · to shakeG4531
• theὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• foundationsθεμέλιοςthemelios · foundationG2310
• prisonδεσμωτήριονdesmōtērion · prisonG1201
• At onceπαραχρῆμαparachrēma · instantlyG3916
• allπᾶςpas · allG3956
• doorsθύραthura · doorG2374
• flew openἀνοίγωanoigō · to openG455
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• chainsδεσμόςdesmon desmos · chainG1199
• came looseἀνίημιaniēmi · to loosen/leaveG447

Cross-references for Acts 16:26

• Acts 4:31After they had prayed, their meeting place was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
• Acts 5:19But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out, saying,
• Acts 12:7Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He tapped Peter on the side and woke him up, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his wrists.
• Matthew 28:2Suddenly there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, rolled away the stone, and sat on it.
• Revelation 6:12And I watched as the Lamb opened the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black like sackcloth of goat hair, and the whole moon turned blood red,
• Revelation 11:13And in that hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city collapsed. Seven thousand were killed in the quake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.
• Psalms 79:11May the groans of the captives reach You; by the strength of Your arm preserve those condemned to death.
• Psalms 102:20to hear a prisoner’s groaning, to release those condemned to death,
• Psalms 146:7He executes justice for the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets the prisoners free,
• Isaiah 42:7to open the eyes of the blind, to bring prisoners out of the dungeon and those sitting in darkness out from the prison house.
• Isaiah 61:1The Spirit of the Lord GOD is on Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom to the prisoners,
• Zechariah 9:11As for you, because of the blood of My covenant, I will release your prisoners from the waterless pit.

Commentaries on Acts 16:26

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 26There was a great earthquake - Thus God bore a miraculous testimony of approbation to his servants; and, by the earthquake, and loosing the bonds of the prisoners, showed, in a symbolical way, the nature of that religion which they preached: while it shakes and terrifies the guilty, it proclaims deliverance to the captives, and the opening of the prison-doors to them that are bound; and sets at liberty them that are bruised. Every one's bands were loosed…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 26And suddenly - While they were praying and singing. A great earthquake - Matthew 28:2. An earthquake, in such circumstances, was regarded as a symbol of the presence of God, and as an answer to prayer. See the notes on Acts 4:31. The design of this was, doubtless, to furnish them proof of the presence and protection of God, and to provide a way for them to escape. It was one among the series of wonders by which the gospel was established, and the early…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 25-34Verses 25-34 The consolations of God to his suffering servants are neither few nor small. How much more happy are true Christians than their prosperous enemies! As in the dark, so out of the depths, we may cry unto God. No place, no time is amiss for prayer, if the heart be lifted up to God. No trouble, however grievous, should hinder us from praise. Christianity proves itself to be of God, in that it obliges us to be just to our own lives. Paul cried…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 26The strong earthquake reminds us of the great earthquake that happened at the resurrection of Jesus (Matthew 28:2–3).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 26-2826-28. And suddenly there was a great earthquake--in answer, doubtless, to the prayers and expectations of the sufferers that, for the truth's sake and the honor of their Lord, some interposition would take place. every one's bands--that is, the bands of all the prisoners. were loosed--not by the earthquake, of course, but by a miraculous energy accompanying it. By this and the joyous strains which they had heard from the sufferers, not to speak of the…Read the comment

Topics related to Acts 16:26

• Criminals
• Earthquakes
• Family
• Minister, Christian
• Miracles
• Paul
• Philippi
• Prisoners
• Readings, Select
• Silas

In the dictionaries

• Earthquake
• Establish
• Gather
• Gone
• Harm
• 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