Acts 16:27

And the keeper of the prison was awaked (or And the warden of the prison was awakened), and saw the gates of the prison opened, and with a sword drawn out he would have slain himself, and guessed that the men that were bound had fled.

Wycliffe Modern Spelling

In The King James Version

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.

In Context

26And suddenly a great earth-moving was made, so that the foundaments of the prison were moved. And anon all the doors were opened, and the bonds of all were loosed. (And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so strong that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And at once all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were loosened.)

28But Paul cried with a great voice, and said, Do thou none harm to thyself [or Do thou nothing of evil to thyself], for all we be here. (But Paul cried with a loud voice, and said, Do not harm thyself, for all of us still be here.)

Read all of Acts 16

Cross References

Judges 9:54And he called anon his squire, and said to him, Draw out thy sword, and slay me, lest peradventure it be said, that I am slain of a woman. Which performed the commandments, and killed Abimelech; (And he called out at once to his squire, and said to him, Draw out thy sword, and kill me, lest it be said that I was killed by a woman. And he followed the order, and killed Abimelech;)

2 Samuel 17:23And Ahithophel saw, that his counsel was not done, and he saddled his ass, and rose up, and went into his house, and into his city; and when his house was disposed, he perished by hanging himself, and he was buried in the sepulchre of his father. (And Ahithophel saw that his advice was not followed, and so he saddled up his donkey, and went back to his house in his city; and after his affairs were in order, he hanged himself, and he was buried in his father’s tomb, or his grave.)

Matthew 27:5And when he had cast forth the [plates (or pieces) of] silver in the temple, he passed forth, and went, and hanged himself with a snare.

Acts 16:23And when they had given to them many wounds, they sent them into prison, and commanded to the keeper, that he should keep them diligently. (And after they had given them many wounds, they threw them into prison, and commanded the warden of the prison, that he should guard them carefully.)

Matthew Henry on Acts 16:26-35

Paul and Silas in Prison; Conversion of the Philippian Jailer. 25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. 26 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… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study Acts 16:27