Acts 16:26
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.
Acts 16:26 in other translations
| BSB | Suddenly a strong earthquake shook the foundations of the prison. At once all the doors flew open and everyone’s chains came loose. |
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| WEB | 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 loosened. |
| ASV | and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison-house were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened; and every one’s bands were loosed. |
| YLT | and suddenly a great earthquake came, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken, opened also presently were all the doors, and of all--the bands were loosed; |
| DARBY | And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison shook, and all the doors were immediately opened, and the bonds of all loosed. |
| BBE | And suddenly there was an earth-shock, so that the base of the prison was moved: and all the doors came open, and everyone's chains came off. |
| Webster | 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. |
What does Acts 16:26 mean?
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Acts 16:26-28
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain
Barnes' Notes
And immediately all the doors were opened. An effect that would naturally follow from the violent concussion of the earthquake. Comp. Acts 5:19.
Every one's bands were loosed. This was evidently a miracle. Some have supposed that their chains were dissolved by electric fluid; but the narrative gives no account of any such fluid, even supposing such an effect to be possible. It was evidently a direct interposition of Divine power. But for what purpose it was done is not recorded. Grotius supposes it was that they might know that the apostles might be useful to them and to others, and that by them their spiritual bonds might be loosed. Probably the design was to impress all the prisoners with the conviction of the presence and power of God, and thus to prepare them to receive the message of life from the lips of his servants Paul and Silas. They had just before heard them singing and praying; they were aware, doubtless, of the cause for which they were imprisoned; they saw evident tokens that they were the servants of the Most High, and under his protection; and their own minds were impressed and awed by the terrors of the earthquake, and by the fact of their own liberation. It renders this scene the more remarkable, that though the doors were opened, and the prisoners loosed, yet no one made any attempt to escape.
(a) "all the doors were opened" Is 42:7, Acts 5:19, 12:7,10
Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain
Adam Clarke's Commentary
Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Acts 16:25-34
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…
Acts 16:26 in the original Greek
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Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).
Cross references for Acts 16:26
- Acts 4:31
And 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 5:19
But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said,
- Acts 12:10
When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him.
- Acts 12:7
And, 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.
- Psalms 146:7
Which executeth judgment for the oppressed: which giveth food to the hungry. The Lord looseth the prisoners:
- Matthew 28:2
And, 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.
- Isaiah 42:7
To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.
- Psalms 102:20
To hear the groaning of the prisoner; to loose those that are appointed to death;
- Revelation 11:13
And 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.
- Isaiah 61:1
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord 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;
- Psalms 79:11
Let the sighing of the prisoner come before thee; according to the greatness of thy power preserve thou those that are appointed to die;
- Revelation 6:12
And 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;
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Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Context
- Acts 16:25
And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.
- Acts 16:26
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.
- Acts 16:27
And 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.
Acts 16:26 in other languages
| Spanish Reina-Valera 1909 | Entonces fué hecho de repente un gran terremoto, de tal manera que los cimientos de la cárcel se movían; y luego todas las puertas se abrieron, y las prisiones de todos se soltaron. |
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| French Bible J.N. Darby 1885 | Et tout d’un coup il se fit un grand tremblement de terre, de sorte que les fondements de la prison furent ébranlés; et au même instant toutes les portes s’ouvrirent, et les liens de tous furent détachés. |
| German Elberfelder 1871 | Plötzlich aber geschah ein großes Erdbeben, so daß die Grundfesten des Gefängnisses erschüttert wurden; und alsbald öffneten sich alle Türen, und aller Bande wurden gelöst. |
| Latin Clementine Vulgate | Subito vero terræmotus factus est magnus, ita ut moverentur fundamenta carceris. Et statim aperta sunt omnia ostia: et universorum vincula soluta sunt. |