Acts 16:25

The Holy Bible, Berean Study Bible

About midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing songs to God. The other prisoners were listening to them.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
At mydnyght Paul and Sylas prayed and lauded God. And the presoners hearde them.

Hebrew Names Version
But about midnight Sha'ul and Sila were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.

International Standard Version
Around midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.

New American Standard Bible
Now about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them;

New Century Version
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing songs to God as the other prisoners listened.

Update Bible Version
But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them;

Webster's Bible Translation
And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises to God: and the prisoners heard them.

English Standard Version
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them,

World English Bible
But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
But at midnight Paul and Silas having prayed, sung an hymn to God: and the prisoners heard them.

Weymouth's New Testament
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them,

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And at mydniyt Poul and Silas worschipide, and heriden God; and thei that weren in kepyng herden hem.

English Revised Version
But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns unto God, and the prisoners were listening to them;

Contemporary English Version
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing praises to God, while the other prisoners listened.

Amplified Bible
But about midnight when Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them;

American Standard Version
But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns unto God, and the prisoners were listening to them;

Bible in Basic English
But about the middle of the night, Paul and Silas were making prayers and songs to God in the hearing of the prisoners;

Complete Jewish Bible
Around midnight, Sha'ul and Sila were praying and singing hymns to God, while the other prisoners listened attentively.

Darby Translation
And at midnight Paul and Silas, in praying, were praising God with singing, and the prisoners listened to them.

Etheridge Translation
And in the dividing of the night, Paulos and Shilo prayed and glorified Aloha, and the chained-ones heard them.

Murdock Translation
And at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and glorifying God: and the prisoners heard them.

King James Version (1611)
And at midnight, Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises vnto God: and the prisoners heard them.

New Living Translation
Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening.

New Life Bible
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing songs of thanks to God. The other men in prison were listening to them.

New Revised Standard
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Nowe at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sung Psalmes vnto God: and the prisoners heard them.

George Lamsa Translation
Now at midnight Paul and Silas prayed and glorified God; and the prisoners heard them.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And, at midnight, Paul and Silas, being at prayer, began singing praise unto God; and the prisoners unto them, did hearken.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And at midnight, Paul and Silas, praying, praised God. And they that were in prison heard them.

Revised Standard Version
But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them,

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And at mydnyght Paul and Silas prayed, and lauded God. And the prysoners hearde them.

Good News Translation
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.

Christian Standard Bible®
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.

King James Version
And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.

Lexham English Bible
Now about midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.

Literal Translation
And having prayed, toward midnight Paul and Silas praised God in a hymn. And the prisoners listened to them.

Young's Literal Translation
And at midnight Paul and Silas praying, were singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were hearing them,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But at mydnight prayed Paul and Sylas, and praysed God. And the presoners herde them.

Mace New Testament (1729)
At midnight Paul and Silas went to prayers, and sang praises to God, which the other prisoners heard:

THE MESSAGE
Along about midnight, Paul and Silas were at prayer and singing a robust hymn to God. The other prisoners couldn't believe their ears. Then, without warning, a huge earthquake! The jailhouse tottered, every door flew open, all the prisoners were loose.

New English Translation
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the rest of the prisoners were listening to them.

New King James Version
But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.

Simplified Cowboy Version
It was the middle of the night, and Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God. Other prisoners couldn't help but listen to them.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them;

Legacy Standard Bible
But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.

Contextual Overview

²⁵About midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.²⁶Suddenly a strong earthquake shook the foundations of the prison. At once all the doors flew open, and everyone's chains came loose. ²⁷When the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, presuming that the prisoners had escaped. ²⁸But Paul called out in a loud voice, "Do not harm yourself! We are all here!" ²⁹Calling for lights, the jailer rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. ³⁰Then he brought them out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" ³¹They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, you and your household." ³²Then Paul and Silas spoke the word of the Lord to him and to everyone in his house. ³³At that hour of the night, the jailer took them and washed their wounds. And without delay, he and all his household were baptized. ³⁴Then he brought them into his home and set a meal before them. So he and all his household rejoiced that they had come to believe in God.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

at midnight: Job 35:10, Psalms 22:2, Psalms 42:8, Psalms 77:6, Psalms 119:55, Psalms 119:62, Isaiah 30:29

prayed: Psalms 50:15, Psalms 77:2, Psalms 91:15, Matthew 26:38, Matthew 26:39, Luke 22:44, Hebrews 5:7, James 5:13

sang: Acts 5:41, Psalms 34:1, Matthew 5:10, Matthew 5:11, Luke 6:22, Luke 6:23, Romans 5:3, Romans 12:12, 2 Corinthians 4:8, 2 Corinthians 4:9, 2 Corinthians 4:16, 2 Corinthians 4:17, 2 Corinthians 6:10, Philippians 2:17, Philippians 4:4-7, Colossians 1:24, Colossians 3:15-17, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, James 1:2, 1 Peter 1:6-8, 1 Peter 4:14

and the: Ezra 3:12, Ezra 3:13, Psalms 71:7, Zechariah 3:8

Reciprocal: 2 Chronicles 7:1 - when Solomon Psalms 18:7 - earth Psalms 92:2 - every night Proverbs 15:15 - but Isaiah 24:15 - glorify Daniel 3:20 - to bind Jonah 2:1 - out Matthew 5:12 - Rejoice Mark 10:30 - with persecutions Mark 14:26 - sung John 16:22 - and your Acts 2:2 - suddenly Acts 4:24 - they Acts 4:31 - the place Acts 15:22 - Silas Acts 23:18 - Paul Acts 26:22 - obtained Ephesians 5:19 - to yourselves 1 Thessalonians 1:1 - Silvanus 1 Peter 4:13 - rejoice

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, When others were asleep, and all things were still and quiet; :-, and they prayed doubtless for themselves, for their deliverance in God's time and way, and for support under their present afflictions; and for supplies of grace, to enable them to bear with patience and cheerfulness, until an issue was put to them; and for their enemies, and, particularly it may be for the jailer, who had used them so ill; and for the churches of Christ, for all the saints, and for the spread and success of the Gospel:

and sang praises unto God; or "sang an hymn to God", very likely one of David's psalms, or hymns: for the book of Psalms is a book, of hymns, and several of the psalms are particularly called hymns; this showed not only that they were cheerful, notwithstanding the stripes that were laid upon them, and though their feet were made fast in the stocks, and they were in the innermost prison, in a most loathsome and uncomfortable condition; and though they might be in expectation of greater punishment, and of death itself; but also that they were thankful and glorified God, who had counted them worthy to suffer for his name's sake:

and the prisoners heard them; for it seems there were other prisoners besides them, and who were in the outer prison: and from hence it appears, that their prayer was not merely mental; nor was their singing praises only a making melody in their hearts, but were both vocal; and it might be chiefly for the sake of the prisoners, that they both prayed and praised in this manner, that they might hear and be converted; or at least be convicted of the goodness of the cause, for which the apostles suffered.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And at midnight - Probably their painful posture, and the sufferings of their recent scourging, prevented their. sleeping. Yet, though they had no repose, they had a quiet conscience, and the supports of religion.

Prayed - Though they had suffered much, yet they had reason to apprehend more. They sought, therefore, the sustaining grace of God.

And sang praises - Compare the notes on Job 35:10. Nothing but religion would have enabled them to do this. They had endured much, but they had cause still for gratitude. The Christian may find more true joy in a prison than the monarch on his throne.

And the prisoners heard them - And doubtless with astonishment. Prayer and praise are not common in a prison. The song of rejoicing and the language of praise is not usual among men lying bound in a dungeon. From this narrative we may learn:

(1) That the Christian has the sources of his happiness within him. External circumstances cannot destroy his peace and joy. In a dungeon he may find as real happiness as on a throne. On the cold earth, beaten and bruised, he may be as truly happy as on a bed of down.

(2) The enemies of Christians cannot destroy their peace. They may incarcerate the body, but they cannot bind the spirit, They may exclude from earthly comforts, but they cannot shut them out from the presence and sustaining grace of God.

(3) We see the value of a good conscience. Nothing else can give peace; and amidst the wakeful hours of the night, whether in a dungeon or on a bed of sickness, it is of more value than all the wealth of the world.

(4) We see the inestimable worth of the religion of Christ. It fits for all scenes; supports in all trials; upholds by day or by night; inspires the soul with confidence in God; and puts into the lips the songs of praise and thanksgiving.

(5) We have here a sublime and holy scene which sin and infidelity could never furnish. What more sublime spectacle has the earth witnessed than that of scourged and incarcerated men, suffering from unjust and cruel inflictions, and anticipating still greater sorrows; yet, with a calm mind, a pure conscience, a holy joy, pouring forth their desires and praises at midnight, into the ear of the God who always hears prayer! The darkness, the stillness, the loneliness, all gave sublimity to the scene, and teach us how invaluable is the privilege of access to the throne of mercy in this suffering world.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Acts 16:25. At midnight Paul and Silas - sang praises — Though these holy men felt much, and had reason to fear more, yet they are undismayed, and even happy in their sufferings: they were so fully satisfied that they were right, and had done their duty, that there was no room for regret or self-reproach. At the same times they had such consolations from God as could render any circumstances not only tolerable, but delightful. They prayed, first, for grace to support them, and for pardon and salvation for their persecutors; and then, secondly, sang praises to God, who had called them to such a state of salvation, and had accounted them worthy to suffer shame for the testimony of Jesus. And, although they were in the inner prison, they sang so loud and so heartily that the prisoners heard them.