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

24Receiving such an order, he put them into the inner prison and secured their feet in the stocks. 25About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the jail were shaken, and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s chains came loose. 27When the jailer woke up and saw the doors of the prison standing open, he drew his sword and was going to kill himself, since he thought the prisoners had escaped. 28But Paul called out in a loud voice, “Don’t harm yourself, because we’re 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

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andδέde · thenG1161
• suddenlyἄφνωaphnō · suddenlyG869
• there wasγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
• a greatμέγαςmegas · greatG3173
• earthquakeσεισμόςseismos · earthquakeG4578
• so thatὥστεhōste · soG5620
• the foundationsὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the foundationsθεμέλιοςthemelios · foundationG2310
• of the prisonδεσμωτήριονdesmōtērion · prisonG1201
• were shakenσαλεύωsaleuō · to shakeG4531
• andτεte · and/bothG5037
• immediatelyπαραχρῆμαparachrēma · instantlyG3916
• allπᾶςpas · allG3956
• the doorsθύραthura · doorG2374
• were openedἀνοίγωanoigō · to openG455
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• bandsδεσμόςdesmon desmos · chainG1199
• were loosedἀνίημιaniēmi · to loosen/leaveG447

Cross-references for Acts 16:26

• Acts 4:31When they had prayed, the place where they were assembled was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God boldly.
• Acts 5:19But an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail during the night, brought them out, and said,
• Acts 12:7Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared, and a light shone in the cell. Striking Peter on the side, he woke him up and said, “Quick, get up!” And the chains fell off his wrists.
• Matthew 28:2There was a violent earthquake, because an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and approached the tomb. He rolled back the stone and was sitting on it.
• Revelation 6:12Then I saw him open the sixth seal. A violent earthquake occurred; the sun turned black like sackcloth made of hair; the entire moon became like blood;
• Revelation 11:13At that moment a violent earthquake took place, a tenth of the city fell, and seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake. The survivors were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.
• Psalms 79:11Let the groans of the prisoners reach you; according to your great power, preserve those condemned to die.
• Psalms 102:20to hear a prisoner’s groaning, to set free those condemned to die,
• Psalms 146:7executing justice for the exploited and giving food to the hungry. The Lord frees prisoners.
• Isaiah 42:7in order to open blind eyes, to bring out prisoners from the dungeon, and those sitting in darkness from the prison house.
• Isaiah 61:1The Spirit of the Lord God is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom to the prisoners;
• Zechariah 9:11As for you, because of the blood of your covenant, I will release your prisoners from the waterless cistern.

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