KJV King James Version
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.
VERSE STUDY • KJV
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.
Read it in 5 translations
BSB Berean Standard Bible
Suddenly a strong earthquake shook the foundations of the prison. At once all the doors flew open and everyone’s chains came loose.
WEB World English Bible
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 American Standard Version
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 Young’s Literal Translation
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;
Surrounding context — Acts 16
23 And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast [them] into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely:
24 Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.
25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.
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.
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.
28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.
29 Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas,
Topics connected to this verse
Original-language word links
These Hebrew/Greek tokens are linked by Strong's number. Click one for its lexicon definition and other occurrences.
ἄφνωG869 · aphnōsuddenlyδὲG1161 · dethenσεισμὸςG4578 · seismosearthquakeἐγένετοG1096 · ginomaito beμέγαςG3173 · megasgreatὥστεG5620 · hōstesoσαλευθῆναιG4531 · saleuōto shakeτὰG3588 · hothe/this/whoθεμέλιαG2310 · themeliosfoundationτοῦG3588 · hothe/this/whoδεσμωτηρίου·G1201 · desmōtērionprisonἠνεῴχθησανG455 · anoigōto openδὲG1161 · dethenπαραχρῆμαG3916 · parachrēmainstantlyαἱG3588 · hothe/this/whoθύραιG2374 · thuradoorπᾶσαι,G3956 · pasallκαὶG2532 · kaiandπάντωνG3956 · pasallτὰG3588 · hothe/this/whoδεσμὰG1199 · desmoschainἀνέθη.G447 · aniēmito loosen/leave
Cross-references
Acts 4:31And 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 5:19But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said,Acts 12:7And, 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.Acts 12:10When 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.Psalm 146:7Which executeth judgment for the oppressed: which giveth food to the hungry. The LORD looseth the prisoners:Matthew 28:2And, 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 42:7To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, [and] them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.Psalm 102:20To hear the groaning of the prisoner; to loose those that are appointed to death;Revelation 11:13And 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.Psalm 79:11Let the sighing of the prisoner come before thee; according to the greatness of thy power preserve thou those that are appointed to die;Isaiah 61:1The 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;Zechariah 9:11-12As for thee also, by the blood of thy covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein [is] no water.Revelation 6:12And 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;
CLASSIC COMMENTARY & PREACHING
Spurgeon on Acts 16:26
Read Charles H. Spurgeon material whose primary Scripture is this verse or passage.
HISTORICAL INTERPRETATION
Compare classic commentaries on Acts 16:26
Put Matthew Henry, Adam Clarke, Calvin, Wesley, Barnes, Jamieson–Fausset–Brown, Aquinas’ Catena and other public-domain sources beside the passage.
Compare commentaries →