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:
• 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.
• 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

21by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice.” 22The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. 24When he received these orders, he put 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.

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 jail.
• Acts 8:3But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison.
• Acts 9:2and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.
• Acts 12:4After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover.
• Luke 21:12“But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you. They will hand you over to synagogues and put you in prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name.
• Ephesians 3:1For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles—
• Ephesians 4:1As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.
• 2 Timothy 2:9for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God’s word is not chained.
• Philemon 1:9yet I prefer to appeal to you on the basis of love. It is as none other than Paul—an old man and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus—
• Revelation 1:9I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.
• Revelation 2:10Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown.
• Acts 5:23“We found the jail securely locked, with the guards standing at the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside.”
• Acts 12:18In the morning, there was no small commotion among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter.
• 1 Samuel 23:22Go and get more information. Find out where David usually goes and who has seen him there. They tell me he is very crafty.
• Matthew 26:48Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him.”
• Matthew 27:63“Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’

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