Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 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.
36. the keeper of the prison ] As before, in Act 16:27, the jailor.
told this saying ] The Greek text best supported has no pronoun. Better “ reported the words.” (So R. V.) No doubt he came with great joy, and it is evident that Paul and Silas had gone back to their prison after the events at midnight. To make the sentence run smoothly it will be needful to insert the word saying before the next sentence, now that the pronoun is removed.
now therefore depart ] Better, “come forth,” as R. V. The verb in the original gives clear indication that they were still in confinement.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Told this saying to Paul; being glad that he might release them. Neither does he bid them go, as desirous to be rid of them; but, not requiring any fees, he lets them go to preach the gospel, and fulfill their ministry, with his prayers and good wishes.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
36. the keeperoverjoyed tohave such orders to execute.
told this . . . to Paul . . .now therefore . . . go in peaceVery differently did Paulreceive such orders.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And the keeper of the prison told this, saying to Paul,…. The Ethiopic version adds, “and to Silas”; this was the same person with the jailer, whom Paul had baptized; and indeed, the same word is here used, though a little differently rendered, who no doubt reported this message to Paul with great joy:
the magistrates have sent to let you go; they have sent an order to let you out of prison:
now therefore depart, and go in peace; which expresses the jailer’s pleasure of mind, and joy of heart, in executing his orders; and his sincere and hearty wishes for peace and prosperity to go along with them wherever they went, who had been instrumental of so much good to him and his family.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Now therefore ( ). Note both particles (time and inference). It was a simple matter to the jailor and he was full of glee over this happy outcome.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
1) “And the keeper of the prison told this saying to Paul,” (anengeilen de ho desmophulaks tous logous pros ton Paulon) “And the jailer announced the words to Paul,” no doubt the new Christian jailkeeper was overjoyed to have such orders to execute, to convey to Paul, now safely back in his cell.
2) “The magistrates have sent to let you go: (hoti apestalkan hoi strategoi hina apoluthete) “That the magistrates have mandated that (in order that) you all may be released,” or set free to go, the same magistrates who had the day before had them beaten and placed in stocks in solitary confinement, Act 16:22-24.
3) “Now therefore depart,” (nun oun ekselthontes) “Now and hereafter therefore you all are going forth,” to keep walking, wherever you please. But the Lord sees not as man sees, from the outward appearance only, neither do God’s people, 1Sa 16:7.
4) “And go in peace.” (proeuesthe en eirene) “So proceed as you will, of your own will and accord, without further restraint, going on in peace,” or be gone, get out of here while you can peacefully, was the veiled freedom threat or liberation of the magistrates. But Paul received the orders, however, with a different attitude, explained as follows: Paul looked on the welfare of “others,” as he declined to leave the city under any public cloud of wrong, because of the believers’ welfare, whom he was to leave behind, Php_2:4; 1Co 10:24; 1Co 10:33.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(36) Go in peace.The few hours which the gaoler had spent with his new teacher had probably taught him to use the phrase in the fulness of its meaning (see Notes on Luk. 7:50; Luk. 8:48), and not as a mere conventional formula. He naturally looks on the offersecuring, as it did, safety for his new friendas one that should be accepted.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
36. Keeper told this While the keeper reports the message to Paul the lictors are waiting the reply. They afterward told (Act 16:38) Paul’s words (reported to them by the jailer) to the magistrates.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘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.” ’
The jailer was no doubt delighted to learn this and reported the situation to Paul probably expecting that he too would be delighted.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
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.
Ver. 36. And the keeper of the prison ] As glad to be the messenger of such good tidings; for he knew well the misery of captivity; by which term, therefore, all that Job suffered is summarily set forth, Job 42:10 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
36. ] Paul and Silas had returned to the prison: whither the jailor goes, accompanied by the lictors ( . . , Act 16:37 ), to announce the order.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Act 16:36 . , Lucan, cf. Act 10:33 , Act 15:10 , Act 23:15 . (omitted by ): the jailor may well have used the words in a deeper sense after the instruction of Paul, and his own admission to citizenship in a kingdom which was “righteousness, peace, joy in the Holy Ghost”.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
told = reported. Greek. apangello. See note on Act 4:23.
this saying = these words. Greek. logos, as in Act 16:6.
to, &c. = in order that (Greek. hina) you may be released.
depart = come forth.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
36.] Paul and Silas had returned to the prison: whither the jailor goes, accompanied by the lictors ( . . , Act 16:37), to announce the order.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
and go: Act 15:33, Exo 4:18, Jdg 18:6, 1Sa 1:17, 1Sa 20:42, 1Sa 25:35, 1Sa 29:7, 2Ki 5:19, Mar 5:34, Joh 14:27
Reciprocal: Mat 2:13 – until
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
See notes on verse 35