Acts 16 · Verse 35

Acts 16:35

And when it was day, the magistrates sent the serjeants, saying, Let those men go.

Acts 16:35, King James Version

Acts 16:35 in other translations

BSB	When daylight came, the magistrates sent their officers with the order: “Release those men.”
WEB	But when it was day, the magistrates sent the sergeants, saying, “Let those men go.”
ASV	But when it was day, the magistrates sent the serjeants, saying, Let those men go.
YLT	And day having come, the magistrates sent the rod-bearers, saying, ‘Let those men go;'
DARBY	And when it was day, the praetors sent the lictors, saying, Let those men go.
BBE	But when it was day, the authorities sent the police, saying, Let these men go.
Webster	And when it was day, the magistrates sent the sergeants, saying, Let those men go.

What does Acts 16:35 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Acts 16:35-36

35-36. when it was day, the magistrates sent the sergeants, saying, Let those men go--The cause of this change can only be conjectured. When the commotion ceased, reflection would soon convince them of the injustice they had done, even supposing the prisoners had been entitled to no special privileges; and if rumor reached them that the prisoners were somehow under supernatural protection, they might be the more awed into a desire to get rid of them.

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

Barnes' Notes

Verse 35. And when it was day, etc. It is evident, from the narrative, that it was not contemplated at first to release them so soon, Acts 16:22-24. But it is not known what produced this change of purpose in the magistrates. It is probable, however, that they had been brought to reflection, somewhat as the jailer had, by the earthquake; and that their consciences had been troubled by the fact, that, in order to please the multitude, they had caused strangers to be beaten and imprisoned without trial, and contrary to the Roman laws. An earthquake is always fitted to alarm the guilty; and among the Romans it was regarded as an omen of the anger of the gods, and was therefore fitted to produce agitation and remorse. Their agitation and alarm were shown by the fact that they sent the officers as soon as it was day. The judgments of God are eminently adapted to alarm sinners. Two ancient Mss. read this, "The magistrates, who were alarmed by the earthquake, sent," etc.-- (Doddridge.) Whether this reading be genuine or not, it doubtless expresses the true cause of their sending to release the apostles.

The sergeants. ραβδουχους. Literally, those having rods; the lictors. These were public officers, who went before magistrates with the emblems of authority. In Rome they bore before the senators the fasces; that is, a bundle of rods with an axe in its centre, as a symbol of office. They performed somewhat the same office as a beadle in England, or as a constable in our courts, [America.]

(+) "serjeants" "officers"

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 35 And the magistrates sent the sergeants - The original word, ῥαβδουχους, means the lictors, persons who carried before the consul the fasces, which was a hatchet, round the handle of which was a bundle of rods tied. Why the magistrates should have sent an order to dismiss the apostles, whom they had so barbarously used the preceding evening, we cannot tell, unless we receive the reading of the Codex Bezae as genuine, viz. Ἡμερας δε γενομενης, συνηλθον οἱ Ϛρατηγοι επι το αυτο εις την αγοραν, και αναμνησθεντες τον σεισμον τον γεγοντα, εφοβηθησαν, και απεϚειλαν τους ῥαβδουχους κ. τ. λ. And when it was day, the magistrates came together into the court, And Remembering the Earthquake that Had Happened, they were afraid, and they sent the sergeants, etc. The Itala version of this same MS. has the same reading: so has also the margin of the later Syriac. If this MS. be correct, the cause of the dismissal of the apostles is at once evident: the earthquake had alarmed the magistrates; and, taking it for granted that this was a token of the Divine displeasure against them for their unprincipled conduct towards those good men, they wished to get as quietly rid of the business as they could, and therefore sent to dismiss the apostles. Whether this reading be genuine or not, it is likely that it gives the true cause of the magistrates' conduct.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Acts 16:35-40

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, nor insist too strictly upon personal amends. The Lord will make them more than conquerors in every conflict; instead of being cast down by their sufferings, they will become comforters of their brethren.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Acts 16:35 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.

ἩμέραςHēmerasWhen dayG2250

δὲdethenG1161

γενομένηςgenomenēshaving comeG1096

ἀπέστειλανapesteilansentG649

οἱhoitheG3588

στρατηγοὶstratēgoimagistratesG4755

τοὺςtoustheG3588

ῥαβδούχουςrhabdouchousofficersG4465

λέγοντες·legontessaying;G3004

ἀπόλυσονapolusondo releaseG630

τοὺςtoustheG3588

ἀνθρώπουςanthrōpousmenG444

ἐκείνους.ekeinousthose.G1565

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

Cross references for Acts 16:35

Acts 5:40
And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
Acts 4:21
So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding nothing how they might punish them, because of the people: for all men glorified God for that which was done.
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 76:10
Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

4:21; 5:40; Ps 76:10; Jer 5:22

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

Context

Acts 16:34
And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.
Acts 16:35
And when it was day, the magistrates sent the serjeants, saying, Let those men go.
Acts 16:36
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.

Read all of Acts 16

Acts 16:35 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Y como fué de día, los magistrados enviaron los alguaciles, diciendo: Deja ir á aquellos hombres.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Et le jour étant venu, les préteurs envoyèrent les licteurs, disant: Relâche ces hommes.
German Elberfelder 1871	Als es aber Tag geworden war, sandten die Hauptleute die Rutenträger und sagten: Laß jene Menschen los.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Et cum dies factus esset, miserunt magistratus lictores, dicentes: Dimitte homines illos.