Acts 5:22

But when the officers came, and found them not in the prison, they returned, and told,

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

5:17-25 There is no prison so dark, so strong, but God can visit his people in it, and, if he pleases, fetch them out. Recoveries from sickness, releases out of trouble, are granted, not that we may enjoy the comforts of life, but that God may be honoured with the services of our life. It is not for the preachers of Christ's gospel to retire into corners, as long as they can have any opportunity of preaching in the great congregation. They must preach to the lowest, whose souls are as precious to Christ as the souls of the greatest. Speak to all, for all are concerned. Speak as those who resolve to stand to it, to live and die by it. Speak all the words of this heavenly, divine life, in comparison with which the present earthly life does not deserve the name. These words of life, which the Holy Ghost puts into your mouth. The words of the gospel are the words of life; words whereby we may be saved. How wretched are those who are vexed at the success of the gospel! They cannot but see that the word and power of the Lord are against them; and they tremble for the consequences, yet they will go on.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Early in the morning - Greek: at the break of day. Compare Luke 24:1; John 8:2.

Called the council together - The Sanhedrin, or the Great Council of the nation. This was clearly for the purpose of "trying" the apostles for disregarding their commandments.

And all the senate - Greek: "eldership." Probably these were not a part of the Sanhedrin, but were people of age and experience, who in Acts 4:8; Acts 25:15, are called "elders of the Jews," and who were present for the sake of counsel Canal advice in a case of emergency.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

21. entered into the temple, &c.—How self-possessed! the indwelling Spirit raising them above fear.

called … all the senate, &c.—an unusually general convention, though hastily summoned.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

These men, thus sent to hinder the spreading of the gospel, could not but be a means of confirming it, when they saw, and declared what they found; so easily can God make use of what is intended against his truth and people unto the advantage of either.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

But when the officers came,.... The Arabic version adds, "to it"; that is, to the prison;

and found them not in the prison. The Vulgate Latin version reads, "the prison being opened they found them not"; when they came to the prison, they opened the doors of it, or the keepers for them; for though the angel had opened them for the apostles, yet he shut them again, as he brought them out; for these men found the doors shut, as the following verse shows, and who upon opening them and searching the prison, for the apostles, could find none of them in it; wherefore they returned; the Arabic version reads, "to them"; to the sanhedrim:

and told; that is, them, as both the Arabic and Ethiopic versions read.

Geneva Study Bible

But when the officers came, and found them not in the prison, they returned and told,

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Expositor's Greek Testament

Acts 5:22. ὑπηρέται: apparently some of the Temple guard, Acts 5:26; see above on ὁ στρατηγός Acts 4:1, and Edersheim, Temple and its Services, pp. 119, 120. In the N.T. the word is not used of the military.—ἀναστρέψαντες: used only here in this sense (Acts 15:16 is not strictly a parallel), cf. LXX, Genesis 8:9, 1 Kings 21(20):5, and frequently.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

22. But when the officers came] The name may imply a military body or it may have been only some of the Levitical guard who were sent. The same word is used (Luke 4:20) of the “minister” of the synagogue.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 22. - The officers that came for when the officers came and, A.V. and T.R.; and they returned for they returned, A.V. Acts 5:22

Vincent's Word Studies

Officers (ὑπηρέται)

See on Matthew 5:25.