Acts 5:22

22 But, upon arriving, the officers could not find the apostles. So they went back and reported to the Jewish leaders.

Acts 5:22 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 5:22

But when the officers came
The Arabic version adds, "to it"; that is, to the prison;

and found them not in the prison.
The Vulgate Latin version reads, "the prison being opened they found them not"; when they came to the prison, they opened the doors of it, or the keepers for them; for though the angel had opened them for the apostles, yet he shut them again, as he brought them out; for these men found the doors shut, as the following verse shows, and who upon opening them and searching the prison, for the apostles, could find none of them in it; wherefore they returned; the Arabic version reads, "to them"; to the sanhedrim:

and told;
that is, them, as both the Arabic and Ethiopic versions read.

Acts 5:22 In-Context

20 "Go stand in the Temple and tell the people everything about this new life."

21 When the apostles heard this, they obeyed and went into the Temple early in the morning and continued teaching. When the high priest and his friends arrived, they called a meeting of the Jewish leaders and all the important older Jewish men. They sent some men to the jail to bring the apostles to them.

22 But, upon arriving, the officers could not find the apostles. So they went back and reported to the Jewish leaders.

23 They said, "The jail was closed and locked, and the guards were standing at the doors. But when we opened the doors, the jail was empty!"

24 Hearing this, the captain of the Temple guards and the leading priests were confused and wondered what was happening.