Acts 16:25–26
Paul and Silas, in prison, sing hymns at midnight while the prisoners listen
Study it word by word25And about midnight Paul and Silas, while praying, were singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.
26And 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 chains were unfastened.
In its context
23And after laying many blows on them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to guard them securely.
24He, having received such an order, threw them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.
…
27And the jailer, waking up and seeing the doors of the prison opened, drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped.
28But Paul called out with a loud voice, saying, “Do no harm to yourself, for we are all here!”
Its words in the original
- μεσονύκτιονmesonyktion· midnight
Midnight.
- ΠαῦλοςPaulos· Paul
Paul: the Roman name of the apostle Saul; also Sergius Paulus, proconsul of Cyprus.
- ΣιλᾶςSilas· Silas
Silas, a leader of the believers in Jerusalem and a companion of Paul; also called Silvanus.
- προσευχόμενοιproseuchomenoi· pray
Pray: speak with God.
- ὕμνουνhymnoun· sing a hymn
Sing hymns, praise in song.
- θεόνtheon· God, god
God. In the plural or in another sense, "gods".
- ἐπηκροῶντοepēkroōnto· listen to
Listen attentively.
- δέσμιοιdesmioi· prisoner
Prisoner.
- ἄφνωaphnō· suddenly
Suddenly.
- σεισμὸςseismos· earthquake
Shaking: an earthquake; also a violent storm.
- ἐγένετοegeneto· become, happen
Become, happen, come about; be born.
- μέγαςmegas· great
Great, large.
- ὥστεhōste· so that
So that, therefore.
- σαλευθῆναιsaleuthēnai· shake
Shake, stir; unsettle.
- θεμέλιαthemelia· foundation
Foundation, a foundation stone.
- δεσμωτηρίουdesmōtēriou· prison
Prison, jail.
- ἠνεῴχθησανēneōichthēsan· open
Open.
- παραχρῆμαparachrēma· immediately
Immediately, at that very moment, on the spot.
- θύραιthyrai· door
Door, gate.
- δεσμὰdesma· bond, chain
Bond, chain; prison.
- ἀνέθηanethē· loosen, let go
Loosen, unfasten, let go; give up, stop.