And when it was day, the magistrates sent the serjeants, saying, Let those men go.
On the morning after the earthquake in the prison, the magistrates sent officers with word to the jailer to release Paul and Silas. They acted in alarm over what had happened at the prison, fearing both Heaven's intervention on behalf of innocent men and the apostles' influence among the people. Having learned more about the men, they recognized they had unjustly visited upon innocent men the rigorous penalty of Roman law meant for serious criminals, and they sought a private and quiet release with safe escort out of the city without public explanation. Because as Roman citizens they had been publicly beaten and imprisoned without trial, Paul and Silas refused to leave secretly and required the magistrates to come themselves to apologize, bring them out, and escort them away.
Historical Setting and Order
This verse belongs to the carrying of the gospel beyond Asia Minor into Europe, beginning at Troas on the borders of the Mediterranean Sea with the night vision of a man of Macedonia asking for help. That call for help was imperative and admitted no delay, so that Paul with Silas and Timothy, accompanied by Luke, assuredly gathered the Lord had called them to preach there. They sailed with a straight course to Samothracia and the next day to Neapolis and thence to Philippi, the chief city of that part of Macedonia, and a colony.
When it was day, on the morning after the earthquake in the prison, the magistrates sent officers to release Paul and Silas. Those sent included prison officers, and word was sent through the officers to the jailer to let them go. The order sought a private and quiet release without public explanation for the imprisonment. The apostles were to be escorted safely out of the city and beyond danger of violence from the mob.
The magistrates had returned to their homes congratulating themselves that by prompt and decisive measures they had quelled a tumult, but on the way they heard further particulars concerning the character and work of the men they had sentenced to scourging and imprisonment. They saw the woman who had been freed from satanic influence and were struck by the change in her from one who had caused the city much trouble to one quiet and peaceable in countenance and demeanor.
Motives and Vindication Demand
The order to release them in the morning was born of alarm over what had happened in the prison during the night. That fear reflected both the weight of the apostles' influence among the people and the evidence of Heaven's intervention on behalf of innocent men. After learning further particulars concerning the character and work of the men they had sentenced to scourging and imprisonment, the magistrates recognized that in all probability they had punished innocent men. What they had visited upon them unjustly was the rigorous penalty of the Roman law meant for serious criminals, and with that realization they were indignant with themselves. Seeing the woman freed from satanic influence, changed from one who had caused the city much trouble to one quiet and peaceable in countenance and demeanor, confirmed that conviction.
Because as Roman citizens they had been publicly beaten and imprisoned without trial, Paul and Silas refused to leave secretly or privately. The rulers' word to let them go did not end the matter, for the release was meant to be quiet and without public explanation. They required the magistrates to acknowledge their injustice and to come themselves to bring them out and escort them out. The magistrates then came themselves, apologized, escorted the apostles out, and asked them to leave the city. Their deliverance became a means by which officers serving the emperor were converted.
On the morning after the earthquake in the prison, the magistrates sent officers with word to the jailer to release Paul and Silas. They acted in alarm over what had happened at the prison, fearing both Heaven's intervention on behalf of innocent men and the apostles' influence among the people. Having learned more about the men, they recognized they had unjustly visited upon innocent men the rigorous penalty of Roman law meant for serious criminals, and they sought a private and quiet release with safe escort out of the city without public explanation. Because as Roman citizens they had been publicly beaten and imprisoned without trial, Paul and Silas refused to leave secretly and required the magistrates to come themselves to apologize, bring them out, and escort them away.
Historical Setting and Order
This verse belongs to the carrying of the gospel beyond Asia Minor into Europe, beginning at Troas on the borders of the Mediterranean Sea with the night vision of a man of Macedonia asking for help. That call for help was imperative and admitted no delay, so that Paul with Silas and Timothy, accompanied by Luke, assuredly gathered the Lord had called them to preach there. They sailed with a straight course to Samothracia and the next day to Neapolis and thence to Philippi, the chief city of that part of Macedonia, and a colony.
When it was day, on the morning after the earthquake in the prison, the magistrates sent officers to release Paul and Silas. Those sent included prison officers, and word was sent through the officers to the jailer to let them go. The order sought a private and quiet release without public explanation for the imprisonment. The apostles were to be escorted safely out of the city and beyond danger of violence from the mob.
The magistrates had returned to their homes congratulating themselves that by prompt and decisive measures they had quelled a tumult, but on the way they heard further particulars concerning the character and work of the men they had sentenced to scourging and imprisonment. They saw the woman who had been freed from satanic influence and were struck by the change in her from one who had caused the city much trouble to one quiet and peaceable in countenance and demeanor.
Motives and Vindication Demand
The order to release them in the morning was born of alarm over what had happened in the prison during the night. That fear reflected both the weight of the apostles' influence among the people and the evidence of Heaven's intervention on behalf of innocent men. After learning further particulars concerning the character and work of the men they had sentenced to scourging and imprisonment, the magistrates recognized that in all probability they had punished innocent men. What they had visited upon them unjustly was the rigorous penalty of the Roman law meant for serious criminals, and with that realization they were indignant with themselves. Seeing the woman freed from satanic influence, changed from one who had caused the city much trouble to one quiet and peaceable in countenance and demeanor, confirmed that conviction.
Because as Roman citizens they had been publicly beaten and imprisoned without trial, Paul and Silas refused to leave secretly or privately. The rulers' word to let them go did not end the matter, for the release was meant to be quiet and without public explanation. They required the magistrates to acknowledge their injustice and to come themselves to bring them out and escort them out. The magistrates then came themselves, apologized, escorted the apostles out, and asked them to leave the city. Their deliverance became a means by which officers serving the emperor were converted.