Acts 16:23
in Acts 16And after striking them with many blows, they threw them into prison and ordered the jailer to guard them securely.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely:
KJV
And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely:
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This verse in Acts 16
Commentary
10 notes on this verse"They ordered the jailer to keep them securely." Since they knew their virtue, they deceived themselves by saying, "Keep them securely." But by doing so they testified that they were not ordinary but great men who had the power to do, through the Lord, whatever …
This site's exposition
The crowd joined in the attack
on Acts 16:22-24
The magistrates ordered Paul and Silas stripped and beaten with rods before any defense was heard or their citizenship checked. Beating uncondemned Roman citizens was illegal, as Paul says at verse 37, and the haste returns to embarrass them.
This site's exposition
striking them with many blows
This is one of the three beatings with rods Paul counts at 2 Corinthians 11:25. He recalls the shameful treatment at Philippi to the Thessalonians at 1 Thessalonians 2:2. At verse 35 the officers are named for the rods.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
A commentator
Ammonius of AlexandriaCATENA ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 16.31-32 · Written before 300.
proposed
This is Stephen whom Paul mentions in the first letter to the Corinthians.
"And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison" - great was their wrath - "charging the jailer to keep them safely": "And the magistrates," charging the jailer to keep them safely: that they may be the means of a greater miracle. The stricter the custody, the greater the miracle. It was probably from the wish to cut short the disturbance, that the magistrates did these things; because they saw the crowd urgent, and wished to stay their passion at the instant, therefore they inflicted the stripes: at the same time it was their wish to hear the matter, and that was why they cast them into prison and gave charge "to keep them safely."
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
They laid many stripes upon them - Either they did not immediately say they were Romans, or in the tumult it was not regarded. Charging the jailer - Perhaps rather to quiet the people than because they thought them criminal.
), without counting how many, because they seemed vile unto them, Deut. xxv. Now, one would think, this might have satiated their cruelty; if they must be whipped, surely they must be discharged. No, they are imprisoned, and it is probable the present purpose was to try them for their lives, and
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
And when they had laid many stripes upon them,.... Even above measure, as in 2Co 11:
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
And 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, 2Co 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 2Co 11:23, “In stripes above measure.” that is, beyond the usual measure among the Jews, or beyond moderation.
Laid 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, 2Co 11:23: εν πληγαις ὑπερβαλλοντως, in stripes beyond measure or moderation.
The words behind it
14 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| πολλάς | pollas | Many | G4183 → | 367 times |
| τε | te | then | G5037 → | 213 times |
| ἐπιθέντες | epithentes | having laid | G2007 → | 38 times |
| αὐτοῖς | autois | on them | G846 → | 5565 times |
| πληγὰς | plegas | blows | G4127 → | |
| ἔβαλον | ebalon | they cast [them] | G906 → | 121 times |
| εἰς | eis | into | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| φυλακὴν | phulaken | prison | G5438 → | 47 times |
| παραγγείλαντες | parangeilantes | having charged | G3853 → | 31 times |
| τῷ | to | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| δεσμοφύλακι | desmophulaki | to jailer | G1200 → | 3 times |
| ἀσφαλῶς | asphalos | strictly | G806 → | |
| τηρεῖν | terein | to keep | G5083 → | 70 times |
| αὐτούς· | autous | them; | G846 → | 5565 times |
πολλάςMany
pollasG4183 →367 times
τεthen
teG5037 →213 times
ἐπιθέντεςhaving laid
epithentesG2007 →38 times
αὐτοῖςon them
autoisG846 →5565 times
πληγὰςblows
plegasG4127 →
ἔβαλονthey cast [them]
ebalonG906 →121 times
εἰςinto
eisG1519 →1755 times
φυλακὴνprison
phulakenG5438 →47 times
παραγγείλαντεςhaving charged
parangeilantesG3853 →31 times
τῷthe
toG3588 →19766 times
δεσμοφύλακιto jailer
desmophulakiG1200 →3 times
ἀσφαλῶςstrictly
asphalosG806 →
τηρεῖνto keep
tereinG5083 →70 times
αὐτούς·them;
autousG846 →5565 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Revelation 2:10Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Look, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison to test you, and you will suffer tribulation for ten days. Be faithful…
it leads to
- James 1:12
Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him.
- Matthew 10:22
You will be hated by everyone because of My name, but the one who perseveres to the end will be saved.
- Revelation 3:10–11
Because you have kept My command to persevere, I will also keep you from the hour of testing that is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the…
- Luke 21:16–19
You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and some of you will be put to death.
- 1 Peter 5:4
And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.
- James 1:12
Through
2 Timothy 2:9for which I suffer to the extent of being chained like a criminal. But the word of God cannot be chained!
it leads to
- Acts 28:31
Boldly and freely he proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ.
- 2 Timothy 1:8
So do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, or of me, His prisoner. Instead, join me in suffering for the gospel by the power of God.
- Philippians 1:7
It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart. For in my chains and in my defense and confirmation of the gospel, you…
- Acts 28:31
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies9
On this verse
About Acts
This page draws on 11 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Acts of the Apostles; Albert Barnes, Notes on Acts; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ammonius of Alexandria, CATENA ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 16.23; Ammonius of Alexandria, CATENA ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 16.31-32; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 35; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and W. M. Ramsay, St. Paul the Traveller and the Roman Citizen.