23 And when they had given them a great number of blows, they put them in prison, giving orders to the keeper of the prison to keep them safely:
Now when it was day, the armed men were greatly troubled about what had become of Peter.
Have no fear of the things which you will have to undergo: see, the Evil One will send some of you into prison, so that you may be put to the test; and you will have great trouble for ten days. Be true till death, and I will give you the crown of life.
Still, because of love, in place of an order, I make a request to you, I, Paul, an old man and now a prisoner of Christ Jesus:
In which I put up with the hardest conditions, even prison chains, like one who has done a crime; but the word of God is not in chains.
For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles,
And the keeper said to Paul, The authorities have given orders to let you go: come out now, and go in peace.
Go now, and take more steps, and see where he is living: for they say that he is expert in deceit. So take care to get knowledge of all the secret places where he is taking cover, and be certain to come back to me, and I will go with you: and without doubt, if he is anywhere in the land, I will get him, among all the families of Judah.
And having taken him, he put him in prison, with four bands of armed men to keep watch over him; his purpose being to take him out to the people after the Passover.
But Saul was burning with hate against the church, going into every house and taking men and women and putting them in prison.
Saying, The doors of the prison were safely shut, and the keepers were at the doors, but when they were open, there was nobody inside.
But before all this, they will take you and be very cruel to you, giving you up to the Synagogues and to prisons, taking you before kings and rulers, because of my name.
Saying, Sir, we have in mind how that false man said, while he was still living, After three days I will come again from the dead. Give orders, then, that the place where his body is may be made safe till the third day, for fear that his disciples come and take him away secretly and say to the people, He has come back from the dead: and the last error will be worse than the first. Pilate said to them, You have watchmen; go and make it as safe as you are able. So they went, and made safe the place where his body was, putting a stamp on the stone, and the watchmen were with them.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Acts 16
Commentary on Acts 16 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 16
It is some rebuke to Barnabas that after he left Paul we hear no more of him, of what he did or suffered for Christ. But Paul, as he was recommended by the brethren to the grace of God, so his services for Christ after this are largely recorded; we are to attend him in this chapter from place to place, wherever he came doing good, either watering or planting, beginning new work or improving what was done. Here is,
Act 16:1-5
Paul was a spiritual father, and as such a one we have him here adopting Timothy, and taking care of the education of many others who had been begotten to Christ by his ministry: and in all he appears to have been a wise and tender father. Here is,
Act 16:6-15
In these verses we have,
Act 16:16-24
Paul and his companions, though they were for some time buried in obscurity at Philippi, yet now begin to be taken notice of.
Now,
Act 16:25-34
We have here the designs of the persecutors of Paul and Silas baffled and broken.
Act 16:35-40
In these verses we have,