SEV Biblia, Chapter 16:27
Y despertado el carcelero, como vio abiertas las puertas de la crcel, sacando la espada se quería matar, pensando que los presos habían huido.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Acts 16:27
Verse 27. The keeper of the prison-would have killed himself] Every jailor was made responsible for his prisoner, under the same penalty to which the prisoner himself was exposed. The jailor, awaking, and finding the prison-doors open, taking it for granted that all the prisoners had made their escape, and that he must lose his life on the account, chose rather to die by his own hand than by that of others. For it was customary among the heathens, when they found death inevitable, to take away their own lives. This custom was applauded by their philosophers, and sanctioned by some of their greatest men.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 27. And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep , etc.] Not so much by the loud voices of Paul and Silas, as by the uncommon motion of the earth, which so shook him, as thoroughly to awake him: and seeing the prison doors open ; which was the first thing in his fright he was looking after, and careful of, and which he might perceive, though it was midnight, and though as yet he had no light: he drew out his sword ; from its scabbard, which was girt about him; for it may be he had slept with his clothes on, and his sword girt to him; or if he had put on his clothes upon awaking, he had also girt himself with his sword: and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled ; especially Paul and Silas, concerning whom he had received such a strict charge from the magistrates; and he knew that according to law, he must suffer the same punishment that was designed for them; and therefore in fear of the magistrates, and what they would inflict upon him, he was just going to destroy himself.
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
εξυπνος 1853 A-NSM δε 1161 CONJ γενομενος 1096 5637 V-2ADP-NSM ο 3588 T-NSM δεσμοφυλαξ 1200 N-NSM και 2532 CONJ ιδων 1492 5631 V-2AAP-NSM ανεωγμενας 455 5772 V-RPP-APF τας 3588 T-APF θυρας 2374 N-APF της 3588 T-GSF φυλακης 5438 N-GSF σπασαμενος 4685 5671 V-AMP-NSM μαχαιραν 3162 N-ASF εμελλεν 3195 5707 V-IAI-3S εαυτον 1438 F-3ASM αναιρειν 337 5721 V-PAN νομιζων 3543 5723 V-PAP-NSM εκπεφευγεναι 1628 5755 V-2RAN τους 3588 T-APM δεσμιους 1198 N-APM
Vincent's NT Word Studies
27. Would have killed (emellen anairein). Rev., more correctly, was about to kill. Knowing that he must suffer death for the escape of his prisoners.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
16:27 {Being roused out of sleep} (exupnos genomenos). Becoming exupnos (rare word, only here in N.T., in LXX and Josephus). An earthquake like that would wake up any one. {Open} (anewigmenos). Perfect passive participle with double reduplication in predicate position, standing open. {Drew his sword} (spasamenos ten macairan). First aorist middle participle of spaw, to draw, as in #Mr 14:47, drawing his own sword himself. Our word spasm from this old word. {Was about} (emellen). Imperfect active of mellw with both syllabic and temporal augment and followed here by present infinitive. He was on the point of committing suicide as Brutus had done near here. Stoicism had made suicide popular as the escape from trouble like the Japanese _harikari_. {Had escaped} (ekpefeugenai). Second perfect active infinitive of ekfeugw, old verb with perfective force of ek, to flee out, to get clean away. this infinitive and accusative of general reference is due to indirect discourse after nomizwn. Probably the prisoners were so panic stricken by the earthquake that they did not rally to the possibility of escape before the jailor awoke. He was responsible for the prisoners with his life (#12:19; 27:42).
