Acts 16:26

Miracles and God's intervention God's power and sovereignty

²⁴ Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.

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.

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.

²⁸ But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: Suddenly a strong earthquake shook the foundations of the prison. At once all the doors flew open and everyone’s chains came loose.
KJV: 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.
WEB: 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.
ASV: and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison-house were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one`s bands were loosed.
DARBY: And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison shook, and all the doors were immediately opened, and the bonds of all loosed.
BLB: And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison house were shaken, and immediately all the doors were opened, and the chains of all were loosed.

ÅB: Da kom det med ett et sterkt jordskjelv, så fengslets grunnvoller ristet, og straks sprang alle dører opp, og alles lenker løstes.
OTB: Plutselig var det et stort jordskjelv, slik at fengselets grunnvoller ble rystet; straks ble alle dørene åpnet, og alles lenker ble løsnet.
B1930: Da kom det med ett et sterkt jordskjelv, så fengslets grunnvoller rystet, og straks sprang alle dører op, og alles lenker løstes.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Acts 4:31
And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.
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Acts 5:19
But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said,
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Acts 12:10
When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him.
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Acts 12:7
And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.
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Psalms 146:7
Which executeth judgment for the oppressed: which giveth food to the hungry. The LORD looseth the prisoners:
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Matthew 28:2
And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.
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Isaiah 42:7
To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.
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Psalms 102:20
To hear the groaning of the prisoner; to loose those that are appointed to death;
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