SEV Biblia, Chapter 16:26
Entonces fue hecho de repente un gran terremoto, de tal manera que los cimientos de la crcel se movían; y luego todas las puertas se abrieron, y las prisiones de todos soltaron.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Acts 16:26
Verse 26. There was a great earthquake] Thus God bore a miraculous testimony of approbation to his servants; and, by the earthquake, and loosing the bonds of the prisoners, showed, in a symbolical way, the nature of that religion which they preached: while it shakes and terrifies the guilty, it proclaims deliverance to the captives, and the opening of the prison-doors to them that are bound; and sets at liberty them that are bruised. Every one's bands were loosed.] And yet so eminently did God's providence conduct every thing, that not one of the prisoners made his escape, though the doors were open, and his bolts off!
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 26. And suddenly there was a great earthquake , etc.] An extraordinary and unusual one; which did not arise from natural causes, from wind being pent up in the earth, but from the prayers and praises of the saints, going up to heaven; when God was pleased to testify his presence and power this way; and the effects which followed upon this earthquake, show it to be a supernatural one: so that the foundations of the prison were shaken ; not the roof and walls only, as is common in earthquakes, but the very foundation also; and yet the edifice was not thrown down, as is usual when the foundation is shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened ; both of the outer and inner prisons, which is another unusual effect of earthquakes: and everyones bands were loosed ; not only the bands of Paul and Silas, but of the rest of the prisoners; though the Arabic version reads, all the fetters and bands of both were loosed, referring it only to Paul and Silas; this circumstance shows also, that the earthquake was miraculous, for when was it ever known that such an effect ever followed one?
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 25-34 - The consolations of God to his suffering servants are neither few no small. How much more happy are true Christians than their prosperou enemies! As in the dark, so out of the depths, we may cry unto God. N place, no time is amiss for prayer, if the heart be lifted up to God No trouble, however grievous, should hinder us from praise Christianity proves itself to be of God, in that it obliges us to be just to our own lives. Paul cried aloud to make the jailer hear, and to make him heed, saying, Do thyself no harm. All the cautions of the wor of God against sin, and all appearances of it, and approaches to it have this tendency. Man, woman, do not ruin thyself; hurt not thyself and then none else can hurt thee; do not sin, for nothing but that can hurt thee. Even as to the body, we are cautioned against the sins whic do harm to that. Converting grace changes people's language of and to good people and good ministers. How serious the jailer's inquiry! Hi salvation becomes his great concern; that lies nearest his heart, whic before was furthest from his thoughts. It is his own precious soul tha he is concerned about. Those who are thoroughly convinced of sin, an truly concerned about their salvation, will give themselves up to Christ. Here is the sum of the whole gospel, the covenant of grace in few words; Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved and thy house. The Lord so blessed the word, that the jailer was a once softened and humbled. He treated them with kindness an compassion, and, professing faith in Christ, was baptized in that name with his family. The Spirit of grace worked such a strong faith in them, as did away further doubt; and Paul and Silas knew by the Spirit that a work of God was wrought in them. When sinners are thu converted, they will love and honour those whom they before despise and hated, and will seek to lessen the suffering they before desired to increase. When the fruits of faith begin to appear, terrors will be followed by confidence and joy in God.
Greek Textus Receptus
αφνω 869 ADV δε 1161 CONJ σεισμος 4578 N-NSM εγενετο 1096 5633 V-2ADI-3S μεγας 3173 A-NSM ωστε 5620 CONJ σαλευθηναι 4531 5683 V-APN τα 3588 T-APN θεμελια 2310 N-APN του 3588 T-GSN δεσμωτηριου 1201 N-GSN ανεωχθησαν 455 5681 V-API-3P τε 5037 PRT παραχρημα 3916 ADV αι 3588 T-NPF θυραι 2374 N-NPF πασαι 3956 A-NPF και 2532 CONJ παντων 3956 A-GPM τα 3588 T-NPN δεσμα 1199 N-NPN ανεθη 447 5681 V-API-3S
Robertson's NT Word Studies
16:26 {Earthquake} (seismos). Old word from seiw, to shake. Luke regarded it as an answer to prayer as in #4:31. He and Timothy were not in prison. {So that the foundations of the prison house were shaken} (hwste saleuqenai ta qemelia tou desmwteriou). Regular construction of the first aorist passive infinitive and the accusative of general reference with hwste for actual result just like the indicative. this old word for prison house already in #Mt 11:2; Ac 5:21,23 which see. qemelia is neuter plural of the adjective qemelios, from qema (thing laid down from tiqemi). So already in #Lu 6:48; 14:29. If the prison was excavated from rocks in the hillside, as was often the case, the earthquake would easily have slipped the bars of the doors loose and the chains would have fallen out of the walls. {Were opened} (enewicqesan). First aorist passive indicative of anoigw (or -numi) with triple augment (e, e, w), while there is no augment in aneqe (first aorist passive indicative of aniemi, were loosed), old verb, but in the N.T. only here and #27:40; Eph 6:9; Heb 13:5.
