Acts 5:23

Saying, The prison truly found we shut with all safety, and the keepers standing without before the doors: but when we had opened, we found no man within.

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

Found we shut - It had not been broken open; and there was therefore clear proof that they had been delivered by the interposition of God. Nor could they have been released by the guard, for they were keeping watch, as if unconscious that anything had happened, and the officers had the only means of entering the prison.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

23. the prison … shut … keepers … before the doors, but … no man within—the reverse of the miracle in Ac 16:26; a similar contrast to that of the nets at the miraculous draughts of fishes (Lu 5:6; Joh 21:11).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

All means imaginable were used to secure their prisoners; but when God will deliver, what can keep them? When God will work, who can hinder? Job 11:10. It is strange, that so great evidence of the innocence of the apostles, and truth of their doctrine, should be ineffectual; but prejudice is insuperable, unless to the mighty power of the grace of God; and this blindness cannot be cured, but by God’s Ephphatha.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Saying, the prison truly found we shut with all safety,.... Locked, barred and bolted;

and the keepers standing without before the doors; both inner and outer in their proper places, diligently discharging their office:

but when we had opened we found no man within; that is, none of the apostles, for there might be other prisoners in it, who were not released by this means.

Geneva Study Bible

Saying, The prison truly found we shut with all safety, and the keepers standing without before the doors: but when we had opened, we found no man within.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Expositor's Greek Testament

Acts 5:23. ἐν πάσῃ ἀσφαλείᾳ, “in all safety,” R.V. (not cum omni diligentia, Vulgate); “in omni firmitate,” Flor.; in LXX generally μετά with genitive; cf. 2Ma 3:22; 2Ma 15:1, μετὰ πάσης ἀσφ. The Vulgate is misleading; the words mean not that the prison had been carefully shut, but that it was found in a state of perfect security.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

23. The prison truly found we shut] The word rendered truly is omitted in the best MSS.

and the keepers standing without before the doors] The best MSS. read, and the keepers standing at the doors. Of course they were unconscious that their charge was no longer there.

Bengel's Gnomen

Acts 5:23. Κεκλεισμένον, shut) The angel again had shut it, after having opened it for Peter: Acts 5:19.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 23. - Prison-house for prison, A.V., as in ver. 21; we found shut in all safety for truly found we shut with all safety, A.V. at the doors for without before the doors, A.V. and T.R. But the within at the end of the verse seems to require the without of the T.R. Acts 5:23