Acts 16:26

16:25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.

And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed.

KJV

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Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were loosened.

And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed.

16:27 And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.

What does Acts 16:26 mean?

Acts 16:26 is a verse in the book of Acts, in the New Testament. In the original Greek, key words include δέ (de), ἄφνω (aphno), γίνομαι (ginomai).

Greek interlinear

Andδέde/deh/G1161a primary particle (adversative or continuative); but, and, etc.:--also, and, but, moreover, now (often unexpressed in English).

suddenlyἄφνωaphno/af'-no/G869adverb from 852 (contraction); unawares, i.e. unexpectedly:--suddenly.

there

wasγίνομαιginomai/ghin'-om-ahee/G1096a prolongation and middle voice form of a primary verb; to cause to be ("gen"-erate), i.e. (reflexively) to become (come into being), used with great latitude (literal, figurative, intensive, etc.):--arise, be assembled, be(-come, -fall, -have self), be brought (to pass), (be) come (to pass), continue, be divided, draw, be ended, fall, be finished, follow, be found, be fulfilled, + God forbid, grow, happen, have, be kept, be made, be married, be ordained to be, partake, pass, be performed, be published, require, seem, be showed, X soon as it was, sound, be taken, be turned, use, wax, will, would, be wrought.

greatμέγαςmegas/meg'-as/G3173(including the prolonged forms, feminine megale, plural megaloi, etc.; compare also 3176, 3187); big (literally or figuratively, in a very wide application):--(+ fear) exceedingly, great(-est), high, large, loud, mighty, + (be) sore (afraid), strong, X to years.

earthquake,σεισμόςseismos/sice-mos'/G4578from 4579; a commotion, i.e. (of the air) a gale, (of the ground) an earthquake:--earthquake, tempest.

thatὥστεhoste/hoce'-teh/G5620from 5613 and 5037; so too, i.e. thus therefore (in various relations of consecution, as follow):--(insomuch) as, so that (then), (insomuch) that, therefore, to, wherefore.

the

foundationsθεμέλιος θεμέλιονthemeliosG2310from a derivative of 5087; something put down, i.e. a substruction (of a building, etc.), (literally or figuratively):--foundation.

the

prisonδεσμωτήριονdesmoterion/des-mo-tay'-ree-on/G1201from a derivative of 1199 (equivalent to 1196); a place of bondage, i.e. a dungeon:--prison.

were

shaken:σαλεύωsaleuo/sal-yoo'-o/G4531from 4535; to waver, i.e. agitate, rock, topple or (by implication) destroy; figuratively, to disturb, incite:--move, shake (together), which can(-not) be shaken, stir up.

andτέte/teh/G5037a primary particle (enclitic) of connection or addition; both or also (properly, as correlation of 2532):--also, and, both, even, then, whether. Often used in composition, usually as the latter participle.

immediatelyπαραχρῆμαparachrema/par-akh-ray'-mah/G3916from 3844 and 5536 (in its original sense); at the thing itself, i.e. instantly:--forthwith, immediately, presently, straightway, soon.

allπᾶςpas/pas/G3956including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole:--all (manner of, means), alway(-s), any (one), X daily, + ever, every (one, way), as many as, + no(-thing), X thoroughly, whatsoever, whole, whosoever.

the

doorsθύραthura/thoo'-rah/G2374apparently a primary word (compare "door"); a portal or entrance (the opening or the closure, literally or figuratively):--door, gate.

were

opened,ἀνοίγωanoigo/an-oy'-go/G455from 303 and oigo (to open); to open up (literally or figuratively, in various applications):--open.

andκαίkai/kahee/G2532apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.

every

one'sπᾶςpas/pas/G3956including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole:--all (manner of, means), alway(-s), any (one), X daily, + ever, every (one, way), as many as, + no(-thing), X thoroughly, whatsoever, whole, whosoever.

bandsδεσμόςdesmonG1199or desmos des-mos' neuter and masculine respectively from 1210; a band, i.e. ligament (of the body) or shackle (of a prisoner); figuratively, an impediment or disability:--band, bond, chain, string.

were

loosed.ἀνίημιaniemi/an-ee'-ay-mee/G447from 303 and hiemi (to send); to let up, i.e. (literally) slacken or (figuratively) desert, desist from:--forbear, leave, loose.

Topics

Criminals Family Paul Philippi Prayer, Answers To Prisoners Readings, Select Silas

Frequently asked questions

What does Acts 16:26 say?

Acts 16:26 (King James Version) reads: "And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed."

Is Acts 16:26 in the Old or New Testament?

Acts 16:26 is in the New Testament of the Bible, in the book of Acts.

Reflect

As you read Acts 16:26, what is one truth here you can carry into today?

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