Acts 16:29-30

16:29 Calling for lights, the jailer¹ rushed in and fell down² trembling at the feet of Paul and Silas. 16:30 Then he brought them outside³ and asked, “Sirs, what must⁴ I do to be saved?”

Acts 16:37-39

16:37 But Paul said to the police officers,⁵ “They had us beaten in public⁶ without a proper trial⁷ – even though we are Roman citizens⁸ – and they threw us⁹ in prison. And now they want to send us away¹⁰ secretly? Absolutely not! They¹¹ themselves must come and escort us out!”¹² 16:38 The police officers reported these words to the magistrates. They were frightened when they heard Paul and Silas¹³ were Roman citizens¹⁴ 16:39 and came¹⁵ and apologized to them. After¹⁶ they brought them out, they asked them repeatedly¹⁷ to leave the city.

¹tn Grk “he”; the referent (the jailer) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

²tn Or “and prostrated himself.”

sn Fell down. The earthquake and the freeing of the prisoners showed that God’s power was present. Such power could only be recognized. The open doors opened the jailer’s heart.

³tn Grk “And bringing them outside, he asked.” The participle προαγαγών (proagagwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. Because of the length of the Greek sentence, the conjunction καί (kai) has not been translated here. Instead a new English sentence is begun by supplying the conjunction “then” to indicate the logical sequence.

⁴tn The Greek term (δεῖ, dei) is used by Luke to represent divine necessity.

⁵tn Grk “to them”; the referent (the police officers) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

⁶tn Grk “Having us beaten in public.” The participle δείραντες (deirante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

⁷tn Or “in public, uncondemned.” BDAG 35 s.v. ἀκατάκριτος has “uncondemned, without due process” for this usage.

⁸tn The participle ὑπάρχοντας (Juparconta") has been translated as a concessive adverbial participle.

⁹tn The word “us” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

¹⁰tn L&N 28.71 has “send us away secretly” for this verse.

¹¹tn Grk “But they.”

¹²sn They themselves must come and escort us out! Paul was asking for the injustice he and Silas suffered to be symbolically righted. It was a way of publicly taking their actions off the record and showing the apostles’ innocence, a major public statement. Note the apology given in v. 39.

¹³tn Grk “heard they”; the referents (Paul and Silas) have been specified in the translation for clarity.

¹⁴sn Roman citizens. This fact was disturbing to the officials because due process was a right for a Roman citizen, well established in Roman law. To flog a Roman citizen was considered an abomination. Such punishment was reserved for noncitizens.

¹⁵tn Grk “and coming, they apologized.” The participle ἐλθόντες (elqonte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

¹⁶tn Grk “and after.” Because of the length of the Greek sentence, the conjunction καί (kai) has not been translated here. Instead a new English sentence is begun.

¹⁷tn The verb ἐρώτων (erwtwn) has been translated as an iterative imperfect; the English adverb “repeatedly” brings out the iterative force in the translation.