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

24Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks. 25And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. 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. 27And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. 28But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: 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

• 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 4:31And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.
• Acts 5:19But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said,
• Acts 12:7And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.
• Matthew 28:2And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.
• Revelation 6:12And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;
• Revelation 11:13And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.
• Psalms 79:11Let the sighing of the prisoner come before thee; according to the greatness of thy power preserve thou those that are appointed to die;
• Psalms 102:20To hear the groaning of the prisoner; to loose those that are appointed to death;
• Psalms 146:7Which executeth judgment for the oppressed: which giveth food to the hungry. Yhwh looseth the prisoners:
• Isaiah 42:7To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.
• Isaiah 61:1The Spirit of the Lord Yhwh is upon me; because Yhwh hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
• Zechariah 9:11As for thee also, by the blood of thy covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water.

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