Acts 16 · Verse 29

Acts 16:29

Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas,
Acts 16:29, King James Version

Acts 16:29 in other translations

BSBCalling for lights, the jailer rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas.
WEBHe called for lights, sprang in, fell down trembling before Paul and Silas,
ASVAnd he called for lights and sprang in, and, trembling for fear, fell down before Paul and Silas,
YLTAnd, having asked for a light, he sprang in, and trembling he fell down before Paul and Silas,
DARBYAnd having asked for lights, he rushed in, and, trembling, fell down before Paul and Silas.
BBEAnd he sent for lights and came rushing in and, shaking with fear, went down on his face before Paul and Silas,
WebsterThen he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas;

What does Acts 16:29 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Acts 16:29-30
29-30. Then he called for a light, and sprang in ... and fell down before Paul and Silas, and brought them out and said--How graphic this rapid succession of minute details, evidently from the parties themselves, the prisoners and the jailer, who would talk over every feature of the scene once and again, in which the hand of the Lord had been so marvellously seen.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 29. Then he called for a light. Greek, Lights, in the plural. Probably several torches were brought by his attendants.

And came trembling. Alarmed at the earthquake, and amazed that the prisoners were still there, and probably not a little confounded at the calmness of Paul and Silas, and overwhelmed at the proof of the presence of God. Comp. Jer 5:22, "Fear ye not me, saith the Lord? will ye not tremble at my presence?" etc.

And fell down, etc. This was an act of profound reverence. Mt 2:11. It is evident that he regarded them as the favourites of God, and was constrained to recognize them in their character as religious teachers.

(d) "and fell down before Paul" Jer 5:22

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 29 He called for a light - That he might see how things stood, and whether the words of Paul were true; for on this his personal safety depended. Came trembling - Terrified by the earthquake, and feeling the danger to which his own life was exposed. Fell down before Paul and Silas - The persons whom a few hours before he, according to his office, treated with so much asperity, if not cruelty, as some have supposed; though, by the way, it does not appear that he exceeded his orders in his treatment of the apostles.

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…

Read the full comment on Acts 16:25-34 →

Acts 16:29 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

αἰτήσαςaitēsasHaving called forG154
δὲdenowG1161
φῶταphōtalightsG5457
εἰσεπήδησενeisepēdēsenhe rushed inG1530
καὶkaiandG2532
ἔντρομοςentromosterrifiedG1790
γενόμενοςgenomenoshaving becomeG1096
προσέπεσενprosepesenhe fell down beforeG4363
τῷtō<the>G3588
ΠαύλῳPaulōPaulG3972
καὶkaiandG2532
τῷtō<the>G3588
Σιλᾷ,SilaSilas,G4609

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Acts 16:29

  • Revelation 3:9

    Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.

  • Daniel 6:26

    I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and stedfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end.

  • Jeremiah 10:10

    But the Lord is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation.

  • Acts 9:5-6

    And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.

  • Isaiah 66:5

    Hear the word of the Lord, ye that tremble at his word; Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name’s sake, said, Let the Lord be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed.

  • Acts 24:25

    And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.

  • Psalms 119:120

    My flesh trembleth for fear of thee; and I am afraid of thy judgments.

  • Isaiah 60:14

    The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet; and they shall call thee, The city of the Lord, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel.

  • Isaiah 66:2

    For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the Lord: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.

  • Jeremiah 5:22

    Fear ye not me? saith the Lord: will ye not tremble at my presence, which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it: and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it?

  • Psalms 99:1

    The Lord reigneth; let the people tremble: he sitteth between the cherubims; let the earth be moved.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
and came.
9:5,6; 24:25; Ps 99:1; 119:120; Isa 66:2,5; Jer 5:22; 10:10; Da 6:26
and fell.
Isa 60:14; Re 3:9

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Acts 16:28

    But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.

  • Acts 16:29

    Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas,

  • Acts 16:30

    And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

Read all of Acts 16

Acts 16:29 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		El entonces pidiendo luz, entró dentro, y temblando, derribóse á los pies de Pablo y de Silas;
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et ayant demandé de la lumière, le geôlier s’élança dans la prison, et tout tremblant il se jeta aux pieds de Paul et de Silas.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Er aber forderte Licht und sprang hinein; und zitternd fiel er vor Paulus und Silas nieder.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Petitoque lumine, introgressus est: et tremefactus procidit Paulo et Silæ ad pedes: