Acts - 5:18



18 and laid hands on the apostles, and put them in public custody.

Verse In-Depth

Explanation and meaning of Acts 5:18.

Differing Translations

Compare verses for better understanding.
And laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison.
and laid hands on the apostles, and put them in public ward.
and laid hands on the apostles and put them in the public prison.
and laid hands upon the Apostles, and put them into the public jail.
And they laid hands on the Apostles, and they placed them in the common prison.
arrested the apostles, and had them placed in custody.

*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.


Historical Commentaries

Scholarly Analysis and Interpretation.

The common prison - The public prison; or the prison for the keeping of common and notorious offenders.

Put them in the common prison - It being too late in the evening to bring them to a hearing. To this verse the Codex Bezae adds, και επορευθη εἱς ἑκαστος εις τα ιδια, And each of them went to his own house.

And laid their hands on the apostles,.... That is, laid hold on them, and took them, and carried them away; at least their servants did so, by their orders:
and put them in the common prison; where malefactors were put; and this both for greater security, and for greater disgrace.

Put them in the common prison. In the city jail, among malefactors. "The 'common prison,' corresponding to our jail, consists of a single room in the governor's cellar, with a floor of earth, and one small window, where all manner of people, from the murderer to the insolent debtor, are promiscuously crowded together. The only furniture consists of a bench, always occupied by the strongest; the rest lie on the floor, or stand. We have visited prisons of this kind where we could only stand a few moments upon the threshold on account of the foul air. The keepers remain outside of the door (Acts 5:23), but the prisoners are not bound.--Van Lenneps.

*More commentary available at chapter level.


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