Acts 16:35

35 And when day was come, the magistrates sent constables, and said, Deliver thou those men. [And when day was made, the magistrates sent tormentors, saying, Dismiss, or deliver, ye those men.]

Acts 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.

Acts 16:35 In-Context

33 And he took them in the same hour of the night, and washed their wounds. And he was baptized, and all his house at once [anon].

34 And when he had brought them into his house, he set to them a board. And he was glad with all his house, and believed to God [And he gladded with all his house, believing to God].

35 And when day was come, the magistrates sent constables, and said, Deliver thou those men. [And when day was made, the magistrates sent tormentors, saying, Dismiss, or deliver, ye those men.]

36 And the keeper of the prison told these words to Paul, That the magistrates have sent, that ye be delivered; now therefore go ye out, and go ye in peace [and go in peace].

37 And Paul said to them, They sent us men of Rome into prison, that were beaten openly and uncondemned, and now privily they bring us out; not so, but come they themselves, and deliver us out. [Forsooth Paul said to them, They sent into prison us, beaten openly uncondemned, men Romans, and now privily they cast us out; not so, but come they, and themselves cast us out.]