Acts 16:23

When they had laid (epiqente). Second aorist (constative) active participle of epitiqhmi, to place upon. Many stripes (polla plhga). The Jewish law was forty stripes save one ( 2 Corinthians 11:24 ). The Roman custom depended on the caprice of the judge and was a terrible ordeal. It was the custom to inflict the stripes on the naked body (back) as Livy 2.5 says: "Missique lictores ad sumendum supplicium, nudatos virgis caedunt." On plhga (from plhssw, to strike a blow) see on Luke 10:30 ; Luke 12:47 . The jailor (twi desmopulaki). Late word (desmo, pulax, keeper of bonds), in the N.T. only here (verses Luke 23 27 36 ). The LXX has the word arcidesmopulax ( Genesis 39:21-23 ). Chrysostom calls this jailor Stephanus, he was of Achaia ( 1 Corinthians 16:15 ). To keep safely (aspalw threin). Present active infinitive, to keep on keeping safely, perhaps "as dangerous political prisoners" (Rackham). He had some rank and was not a mere turnkey.