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Bible Dictionaries
Chain, Bonds
Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament
or The word ἅλυσις is used of the coupling-chain or manacle by which the prisoner was attached to his guard, as distinguished from πέδη, the foot-fetters. It differs apparently from δεσμοί in conveying the idea of attachment rather than confinement. Among the Romans, it was customary to attach the prisoner by a light chain to the soldier responsible for his safe custody. One end of the chain was fastened to the right wrist of the captive, and the other to the left wrist of his custodian, whose right hand was thus free. It is to this method of confinement that St. Paul alludes, when speaking of his ‘chain’ (Acts 28:20, Ephesians 6:20 m, 2 Timothy 1:16). Sometimes, for greater security, the prisoner was bound to two soldiers, one on each side of him, in which case, of course, the use of two chains would be necessary. This more rigorous method of confinement is the sort to which St. Peter was subjected during his imprisonment (Acts 12:6), and also St. Paul during the early days of his captivity at Jerusalem (Acts 21:33), Later on, at Caesarea and Rome, the latter Apostle, although still kept in strict military custody, was permitted to enjoy a considerable measure of freedom (Acts 24:23; Acts 28:30 f.). More frequently, the less precise and graphic terms δεσμοί and δεσμά, ‘bonds’ or ‘imprisonment’ are used to describe the condition of persons in captivity. St. Paul, speaking of himself as a prisoner, makes repeated allusions to his ‘bonds’ (Philippians 1:7; Philippians 1:13-14; Philippians 1:16, Colossians 4:3, 2 Timothy 2:9, Philemon 1:10; Philemon 1:13). The neuter and masculine forms are used with distinct shades of meaning, δεσμά referring to the fetters by which the person was bound (Acts 16:26 [‘bands’] Acts 20:23, Acts 26:29), δεσμοί to the state of captivity into which the person had been thrown.
W. S. Montgomery.
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Hastings, James. Entry for 'Chain, Bonds'. Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/hdn/c/chain-bonds.html. 1906-1918.
