Acts 16:23

Mace New Testament

after they had been severely lash'd, they were thrown into prison, the jayler being charg'd to keep them safe.

Parallel Translations

Simplified Cowboy Version
After they were severely beaten, they were thrown in the jailhouse. The jailer was told not to let them escape or he would pay the price.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
When they had struck them with many blows, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to guard them securely;

Legacy Standard Bible
And when they had inflicted them with many wounds, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to guard them securely,

Bible in Basic English
And when they had given them a great number of blows, they put them in prison, giving orders to the keeper of the prison to keep them safely:

Darby Translation
And having laid many stripes upon them they cast [them] into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely;

New King James Version
And when they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to keep them securely.

Christian Standard Bible®
After they had inflicted many blows on them, they threw them in jail, ordering the jailer to keep them securely guarded.

World English Bible
When they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely,

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely:

Weymouth's New Testament
and, after severely flogging them, they threw them into jail and bade the jailer keep them safely.

King James Version (1611)
And when they had layed many stripes vpon them, they cast them into prison, charging the Iaylour to keepe them safely.

Literal Translation
And laying on them many stripes, they threw them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them securely,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And whan they had beaten them sore, they cast the in preson, and commaunded the iayler, to kepe them diligetly.

THE MESSAGE
A Dream Gave Paul His Map Paul came first to Derbe, then Lystra. He found a disciple there by the name of Timothy, son of a devout Jewish mother and Greek father. Friends in Lystra and Iconium all said what a fine young man he was. Paul wanted to recruit him for their mission, but first took him aside and circumcised him so he wouldn't offend the Jews who lived in those parts. They all knew that his father was Greek. As they traveled from town to town, they presented the simple guidelines the Jerusalem apostles and leaders had come up with. That turned out to be most helpful. Day after day the congregations became stronger in faith and larger in size. They went to Phrygia, and then on through the region of Galatia. Their plan was to turn west into Asia province, but the Holy Spirit blocked that route. So they went to Mysia and tried to go north to Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus wouldn't let them go there either. Proceeding on through Mysia, they went down to the seaport Troas. That night Paul had a dream: A Macedonian stood on the far shore and called across the sea, "Come over to Macedonia and help us!" The dream gave Paul his map. We went to work at once getting things ready to cross over to Macedonia. All the pieces had come together. We knew now for sure that God had called us to preach the good news to the Europeans. Putting out from the harbor at Troas, we made a straight run for Samothrace. The next day we tied up at New City and walked from there to Philippi, the main city in that part of Macedonia and, even more importantly, a Roman colony. We lingered there several days. On the Sabbath, we left the city and went down along the river where we had heard there was to be a prayer meeting. We took our place with the women who had gathered there and talked with them. One woman, Lydia, was from Thyatira and a dealer in expensive textiles, known to be a God-fearing woman. As she listened with intensity to what was being said, the Master gave her a trusting heart—and she believed! After she was baptized, along with everyone in her household, she said in a surge of hospitality, "If you're confident that I'm in this with you and believe in the Master truly, come home with me and be my guests." We hesitated, but she wouldn't take no for an answer. One day, on our way to the place of prayer, a slave girl ran into us. She was a psychic and, with her fortunetelling, made a lot of money for the people who owned her. She started following Paul around, calling everyone's attention to us by yelling out, "These men are working for the Most High God. They're laying out the road of salvation for you!" She did this for a number of days until Paul, finally fed up with her, turned and commanded the spirit that possessed her, "Out! In the name of Jesus Christ, get out of her!" And it was gone, just like that. When her owners saw that their lucrative little business was suddenly bankrupt, they went after Paul and Silas, roughed them up and dragged them into the market square. Then the police arrested them and pulled them into a court with the accusation, "These men are disturbing the peace—dangerous Jewish agitators subverting our Roman law and order." By this time the crowd had turned into a restless mob out for blood. The judges went along with the mob, had Paul and Silas's clothes ripped off and ordered a public beating. After beating them black-and-blue, they threw them into jail, telling the jailkeeper to put them under heavy guard so there would be no chance of escape. He did just that—threw them into the maximum security cell in the jail and clamped leg irons on them. 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. Startled from sleep, the jailer saw all the doors swinging loose on their hinges. Assuming that all the prisoners had escaped, he pulled out his sword and was about to do himself in, figuring he was as good as dead anyway, when Paul stopped him: "Don't do that! We're all still here! Nobody's run away!" The jailer got a torch and ran inside. Badly shaken, he collapsed in front of Paul and Silas. He led them out of the jail and asked, "Sirs, what do I have to do to be saved, to really live?" They said, "Put your entire trust in the Master Jesus. Then you'll live as you were meant to live—and everyone in your house included!" They went on to spell out in detail the story of the Master—the entire family got in on this part. They never did get to bed that night. The jailer made them feel at home, dressed their wounds, and then—he couldn't wait till morning!—was baptized, he and everyone in his family. There in his home, he had food set out for a festive meal. It was a night to remember: He and his entire family had put their trust in God; everyone in the house was in on the celebration. At daybreak, the court judges sent officers with the instructions, "Release these men." The jailer gave Paul the message, "The judges sent word that you're free to go on your way. Congratulations! Go in peace!" But Paul wouldn't budge. He told the officers, "They beat us up in public and threw us in jail, Roman citizens in good standing! And now they want to get us out of the way on the sly without anyone knowing? Nothing doing! If they want us out of here, let them come themselves and lead us out in broad daylight." When the officers reported this, the judges panicked. They had no idea that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens. They hurried over and apologized, personally escorted them from the jail, and then asked them if they wouldn't please leave the city. Walking out of the jail, Paul and Silas went straight to Lydia's house, saw their friends again, encouraged them in the faith, and only then went on their way.

Amplified Bible
After striking them many times [with the rods], they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to guard them securely.

American Standard Version
And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely:

Revised Standard Version
And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And when they had beaten them sore they cast them into preson comaundynge the iayler to kepe them surely.

Update Bible Version
And when they had laid many stripes on them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely:

Webster's Bible Translation
And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast [them] into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely.

Young's Literal Translation
many blows also having laid upon them, they cast them to prison, having given charge to the jailor to keep them safely,

New Century Version
Then Paul and Silas were thrown into jail, and the jailer was ordered to guard them carefully.

New English Translation
After they had beaten them severely, they threw them into prison and commanded the jailer to guard them securely.

Berean Standard Bible
And after striking them with many blows, they threw them into prison and ordered the jailer to guard them securely.

Contemporary English Version
After they had been badly beaten, they were put in jail, and the jailer was told to guard them carefully.

Complete Jewish Bible
After giving them a severe beating, they threw them in prison, charging the jailer to guard them securely.

English Standard Version
And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely.

Geneva Bible (1587)
And when they had beaten them sore, they cast them into prison, commaunding the Iayler to keepe them surely.

George Lamsa Translation
And when they had flogged them severely, they cast them into prison, charging the jailer to watch them carefully. Paul and Silas in prison.

Hebrew Names Version
When they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely,

International Standard Version
After giving them a severe beating, they threw them in jail and ordered the jailer to keep them under tight security.

Etheridge Translation
And when they had scourged them much, they cast them into the house of the bound, and commanded the keeper of the house of the bound to keep them watchfully.

Murdock Translation
And when they had scourged them much, they cast them into the prison, and commanded the keeper of the prison to keep them with care.

New Living Translation
They were severely beaten, and then they were thrown into prison. The jailer was ordered to make sure they didn't escape.

New Life Bible
After they had hit them many times, they put Paul and Silas in prison. The soldiers told the man who watched the prison to be sure to keep them from getting away.

English Revised Version
And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely:

New Revised Standard
After they had given them a severe flogging, they threw them into prison and ordered the jailer to keep them securely.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
and, laying upon them many stripes, they thrust them into prison, charging the prison-keeper, safely, to be keeping them:

Douay-Rheims Bible
And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the gaoler to keep them diligently.

King James Version
And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely:

Lexham English Bible
And after they had inflicted many blows on them, they threw them into prison, giving orders to the jailer to guard them securely.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And when they had beaten them sore, they cast them into pryson, commaundyng the iayler of the pryson to kepe them diligently.

Easy-to-Read Version
They were beaten severely and thrown into jail. The officials told the jailer, "Guard them very carefully!"

New American Standard Bible
When they had struck them with many blows, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to guard them securely;

Good News Translation
After a severe beating, they were thrown into jail, and the jailer was ordered to lock them up tight.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And whanne thei hadden youun to hem many woundis, thei senten hem into prisoun, and comaundiden to the kepere, that he schulde kepe hem diligentli.

Contextual Overview

¹⁶ One day as we went to the oratory, we happen'd to meet a slave, who had the spirit Python, and was very gainful to her masters by telling of fortunes. ¹⁷ as she followed Paul and the rest of us, she cried out, these men are the servants of the most high God, who show you the way to salvation. ¹⁸ this she did for several days, till Paul tir'd with it turn'd about, and said to the spirit, in the name of Jesus Christ I command you to quit her; and instantly he came out. ¹⁹ her masters finding they had lost such a prospect of gain, seized upon Paul and Silas, and hawl'd them to the publick place before the magistrates. ²⁰ having presented them to the Officers, they said, these men, who are Jews, raise great disorders in our city, and preach such maxims, ²¹ as it is not lawful for Romans, as we are, to admit or practise. ²² upon this the populace rose upon them, and the Officers order'd them to be stript and scourg'd. ²³ after they had been severely lash'd, they were thrown into prison, the jayler being charg'd to keep them safe. ²⁴ in consequence of this order he thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

they cast: Acts 5:18, Acts 8:3, Acts 9:2, Acts 12:4, Luke 21:12, Ephesians 3:1, Ephesians 4:1, 2 Timothy 2:9, Philemon 1:9, Revelation 1:9, Revelation 2:10

to keep: Acts 5:23, Acts 12:18, 1 Samuel 23:22, 1 Samuel 23:23, Matthew 26:48, Matthew 27:63-66

Reciprocal: Joshua 4:17 - Come ye up 1 Kings 22:27 - Put this fellow 2 Chronicles 16:10 - put him Daniel 3:20 - to bind Daniel 6:17 - a stone Mark 14:44 - and lead Luke 4:29 - and thrust John 19:1 - scourged Acts 5:41 - rejoicing Acts 16:27 - the keeper Acts 16:33 - washed Acts 22:24 - that he should 1 Corinthians 4:11 - and are buffeted 2 Corinthians 6:5 - stripes 2 Corinthians 11:25 - I beaten Philippians 1:7 - as Hebrews 11:36 - and scourgings

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And when they had laid many stripes upon them,.... Even above measure, as in 2 Corinthians 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, 1 Corinthians 1:16 but this is not certain, nor very probable.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

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, 2 Corinthians 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 2 Corinthians 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.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Acts 16:23. 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, 2 Corinthians 11:23: εν πληγαις υπερβαλλοντως, in stripes beyond measure or moderation.