The concept of imprisonment in the Bible is multifaceted, encompassing both literal and metaphorical aspects. Imprisonment is often depicted as a consequence of sin, a tool of divine justice, or a means of testing faith. Throughout the Scriptures, various individuals experience imprisonment, each instance serving a unique purpose within God's sovereign plan.

Old Testament Instances

1. Joseph: One of the earliest and most notable accounts of imprisonment is that of Joseph, the son of Jacob. Sold into slavery by his brothers, Joseph eventually finds himself imprisoned in Egypt due to false accusations by Potiphar's wife (Genesis 39:20). Despite his unjust confinement, Joseph remains faithful to God, and his time in prison becomes a pivotal moment leading to his rise to power in Egypt. This narrative illustrates how God can use imprisonment to fulfill His divine purposes.

2. Jeremiah: The prophet Jeremiah was imprisoned multiple times for his prophecies against Judah and Jerusalem. In Jeremiah 37:15-16, he is thrown into a dungeon for speaking God's truth. His imprisonment highlights the persecution faced by those who faithfully deliver God's message, as well as the resilience required to remain steadfast in the face of opposition.

New Testament Instances

1. John the Baptist: Imprisoned by Herod Antipas for condemning Herod's unlawful marriage to Herodias, John the Baptist's imprisonment ultimately leads to his martyrdom (Matthew 14:3-10). His steadfastness in proclaiming righteousness, even unto death, serves as a powerful testament to the cost of discipleship.

2. Apostle Paul: The Apostle Paul frequently faced imprisonment due to his missionary work and proclamation of the Gospel. In Acts 16:23-24, Paul and Silas are imprisoned in Philippi, where they sing hymns and pray, leading to a miraculous earthquake that opens the prison doors. Paul's letters, many of which were written from prison, such as Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon, continue to encourage believers to endure suffering for the sake of Christ.

3. Peter: The Apostle Peter was also imprisoned for his faith. In Acts 12:4-7, Peter is arrested by Herod Agrippa but is miraculously freed by an angel of the Lord. This event underscores the power of prayer and God's ability to deliver His servants from seemingly impossible situations.

Metaphorical Imprisonment

The Bible also uses imprisonment metaphorically to describe spiritual bondage. Jesus speaks of setting captives free, referring to liberation from sin and spiritual oppression (Luke 4:18). The Apostle Paul writes about being "slaves to sin" before coming to faith in Christ, who sets believers free from the law of sin and death (Romans 6:17-18).

Divine Justice and Imprisonment

Imprisonment is sometimes depicted as a form of divine justice. In Revelation 20:1-3, Satan is bound and imprisoned in the Abyss for a thousand years, symbolizing God's ultimate authority over evil and His plan for final judgment.

Conclusion

Imprisonment in the Bible serves as a powerful motif illustrating themes of justice, faithfulness, and divine intervention. Whether as a literal experience or a metaphor for spiritual bondage, imprisonment is used by God to accomplish His purposes and demonstrate His sovereignty over all circumstances.1. (v. t.) To put in prison or jail; To arrest and detain in custody; to confine.

2. (v. t.) To limit, restrain, or confine in any way.

5439. phulakizo -- to imprison
... to imprison. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: phulakizo Phonetic Spelling:
(foo-lak-id'-zo) Short Definition: I imprison Definition: I imprison, deliver ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5439.htm - 6k631. asar -- to tie, bind, imprison
... 630, 631. asar. 632 . to tie, bind, imprison. Transliteration: asar Phonetic
Spelling: (aw-sar') Short Definition: bound. Word Origin a prim. ...
/hebrew/631.htm - 6k

6808. tsaah -- to stoop, bend, incline
... A primitive root; to tip over (for the purpose of spilling or pouring out), ie
(figuratively) depopulate; by implication, to imprison or conquer; (reflexive ...
/hebrew/6808.htm - 6k

5462. sagar -- to shut, close
... 2), closed (9), confined (1), deliver (5), delivered (6), gave over (2), given
(1), given over (1), hand over (1), hands over (1), imprison (1), imprisons (1 ...
/hebrew/5462.htm - 6k

Whether it is Lawful to Imprison a Man?
... OF OTHER INJURIES COMMITTED ON THE PERSON (FOUR ARTICLES) Whether it is lawful to
imprison a man? Objection 1: It would seem unlawful to imprison a man. ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether it is lawful to 11.htm

The Arians are Allowed by the Emperor to Imprison Peter and to Set ...
... Book IV. Chapter XXI."The Arians are allowed by the Emperor to imprison
Peter and to set Lucius over the See of Alexandria. Upon ...
/.../chapter xxi the arians are allowed.htm

Conversion
... If false, then they were doing In the first persecutions the Jews had been content
to arrest and imprison those who publicly preached Christ, but now the ...
/.../sell/bible studies in the life of paul/study ii conversion.htm

Paul and his Praying (Continued)
... power of the Divine nature?" And then William Law gives various examples, which
I am bound to say would not be helpful to me, as they would imprison my spirit ...
/.../bounds/prayer and praying men/xiv paul and his praying.htm

Letter x. To John, Theologos, Apostle and Evangelist, Imprisoned ...
... But, as for those who are unjustly treating you, and fancying to imprison, not
correctly, the sun of the Gospel, whilst fairly blaming them, I pray that by ...
/.../dionysius/letters of dionysius the areopagite/letter x to john theologos.htm

Kingo's Church Hymns
... Thanks, O thanks, to Thee arisen. Lord and God Immanuel,. That the foe could not
imprison. Thee within his hell-dark cell. Thanks that Thou didst meet our foe. ...
/.../aaberg/hymns and hymnwriters of denmark/chapter six kingos church hymns.htm

The Holy Family in Bethlehem after the Departure of the Kings.
... order from Herod, but I think from their own zeal of office"meant to arrest today
the kings who were sleeping in the inn at Bethlehem and to imprison them in ...
/.../emmerich/the life of the blessed virgin mary/xiv the holy family in.htm

Against "The Roaring Lions"
... strength in small local quarrels. He saw big; he did not imprison himself
within the limits of his diocese. He knew that Numidia ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/bertrand/saint augustin/iv against the roaring lions.htm

And Now that Cruelty, which He had Learned in Torturing the ...
... [1982] He was not wont to inflict the slighter sorts of punishment, as to banish,
to imprison, or to send criminals to work in the mines; but to burn, to ...
/.../of the manner in which the persecutors died/chap xxii and now that.htm

Prison Meditations Directed to the Heart of Suffering Saints and ...
... This was as absurd as it would be, to imprison such of the inhabitants of a country
who refused to swear that all mankind were of one standard in height ...
/.../the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/prison meditations directed to the.htm

Imprison (3 Occurrences)
... custody; to confine. 2. (vt) To limit, restrain, or confine in any way.
Multi-Version Concordance Imprison (3 Occurrences). Acts 22:19 ...
/i/imprison.htm - 7k

Imprisoned (19 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (imp. & pp) of Imprison. Multi-Version Concordance
Imprisoned (19 Occurrences). Matthew 11:2 Now when John ...
/i/imprisoned.htm - 11k

Jug (11 Occurrences)
... 4. (vt) To seethe or stew, as in a jug or jar placed in boiling water;
as, to jug a hare. 5. (vt) To commit to jail; to imprison. ...
/j/jug.htm - 10k

Jail (15 Occurrences)
... reference to some future judicial proceeding. 2. (vt) To imprison. Multi-Version
Concordance Jail (15 Occurrences). Acts 4:3 They laid ...
/j/jail.htm - 10k

Imprint (2 Occurrences)

/i/imprint.htm - 7k

Prison (131 Occurrences)
... 3. (vt) To imprison; to shut up in, or as in, a prison; to confine; to restrain
from liberty. 4. (vt) To bind (together); to enchain. Int. ...
/p/prison.htm - 52k

Commit (142 Occurrences)
... 1. (vt) To give in trust; to put into charge or keeping; to entrust; to consign; --
used with to, unto. 2. (vt) To put in charge of a jailor; to imprison. ...
/c/commit.htm - 39k

Seraiah (18 Occurrences)
... Meraiah. (7) Son of Azriel, one of those whom Jehoiakim commanded to imprison
Jeremiah and Baruch, the son of Neriah (Jeremiah 36:26). ...
/s/seraiah.htm - 17k

Imprisoning (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Imprison. Multi-Version
Concordance Imprisoning (1 Occurrence). Acts 22:19 "'Lord,' I ...
/i/imprisoning.htm - 6k

What were the different missionary journeys of Paul? | GotQuestions.org

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Imprison: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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