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Therefore come out now and go in peace."</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/newcom.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /><script type="application/javascript" src="https://scripts.webcontentassessor.com/scripts/8a2459b64f9cac8122fc7f2eac4409c8555fac9383016db59c4c26e3d5b8b157"></script><script src='https://qd.admetricspro.com/js/biblehub/biblehub-layout-loader-revcatch.js'></script><script id='HyDgbd_1s' src='https://prebidads.revcatch.com/ads.js' type='text/javascript' async></script><script>(function(w,d,b,s,i){var cts=d.createElement(s);cts.async=true;cts.id='catchscript'; cts.dataset.appid=i;cts.src='https://app.protectsubrev.com/catch_rp.js?cb='+Math.random(); document.head.appendChild(cts); }) (window,document,'head','script','rc-anksrH');</script></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../vmenus/acts/16-36.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="/bmcom/acts/16-36.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="http://biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="http://biblehub.com/commentaries/">Commentaries</a> > Acts 16:36</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../acts/16-35.htm" title="Acts 16:35">◄</a> Acts 16:36 <a href="../acts/16-37.htm" title="Acts 16:37">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="topverse">And the keeper of the prison told this saying to Paul, The magistrates have sent to let you go: now therefore depart, and go in peace.</div><div id="jump">Jump to: <a href="/commentaries/alford/acts/16.htm" title="Henry Alford - Greek Testament Critical Exegetical Commentary">Alford</a> • <a href="/commentaries/barnes/acts/16.htm" title="Barnes' Notes">Barnes</a> • <a href="/commentaries/bengel/acts/16.htm" title="Bengel's Gnomen">Bengel</a> • <a href="/commentaries/benson/acts/16.htm" title="Benson Commentary">Benson</a> • <a href="/commentaries/illustrator/acts/16.htm" title="Biblical Illustrator">BI</a> • <a href="/commentaries/calvin/acts/16.htm" title="Calvin's Commentaries">Calvin</a> • <a href="/commentaries/cambridge/acts/16.htm" title="Cambridge Bible">Cambridge</a> • <a href="/commentaries/chrysostom/acts/16.htm" title="Chrysostom Homilies">Chrysostom</a> • <a href="/commentaries/clarke/acts/16.htm" title="Clarke's Commentary">Clarke</a> • <a href="/commentaries/darby/acts/16.htm" title="Darby's Bible Synopsis">Darby</a> • <a href="/commentaries/ellicott/acts/16.htm" title="Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers">Ellicott</a> • <a href="/commentaries/expositors/acts/16.htm" title="Expositor's Bible">Expositor's</a> • <a href="/commentaries/edt/acts/16.htm" title="Expositor's Dictionary">Exp Dct</a> • <a href="/commentaries/egt/acts/16.htm" title="Expositor's Greek">Exp Grk</a> • <a href="/commentaries/gaebelein/acts/16.htm" title="Gaebelein's Annotated Bible">Gaebelein</a> • <a href="/commentaries/gsb/acts/16.htm" title="Geneva Study Bible">GSB</a> • <a href="/commentaries/gill/acts/16.htm" title="Gill's Bible Exposition">Gill</a> • <a href="/commentaries/gray/acts/16.htm" title="Gray's Concise">Gray</a> • <a href="/commentaries/guzik/acts/16.htm" title="Guzik Bible Commentary">Guzik</a> • <a href="/commentaries/haydock/acts/16.htm" title="Haydock Catholic Bible Commentary">Haydock</a> • <a href="/commentaries/hastings/acts/16-30.htm" title="Hastings Great Texts">Hastings</a> • <a href="/commentaries/homiletics/acts/16.htm" title="Pulpit Homiletics">Homiletics</a> • <a href="/commentaries/icc/acts/16.htm" title="ICC NT Commentary">ICC</a> • <a href="/commentaries/jfb/acts/16.htm" title="Jamieson-Fausset-Brown">JFB</a> • <a href="/commentaries/kelly/acts/16.htm" title="Kelly Commentary">Kelly</a> • <a href="/commentaries/king-en/acts/16.htm" title="Kingcomments Bible Studies">King</a> • <a href="/commentaries/lange/acts/16.htm" title="Lange Commentary">Lange</a> • <a href="/commentaries/maclaren/acts/16.htm" title="MacLaren Expositions">MacLaren</a> • <a href="/commentaries/mhc/acts/16.htm" title="Matthew Henry Concise">MHC</a> • <a href="/commentaries/mhcw/acts/16.htm" title="Matthew Henry Full">MHCW</a> • <a href="/commentaries/meyer/acts/16.htm" title="Meyer Commentary">Meyer</a> • <a href="/commentaries/parker/acts/16.htm" title="The People's Bible by Joseph Parker">Parker</a> • <a href="/commentaries/pnt/acts/16.htm" title="People's New Testament">PNT</a> • <a href="/commentaries/poole/acts/16.htm" title="Matthew Poole">Poole</a> • <a href="/commentaries/pulpit/acts/16.htm" title="Pulpit Commentary">Pulpit</a> • <a href="/commentaries/sermon/acts/16.htm" title="Sermon Bible">Sermon</a> • <a href="/commentaries/sco/acts/16.htm" title="Scofield Reference Notes">SCO</a> • <a href="/commentaries/ttb/acts/16.htm" title="Through The Bible">TTB</a> • <a href="/commentaries/vws/acts/16.htm" title="Vincent's Word Studies">VWS</a> • <a href="/commentaries/wes/acts/16.htm" title="Wesley's Notes">WES</a> • <a href="#tsk" title="Treasury of Scripture Knowledge">TSK</a></div><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="comtype">EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)</div><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/ellicott/acts/16.htm">Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers</a></div>(36) <span class= "bld">Go in peace.</span>—The few hours which the gaoler had spent with his new teacher had probably taught him to use the phrase in the fulness of its meaning (see Notes on <a href="/luke/7-50.htm" title="And he said to the woman, Your faith has saved you; go in peace.">Luke 7:50</a>; <a href="/luke/8-48.htm" title="And he said to her, Daughter, be of good comfort: your faith has made you whole; go in peace.">Luke 8:48</a>), and not as a mere conventional formula. He naturally looks on the offer—securing, as it did, safety for his new friend—as one that should be accepted.<p><a name="mhc" id="mhc"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/mhc/acts/16.htm">Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary</a></div>16:35-40 Paul, though willing to suffer for the cause of Christ, and without any desire to avenge himself, did not choose to depart under the charge of having deserved wrongful punishment, and therefore required to be dismissed in an honourable manner. It was not a mere point of honour that the apostle stood upon, but justice, and not to himself so much as to his cause. And when proper apology is made, Christians should never express personal anger, nor insist too strictly upon personal amends. The Lord will make them more than conquerors in every conflict; instead of being cast down by their sufferings, they will become comforters of their brethren.<a name="bar" id="bar"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/barnes/acts/16.htm">Barnes' Notes on the Bible</a></div>And when it was day ... - It is evident from the narrative that it was not contemplated at first to release them so soon, <a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/16-22.htm">Acts 16:22-24</a>. But it is not known what produced this change of purpose in the magistrates. It is probable, however, that they had been brought to reflection, somewhat as the jailor had, by the earthquake, and that their consciences had been troubled by the fact, that in order to please the multitude, they had caused strangers to be beaten and imprisoned without trial and contrary to the Roman laws. An earthquake is always suited to alarm the guilty; and among the Romans it was regarded as an omen of the anger of the gods, and was therefore adapted to produce agitation and remorse. The agitation and alarm of the magistrates were shown by the fact that they sent the officers as soon as it was day. The judgments of God are eminently suited to alarm sinners. Two ancient mss. read this, "The magistrates who were alarmed by the earthquake, sent, etc." (Doddridge). Whether this reading be genuine or not, it doubtless expresses the true cause of their sending to release the apostles.<p>The serjeants - ῥαβδούχους rabdouchous. Literally, those having rods; the lictors. These were public officers who walked before magistrates with the emblems of authority. In Rome they bore before the senators the fasces; that is, a bundle of rods with an axe in its center, as a symbol of office. They performed somewhat the same office as a beadle in England, or as a constable in our courts (America). <a name="jfb" id="jfb"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/jfb/acts/16.htm">Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary</a></div>36. the keeper—overjoyed to have such orders to execute.<p>told this … to Paul … now therefore … go in peace—Very differently did Paul receive such orders.<div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/poole/acts/16.htm">Matthew Poole's Commentary</a></div> <span class="bld">Told this saying to Paul; </span> being glad that he might release them. Neither does he bid them go, as desirous to be rid of them; but, not requiring any fees, he lets them go to preach the gospel, and fulfill their ministry, with his prayers and good wishes. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="gil" id="gil"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/gill/acts/16.htm">Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible</a></div>And the keeper of the prison told this, saying to Paul,.... The Ethiopic version adds, "and to Silas"; this was the same person with the jailer, whom Paul had baptized; and indeed, the same word is here used, though a little differently rendered, who no doubt reported this message to Paul with great joy: <p>the magistrates have sent to let you go; they have sent an order to let you out of prison: <p>now therefore depart, and go in peace; which expresses the jailer's pleasure of mind, and joy of heart, in executing his orders; and his sincere and hearty wishes for peace and prosperity to go along with them wherever they went, who had been instrumental of so much good to him and his family. <a name="gsb" id="gsb"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/gsb/acts/16.htm">Geneva Study Bible</a></div><span class="cverse2">And the keeper of the prison told this saying to Paul, The magistrates have sent to let you go: now therefore depart, and go in peace.</span></div></div><div id="centbox"><div class="padcent"><div class="comtype">EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)</div><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/egt/acts/16.htm">Expositor's Greek Testament</a></div><a href="/acts/16-36.htm" title="And the keeper of the prison told this saying to Paul, The magistrates have sent to let you go: now therefore depart, and go in peace.">Acts 16:36</a>. <span class="greekheb">νῦν οὖν</span>, Lucan, <span class="ital">cf.</span> <a href="/acts/10-33.htm" title="Immediately therefore I sent to you; and you have well done that you are come. Now therefore are we all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded you of God.">Acts 10:33</a>, <a href="/acts/15-10.htm" title="Now therefore why tempt you God, to put a yoke on the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?">Acts 15:10</a>, <a href="/acts/23-15.htm" title="Now therefore you with the council signify to the chief captain that he bring him down to you to morrow, as though you would inquire something more perfectly concerning him: and we, or ever he come near, are ready to kill him.">Acts 23:15</a>.—<span class="greekheb">ἐν εἰρήνῃ</span> (omitted by ): the jailor may well have used the words in a deeper sense after the instruction of Paul, and his own admission to citizenship in a kingdom which was “righteousness, peace, joy in the Holy Ghost”.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/cambridge/acts/16.htm">Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges</a></div><span class="bld">36</span>. <span class="ital">the keeper of the prison</span>] As before, in <span class="ital"><a href="/acts/16-27.htm" title="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.">Acts 16:27</a></span>, <span class="ital">the jailor</span>.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="ital">told this saying</span>] The Greek text best supported has no pronoun. Better “<span class="ital">reported the words</span>.” (So <span class="ital">R. V.</span>) No doubt he came with great joy, and it is evident that Paul and Silas had gone back to their prison after the events at midnight. To make the sentence run smoothly it will be needful to insert the word <span class="ital">saying</span> before the next sentence, now that the pronoun is removed.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="ital">now therefore depart</span>] Better, “come forth,” as <span class="ital">R. V.</span> The verb in the original gives clear indication that they were still in confinement.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="pul" id="pul"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/pulpit/acts/16.htm">Pulpit Commentary</a></div><span class="cmt_sub_title">Verse 36.</span> <span class="accented">- Jailor</span> for <span class="accented">keeper of the prison</span>, A.V., as ver. 27; <span class="accented">reported the words</span>... <span class="accented">saying</span> for <span class="accented">told this saying</span>, A.V. and T.R.; <span class="accented">come forth</span> for <span class="accented">depart</span>, A.V. 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