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 orders, he threw 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 rest of the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly a great earthquake occurred, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. Immediately all the doors flew open, and the bonds of all the prisoners came loose. 27When the jailer woke up and saw the doors of the prison standing open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, because he assumed the prisoners had escaped. 28But Paul called out loudly, “Do not harm yourself, for 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

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 together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God courageously.
• Acts 5:19But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the prison, led them out, and said,
• Acts 12:7Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared, and a light shone in the prison cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up, saying, “Get up quickly!” And the chains fell off Peter’s wrists.
• Matthew 28:2Suddenly there was a severe earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descending from heaven came and rolled away the stone and sat on it.
• Revelation 6:12Then I looked when the Lamb opened the sixth seal, and a huge earthquake took place; the sun became as black as sackcloth made of hair, and the full moon became blood red;
• Revelation 11:13Just then a major earthquake took place and a tenth of the city collapsed; seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.
• Psalms 79:11Listen to the painful cries of the prisoners! Use your great strength to set free those condemned to die!
• Psalms 102:20in order to hear the painful cries of the prisoners, and to set free those condemned to die,
• Psalms 146:7vindicates the oppressed, and gives food to the hungry. The Lord releases the imprisoned.
• Isaiah 42:7to open blind eyes, to release prisoners from dungeons, those who live in darkness from prisons.
• Isaiah 61:1The spirit of the sovereign Lord is upon me, because the Lord has chosen me. He has commissioned me to encourage the poor, to help the brokenhearted, to decree the release of captives, and the freeing of prisoners,
• Zechariah 9:11Moreover, as for you, because of our covenant relationship secured with blood, 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