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.
• 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.
• New Living Translation (NLT)They were severely beaten, and then they were thrown into prison. The jailer was ordered to make sure they didn’t escape.

Context of Acts 16:23

21They advocate customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to accept or practice." 22The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods. And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely. 24Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. 25About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns 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 the public prison.
• Acts 8:3But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.
• Acts 9:2and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.
• Acts 12:4And when he had seized him, he put him in prison, delivering him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out to the people.
• Luke 21:12But before all this they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name's sake.
• Ephesians 3:1For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles—
• Ephesians 4:1I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called,
• 2 Timothy 2:9for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound!
• Philemon 1:9yet for love's sake I prefer to appeal to you—I, Paul, an old man and now a prisoner also for Christ Jesus—
• Revelation 1:9I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.
• Revelation 2:10Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.
• Acts 5:23"We found the prison securely locked and the guards standing at the doors, but when we opened them we found no one inside."
• Acts 12:18Now when day came, there was no little disturbance among the soldiers over what had become of Peter.
• 1 Samuel 23:22Go, make yet more sure. Know and see the place where his foot is, and who has seen him there, for it is told me that he is very cunning.
• Matthew 26:48Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, "The one I will kiss is the man; seize him."
• Matthew 27:63and said, "Sir, we remember how that impostor said, while he was still alive, 'After three days I will rise.'

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