Hechos 16:35

35 Al amanecer, los magistrados mandaron a unos guardias al carcelero con esta orden: «Suelta a esos hombres».

Hechos 16:35 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 16:35

And when it was day
In one copy Beza says, these words are added,

``the magistrates came together in one place in the court, and remembering the earthquake that was made, they were afraid, and sent the sergeants;''

but they seem to be no other than a gloss, which crept into the text; however, it seems reasonable to suppose, that in the morning the magistrates met together, to consider what was further to be done with Paul and Silas; when upon cooler thoughts, they judged it best to be content with what punishment they had inflicted on them, and dismiss them; and if they had felt anything of the earthquake, or had heard of it in the prison, and of the converts that had been made there, they might be the more induced to let them go:

the magistrates sent the sergeants, saying, let these men go;
the Arabic version reads, "these two men"; that is, Paul and Silas: who these sergeants were, is not very certain; they seem to be so called in the Greek language, from their carrying rods, or little staves in their hands, and were a sort of apparitors; by these the magistrates sent orders, either by word of mouth, or in writing, to the jailer, to let Paul and Silas out of prison, and set them at liberty, to go where they would; the same power that shook the foundations of the prison, and loosed the bands of the prisoners, wrought upon the hearts of the magistrates, to let the apostles go free.

Hechos 16:35 In-Context

33 A esas horas de la noche, el carcelero se los llevó y les lavó las heridas; en seguida fueron bautizados él y toda su familia.

34 El carcelero los llevó a su casa, les sirvió comida y se alegró mucho junto con toda su familia por haber creído en Dios.

35 Al amanecer, los magistrados mandaron a unos guardias al carcelero con esta orden: «Suelta a esos hombres».

36 El carcelero, entonces, le informó a Pablo:—Los magistrados han ordenado que los suelte. Así que pueden irse. Vayan en paz.

37 Pero Pablo respondió a los guardias:—¿Cómo? A nosotros, que somos ciudadanos romanos, que nos han azotado públicamente y sin proceso alguno, y nos han echado en la cárcel, ¿ahora quieren expulsarnos a escondidas? ¡Nada de eso! Que vengan ellos personalmente a escoltarnos hasta la salida.