Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Acts 16:23
And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast [them] into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely:
23. cast them into prison ] So that they should have no chance of teaching any longer. They appear (see Act 16:35) to have intended to keep them one night in prison and then to turn them out of the city.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And when they had laid many stripes on them – The Jews were by law prohibited from inflicting more than 40 stripes, and usually inflicted but 39, 2Co 11:24. But there was no such law among the Romans. They were unrestricted in regard to the number of lashes, and probably inflicted many more. Perhaps Paul refers to this when he says 2Co 11:23, In stripes above measure. that is, beyond the usual measure among the Jews, or beyond moderation.
They cast them into prison – The magistrates did this partly as a punishment, and partly with a view hereafter of taking vengeance on them more according to the forms of law.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 23. Laid many stripes upon them] The Jews never gave more than thirty-nine stripes to any criminal; but the Romans had no law relative to this: they gave as many as they chose; and the apostles had, undoubtedly, the fullest measure. And perhaps St. Paul refers to this, where he says, 2Co 11:23: , in stripes beyond measure or moderation.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Laid many stripes upon them; partly by the lictors or executioners, and partly by the furious rabble.
The jailer; this jailers name (of whose conversion we read hereafter) was Stephanas, as may appear if you compare 1Co 1:16 with what follows by St. Luke in this story. Of him also we read, 1Co 16:15,17.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
23, 24. when they had laid manystripes upon themthe bleeding wounds from which they were notwashed till it was done by the converted jailer (Ac16:33).
charged the jailer . . . who. . . thrust them into the inner prison“pestilentialcells, damp and cold, from which the light was excluded, and wherethe chains rusted on the prisoners. One such place may be seen tothis day on the slope of the Capitol at Rome” [HOWSON].
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And when they had laid many stripes upon them,…. Even above measure, as in 2Co 11:35.
They cast them into prison; designing doubtless to inflict some greater punishment upon them, after they had further examined into their affairs:
charging the jailer to keep them safely; suggesting, that he must be answerable for them, should they escape, either through his favour or his negligence; and they might rather give this strict charge, because they perceived that they were uncommon men, possessed of a strange power, which they had exerted in the casting out of the evil spirit, which might come to their knowledge by some means or other; they might look upon them to be a sort of magicians, and therefore were to be narrowly watched, that they did not make use of their art to deliver themselves; however, they judged it necessary to use all the precautions they could, to secure them: some have thought this jailer to be the same with Stephanas, 1Co 1:16 but this is not certain, nor very probable.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
When they had laid (). Second aorist (constative) active participle of , to place upon.
Many stripes ( ). The Jewish law was forty stripes save one (2Co 11:24). The Roman custom depended on the caprice of the judge and was a terrible ordeal. It was the custom to inflict the stripes on the naked body (back) as Livy 2.5 says: “Missique lictores ad sumendum supplicium, nudatos virgis caedunt.” On (from , to strike a blow) see on Luke 10:30; Luke 12:47.
The jailor ( ). Late word (, , keeper of bonds), in the N.T. only here (verses Acts 16:23; Acts 16:27; Acts 16:36). The LXX has the word (Ge 39:21-23). Chrysostom calls this jailor Stephanus, he was of Achaia (1Co 16:15).
To keep safely ( ). Present active infinitive, to keep on keeping safely, perhaps “as dangerous political prisoners” (Rackham). He had some rank and was not a mere turnkey.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Prison. See on ch. verse 21.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And when they had laid many stripes upon them,” (pollas de epithentes autois plegas) “Then when they the (Roman soldiers, magistrates and crowd) had put many stripes on them,” on both Paul and Silas, perhaps no less than 39 stripes to each, and Paul may have been beaten three times on this occasion, 2Co 11:23-25. The stripes were open gashes that ran blood and it was not washed off until after midnight, by the Philippian jailer, after he was saved, Act 16:33.
2) “They cast them into prison,” (ebalon eis phulaksen) “They tossed him uncompassionately into prison,” known thereafter as the Philippian jail, much as Paul had once beaten and unceremoniously imprisoned followers of Jesus Christ, Act 8:3; Act 9:1; Act 9:13; Act 9:21; Act 22:4; Act 26:9-11; Gal 1:13-14; 1Ti 1:13-14. Paul once was a zealous, persecuting, religious, profiteer of the perverted Jewish religion, but after he was redeemed, he “reaped what he sowed,” Gal 6:6-8.
3) “Charging the jailer to keep them safely:(parangelantes to desmophulakai asphalos terin autous) “Specifically, repeatedly, or explicitly ordering the jailer to guard them securely,” to keep them safely in custody from escape or any outside help or relief from their suffering and anguish, Act 16:27. Satan is a cruel master, delighting in the suffering of his slaves, using and abusing them with glee, as he did the damsel there in Philippi and the Gadarene demoniac, bound in the open field among the tombs, isolated, quarantined from his family, cutting himself upon the stones, with wounds long untreated, scar tissues upon his body, Luk 8:26-39.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
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23. That he should keep them safe. Whereas the magistrates command that Paul and Silas should be kept so diligently, it was done to this end, that they might know more of the matter. For they had already beaten them with rods to appease the tumult. And this is that which I said of late, that the world doth rage with such blind fury against the ministers of the gospel, that it doth keep no mean in severity. But as it is very profitable for us, for example’s sake, to know how uncourteously and uncomely the witnesses of Christ were entertained in times past; so it is no less profitable to know that which Luke addeth immediately concerning their fortitude and patience. For even when they lay bound with fetters, he saith that in prayer they lauded God, whereby it appeareth that neither the reproach with they suffered, nor the stripes which made their flesh smarter, nor the stink of the deep dungeon, nor the danger of death, which was hard at hand, could hinder them from giving thanks to the Lord joyfully and with glad hearts. −
We must note this general rule, that we cannot pray as we ought, but we must also praise God. For though the desire to pray arise of the feeling of our want and miseries, and therefore it is, for the most part, joined with sorrow and carefulness; − (209) yet the faithful must so bridle their affections, that they murmur not against God; so that the right form of prayer doth join two affections together, (to look too contrary,) [viz.] carefulness and sorrow, by reason of the present necessity which doth keep us down, and joyfulness, by reason of the obedience whereby we submit ourselve to God, and by reason of the hope which, showing us the haven high at hand, doth refresh us even in the midst of shipwreck. Such a form doth Paul prescribe to us. Let your prayers (saith he) be made known to God with thanksgiving, ( Phi 4:6.) But in this history we must note the circumstances. For though the pain of the stripes were grievous, though the prison were troublesome, though the danger were great, seeing that Paul and Silas cease not to praise God, we gather by this how greatly they were encouraged to bear the cross. So Luke reported before that the apostles rejoiced, because they were counted worthy to suffer reproach for the name of the Lord, ( Act 5:41.) −
And those which lay bound. We must know that Paul and Silas prayed aloud, that they might make the boldness of a good conscience known to others who were shut up in the same prison; for they might have made their prayer with secret groaning and sighing of heart as they were wont, or they might have prayed unto the Lord quietly and softly. Why do they then exalt their voice? Assuredly, they do not that for any ambition; but that they may profess, that, trusting to the goodness of their cause, they fly without fear unto God. Therefore, in their prayers was included a confession of faith, which did appertain unto a common example, and prepared as well the malefactor’s as the jailer’s house to consider the miracle. −
(209) −
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Anxietate animi,” anxiety of mind.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(23) And when they had laid many stripes upon them.The words imply a punishment of more than usual severity, such as would leave their backs lacerated and bleeding. So in 1Th. 2:2, St. Paul speaks of having been shamefully entreated at Philippi.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
23. Many stripes into prison Showing how intense anger demanded cruel satisfaction. What had raised it? A quiet worship and religious teaching at the Jewish proseucha by the river side; a poor girl relieved from demoniac paroxysms.
Howson illustrates this inner prison by that “dungeon in the court of the prison,” into which Jeremiah was let down with cords, and where he “sunk in the mire.” “They were cells, damp and cold, from which the light was excluded, and where the chains rusted on the limbs of the prisoners.”
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And when they had laid many stripes on them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely, who, having received such a charge, cast them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.’
The beating that they were given was not a mild one (‘many stripes’) and then, in view of the serious nature of the charge, that they had been seeking to lead Romans astray from their worship of Roma and of the other gods of Rome, they cast them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely. They had to be seen as taking such a charge seriously. Being a Jew was not illegal, but trying to turn Romans from the worship of Roma and the emperor was. They dared not ignore such a charge.
The prison would probably be a specially adapted private residence. Many prisons in those days were private enterprises, and the jailers, who owned the prisons, were often ex-soldiers. They were paid by the authorities to look after prisoners for the state, and were held fully and personally responsible for the secure holding of any such prisoners. It may well have been only for temporary prisoners to be kept in while awaiting charge and only have held a few prisoners.
Recognising the seriousness of the charge, the jailer was so concerned to keep them safe that he set their feet in stocks in the ‘inner prison’. This was probably a strongly built underground room in his prison house. But while intent on keeping them safe he was not so concerned to attend to their wounds. They were just another two troublemakers. He was a hard man who had lived a hard life, a man whom nothing could move, and he was used to injury and blood. No doubt they would survive, he would think causally. Prisoners usually did.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
23 And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely:
Ver. 23. Laid many stripes ] These were those marks of the Lord Jesus which the apostles so gloried of, as an old soldier doth of his scars and wounds received in battle. Hoc sunt gemmae et pretiosa ornamenta Dei, These are the jewels and costly ornaments of God, saith Munster, concerning his ulcers whereof he died. So might Paul and Silas well say of their stripes, , saith Ignatius in his Epistle to the Ephesians: I bear my bonds as so many spiritual pearls of price. It was with sweet briar, in some sense, that these apostles were whipped.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Act 16:23 . , Lucian, Tox. , 30; Jos., Ant. , ii., 5, 1, LXX , Gen 39:21-23 ; Gen 40:3 A, Gen 41:10 A ( cf. the word , Deissmann, Neue Bibelstudien , p. 93). Chrysostom and Oecumenius identify him with Stephanus, but he was the first-fruits of Achaia, 1Co 16:15 .
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
stripes. Greek. plege. Four times translated “wound”, five times “stripe”, and twelve times “plague”.
charging. Same as “command” in Act 16:18.
jailor. Greek. desmophulax, i.e. keeper of the prison. Only here and verses: Act 16:27, Act 16:36.
keep. Greek. tereo. Compare Act 12:5, Act 12:6.
safely. Greek. asphalos. See note on Mar 14:44.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Act 16:23. , when they had laid upon them) They do not immediately say that they are Romans; or else in the tumult they were not heard. We are not always to use all helps (safeguards against ill-treatment) in every way: we must give ear to the Divine direction.-, having charged) More for the sake of appeasing the crowd, as it seems probable, than that they thought Paul and Silas guilty: Act 16:35.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
they cast: Act 5:18, Act 8:3, Act 9:2, Act 12:4, Luk 21:12, Eph 3:1, Eph 4:1, 2Ti 2:9, Phm 1:9, Rev 1:9, Rev 2:10
to keep: Act 5:23, Act 12:18, 1Sa 23:22, 1Sa 23:23, Mat 26:48, Mat 27:63-66
Reciprocal: Jos 4:17 – Come ye up 1Ki 22:27 – Put this fellow 2Ch 16:10 – put him Dan 3:20 – to bind Dan 6:17 – a stone Mar 14:44 – and lead Luk 4:29 – and thrust Joh 19:1 – scourged Act 5:41 – rejoicing Act 16:27 – the keeper Act 16:33 – washed Act 22:24 – that he should 1Co 4:11 – and are buffeted 2Co 6:5 – stripes 2Co 11:25 – I beaten Phi 1:7 – as Heb 11:36 – and scourgings
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
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Act 16:23. Stripes means wounds made by blows inflicted with a heavy whip. The original for safely is defined “assuredly” in Thayer’s lexicon, which denotes to take every precaution possible to prevent the prisoners from escaping.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Act 16:23. And commanded to beat them. Act 16:23. And when they had laid many stripes upon them. Literally, to beat them with rods. The custom was with the Romans to inflict the blows with rods upon the naked body. In his sad catalogue of the sufferings he had endured for his Masters dear sake (2Co 11:25), Paul relates how thrice he was beaten with rods. This Philippi experience was one of the occasions. He endured here, we are told, many stripes, there being in the stern Roman practice no such merciful restriction as that existing in the law of Moses: Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one(2Co 11:24); and see for the merciful restriction, Deu 25:3. Hurried and excited by the popular tumult, the arrest, punishment, and subsequent rigorous imprisonment was ordered and carried out with such haste and passion that the plea of Roman citizenship urged with such force by the prisoners on the following day was not listened to even if made.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
See notes on verse 22
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
The jailer treated his prisoners as dangerous criminals. His treatment may have reflected his own attitude more than the seriousness of their alleged crimes.
"Jailers commonly were retired army veterans, who could be expected to follow orders and use their military skills as required." [Note: Longenecker, p. 464.]
"He was no mere turn-key, but the governor of the prison,-probably of the rank of a centurion, like Cornelius at Caesarea, of whose history there is much to remind us here." [Note: Rackham, p. 288.]
"If Lydia came from the top end of the social scale and the slave girl from the bottom, the Roman gaoler was one of the sturdy middle class who made up the Roman civil service; and so in these three the whole gamut of society was complete." [Note: Barclay, p. 136.]