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

24So the jailer put them into the inner dungeon and clamped their feet in the stocks. 25Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off! 27The jailer woke up to see the prison doors wide open. He assumed the prisoners had escaped, so he drew his sword to kill himself. 28But Paul shouted to him, “Stop! Don’t kill 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

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 4:31After this prayer, the meeting place shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they preached the word of God with boldness.
• Acts 5:19But an angel of the Lord came at night, opened the gates of the jail, and brought them out. Then he told them,
• Acts 12:7Suddenly, there was a bright light in the cell, and an angel of the Lord stood before Peter. The angel struck him on the side to awaken him and said, “Quick! Get up!” And the chains fell off his wrists.
• Matthew 28:2Suddenly there was a great earthquake! For an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled aside the stone, and sat on it.
• Revelation 6:12I watched as the Lamb broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake. The sun became as dark as black cloth, and the moon became as red as blood.
• Revelation 11:13At the same time there was a terrible earthquake that destroyed a tenth of the city. Seven thousand people died in that earthquake, and everyone else was terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.
• Psalms 79:11Listen to the moaning of the prisoners. Demonstrate your great power by saving those condemned to die.
• Psalms 102:20to hear the groans of the prisoners, to release those condemned to die.
• Psalms 146:7He gives justice to the oppressed and food to the hungry. The Lord frees the prisoners.
• Isaiah 42:7You will open the eyes of the blind. You will free the captives from prison, releasing those who sit in dark dungeons.
• Isaiah 61:1The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me, for the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed.
• Zechariah 9:11Because of the covenant I made with you, sealed with blood, I will free your prisoners from death in a waterless dungeon.

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