Acts 16:36
in Acts 16The jailer informed Paul: “The magistrates have sent orders to release you. Now you may go on your way in peace.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And the jailor reported the words to Paul, saying, The magistrates have sent to let you go: now therefore come forth, and go in peace.
KJV
And the keeper of the prison told this saying to Paul, The magistrates have sent to let you go: now therefore depart, and go in peace.
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This verse in Acts 16
Commentary
4 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
let those men go
on Acts 16:35-36
When it was day, the magistrates sent the serjeants, saying, Let those men go, the order given quietly and without explanation, likely once the magistrates had slept on the previous night's mob violence and grown uneasy about its legality. The keeper of the prison told this saying to Paul, The magistrates have sent to let you go: now therefore depart, and go in peace, relaying the order as good news, expecting the prisoners to leave gladly and quietly. Paul's answer in the next verse shows the matter is not so simply closed.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
And when it was day, the magistrates sent the sergeants, saying, Let those men go. It is likely the magistrates had learnt what had happened, and did not dare of themselves to dismiss them. And the keeper of the prison told these words to Paul, saying, the magistrates have sent to let you go: now therefore depart, and go in peace - that is, in safety, fearing no man.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Paul's Adoption of Timothy. 1 Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek: 2 Which was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:94%@v1-3
And the keeper of the prison told this, saying to Paul,....
The words behind it
22 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἀπήγγειλεν | apengeilen | Reported | G518 → | 43 times |
| δὲ | de | then | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| ὁ | ho | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| δεσμοφύλαξ | desmophulax | jailer | G1200 → | 3 times |
| τοὺς | tous | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| λόγους | logous | words | G3056 → | 329 times |
| τούτους | toutous | these | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| πρὸς | pros | to | G4314 → | 700 times |
| τὸν | ton | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Παῦλον | paulon | Paul | G3972 → | 158 times |
| ὅτι | hoti | that | G3754 → | 1292 times |
| ἀπέσταλκαν | apestalkan | Have sent | G649 → | 132 times |
| οἱ | hoi | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| στρατηγοὶ | strategoi | captains | G4755 → | 10 times |
| ἵνα | ina | that | G2443 → | 668 times |
| ἀπολυθῆτε· | apoluthete | you may be let go; | G630 → | 63 times |
| νῦν | nun | Now | G3568 → | 145 times |
| οὖν | oun | therefore | G3767 → | 497 times |
| ἐξελθόντες | exelthontes | having gone out | G1831 → | 216 times |
| πορεύεσθε | poreuesthe | do depart | G4198 → | 147 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| εἰρήνῃ.¶ | eirene | peace. | G1515 → | 91 times |
ἀπήγγειλενReported
apengeilenG518 →43 times
δὲthen
deG1161 →2765 times
ὁthe
hoG3588 →19766 times
δεσμοφύλαξjailer
desmophulaxG1200 →3 times
τοὺς<the>
tousG3588 →19766 times
λόγουςwords
logousG3056 →329 times
τούτουςthese
toutousG3778 →1381 times
πρὸςto
prosG4314 →700 times
τὸν<the>
tonG3588 →19766 times
ΠαῦλονPaul
paulonG3972 →158 times
ὅτιthat
hotiG3754 →1292 times
ἀπέσταλκανHave sent
apestalkanG649 →132 times
οἱthe
hoiG3588 →19766 times
στρατηγοὶcaptains
strategoiG4755 →10 times
ἵναthat
inaG2443 →668 times
ἀπολυθῆτε·you may be let go;
apolutheteG630 →63 times
νῦνNow
nunG3568 →145 times
οὖνtherefore
ounG3767 →497 times
ἐξελθόντεςhaving gone out
exelthontesG1831 →216 times
πορεύεσθεdo depart
poreuestheG4198 →147 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
εἰρήνῃ.¶peace.
eireneG1515 →91 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
5 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
John 14:27Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled; do not be afraid.
it leads to
- Philippians 4:7
And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
- John 16:33
I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take courage; I have overcome the world!”
- Isaiah 41:10
Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My right hand…
- 2 Thessalonians 3:16
Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.
- Colossians 3:15
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, for to this you were called as members of one body. And be thankful.
- Philippians 4:7
Where this verse is studied
About Acts
This page draws on Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 36; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and William Ramsay, St. Paul the Traveller and the Roman Citizen.