Acts 16:39

Acts 16:39 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And they came and besought them, and brought them out, and desired them to depart out of the city.
• New International Version (NIV)They came to appease them and escorted them from the prison, requesting them to leave the city.
• English Standard Version (ESV)So they came and apologized to them. And they took them out and asked them to leave the city.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then they came and pleaded with them and brought them out, and asked them to depart from the city.

Context of Acts 16:39

37But Paul said to the officers, “They have beaten us publicly without a trial—men who are Roman citizens—and have thrown us into prison. And now they are sending us away secretly? No! Let them come themselves and lead us out!” 38The police officers reported these words to the chief authorities. They became afraid when they heard they were Romans, so they came and apologized to them. After they escorted them out, they kept begging them to leave the city. 40When Paul and Silas went out of the prison, they visited Lydia’s house. And when they saw the brothers, they encouraged them and then departed.

Acts 16:39 word by word

καὶ ἐλθόντες παρεκάλεσαν αὐτούς, καὶ ἐξαγαγόντες ἠρώτων ἀπελθεῖν ἀπὸ τῆς πόλεως.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• they cameἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
• and besoughtπαρακαλέωparakaleō · to plead/comfortG3870
• themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• broughtἐξάγωexagō · to lead outG1806
• and desiredἐρωτάωerōtaō · to askG2065
• to departἐξέρχομαιexerchomai · to go outG1831
• out of the cityὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• out of the cityπόλιςpolis · cityG4172

Cross-references for Acts 16:39

• Exodus 11:8All these servants of yours will come down to me and bow down to me, saying, ‘Get out, you and all the people who follow you!’ After that, I will go.” Then he went out from Pharaoh hot with anger.
• Isaiah 45:14Thus says Adonai: “Egypt’s toil, Ethiopia’s merchandise, and the tall Sabeans will come over to you and be yours. They will walk behind you in chains. They will bow down to you, and pray, saying, ‘Surely God is with you!’ There is none else— no other God!”
• Isaiah 49:23Kings will be your guardians, their princesses your nurses. They will bow down to you with their face to the ground, and lick the dust of your feet. Then you will know that I am Adonai— those hoping in Me will not be ashamed.”
• Isaiah 60:14The sons of those who afflicted you will come bowing to you, and all those who despised you will fall at the soles of your feet. They will call you the city of Adonai, Zion of the Holy One of Israel.
• Micah 7:9I will bear the indignation of Adonai, because I have sinned against Him, until He pleads my cause, and executes judgment for me. He will bring me out to the light, and I will behold His righteousness.
• Revelation 3:9Behold, I will cause those of the synagogue of satan—who say they are Jewish and are not, but lie—behold, I will cause them to come and bow down before your feet, so that they acknowledge that I have loved you!
• Daniel 6:16Then these men came as a throng in to the king, and said to the king: “Remember, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no decree or edict which the king issues may be altered.”
• Matthew 8:34The whole town came out to meet Yeshua. And when they saw him, they begged Him to leave their region.
• Mark 5:17And they began to beg Yeshua to leave their country.

Commentaries on Acts 16:39

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 39And they came and besought them - A most humiliating act for Roman magistrates, but in this case it was unavoidable. The apostles had them completely in their power, and could easily effect their disgrace and ruin. Probably they besought them by declaring them innocent; by affirming that they were ignorant that they were Roman citizens, etc. And desired them to depart … - Probably: (1) To save their own character, and be secure from their taking any…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 35-40Verses 35-40 Paul, though willing to suffer for the cause of Christ, and without any desire to avenge himself, did not choose to depart under the charge of having deserved wrongful punishment, and therefore required to be dismissed in an honourable manner. It was not a mere point of honour that the apostle stood upon, but justice, and not to himself so much as to his cause. And when proper apology is made, Christians should never express personal anger…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 37-39Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, so it was illegal to beat and imprison them (16:22–24). When the city officials learned this, they were understandably alarmed because they had broken Roman law. Let them come themselves and escort us out!: Paul used his rights as a Roman citizen to save his reputation and protect the Christian message from receiving a bad name. Luke wanted to show that Christianity should have the same status as Judaism in the Roman…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 39-4039-40. And they came--in person. and besought them--not to complain of them. What a contrast this suppliant attitude of the preachers of Philippi to the tyrannical air with which they had the day before treated the preachers! (See Is 60:14; Re 3:9). brought them out--conducted them forth from the prison into the street, as insisted on. and desired--"requested." them to depart out of the city--perhaps fearing again to excite the populace.Read the comment

Topics related to Acts 16:39

• Criminals
• Minister, Christian
• Paul
• Philippi
• Prisoners
• Readings, Select
• Reproof
• Silas
• Trial

In the dictionaries

• Establish
• Freedom
• 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