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Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

Acts 16:28

Do thyself no harm - This is the solemn command of religion in his case, and in all others. It enjoins upon people to do themselves no harm by self-murder, whether by the sword, the pistol, the halter; by intemperance, by lust, or by dissipation. In all cases, Christianity seeks the true welfare of man. In all cases, if it were obeyed, people would do themselves no harm. They would promote their own best interests here, and their eternal welfare hereafter.

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See also Acts 16:28 in other biblical comments:

  • A Textual Commentary On The Greek New Testament by Bruce M. Metzger

    ACTS 16:28 mega,lh| fwnh|/ @o`# Pau/loj The manuscripts present a wide variety of readings: (_a_) mega,lh| fwnh|/ Pau/loj( î74 Y itd; (_b_) same as (_a_) but o` Pau/loj, A 1875 1898; (_c_)...

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Acts 16:28. _DO THYSELF NO HARM_] As it was now dark, being midnight, St. Paul must have had a Divine intimation of what the jailor was going to do; and, to prevent it, cried out aloud, _Do_ _th...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 16 _ 1. In Derbe and Lystra again. Timotheus (Acts 16:1)._ 2. The Preaching forbidden in Asia (Acts 16:6). 3. The Vision of the Man from Macedonia (Acts 16:9). 4. The Gospel in Europe ...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    IMPRISONMENT OF PAUL AND SILAS. THE PRISON BROKEN. The rulers (Acts 16:19) are the heads of police; they are afterwards called _Strategi, which_ answers to the Roman _Prœ tores._ Philippi was a colony...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. I...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    A SON IN THE FAITH (Acts 16:1-5)...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    DO THYSELF NO HARM. Do nothing (Greek. _medeis)_ evil (Greek. _kakos._ App-128.) to thyself....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _But Paul cried_ The sound of one voice would arrest the action, for at the sight of the open doors he had concluded that all had made use of the opportunity and had escaped....

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    ἘΦΏΝΗΣΕΝ ΔῈ ΦΩΝΗ͂Ι ΜΕΓΆΛΗΙ ΠΑΥ͂ΛΟΣ, _but Paul cried with a loud voice_. The sound of even one voice would arrest the jailor’s action, for at the sight of the open doors he had concluded that all had m...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    PREACHING ON THE SABBATH AT PHILIPPI. CONVERSION AND BAPTISM OF LYDIA. A SPIRIT OF DIVINATION CAST OUT BY ST PAUL. ANGER OF THOSE WHO MADE GAIN THEREBY. PAUL AND SILAS ARE SEIZED, BROUGHT BEFORE THE A...

  • Charles Box Commentaries

    _THE CONVERSION OF THE JAILER IN PHILIPPI ACTS 16:16-40:_ At a place of prayer in Philippi Paul and Silas came across a girl that had a spirit of divination. Her masters made a lot of money from her p...

  • Charles Rose Commentaries

    ΈΦΏΝΗΣΕΝ _aor. ind. act. от_ ΦΩΝΈΩ (G5455) звать, ΠΡΆΞΗΣ _aor. conj. act. от_ ΠΡΆΣΣΩ (G4238) делать. _Aor. conj._ с отр. используется в специфическом приказании, запрещающем начало действия (MKG, 273...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    BUT PAUL CRIED WITH A LOUD VOICE,— St. Paul, like a true Christian, a benevolent and brave man through the grace of God, was tender and solicitous about the life of one, who, but a few hours before, h...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    AT PHILLIPPI. Acts 16:12-40 a. A description of Philippi. Acts 16:12. Acts 16:12 and from thence to Philippi, which is a city of Macedonia, the first of the district, a Roman colony: and we were in...

  • Combined Bible Commentary

    28. He had already planted the hilt of his sword upon the floor, and was about to cast himself upon the point of it, when Paul, who must now have left his dungeon, saw what he was doing, and arrested...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. BUT PAUL CRIED WITH A LOUD VOICE - the better to arrest the fatal deed, DO THYSELF NO HARM; FOR WE ARE ALL HERE....

  • Concordant Commentary on the New Testament by A. E. Knoch

    19 This is the first occasion in which the evangel comes into conflict with the religion of the nations and with the spirit powers back of it. Hitherto the Jews and Judaism opposed the evangel. At Lys...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    Journey into Europe, Philippi. 6. RV 'And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden of the Holy Ghost to speak the word in Asia.' At Lystra (Acts 16:6) they received a...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    ST. PAUL IN EUROPE 1. Timotheus] was probably of Lystra, not Derbe. His mother Eunice was perhaps a widow, and she, together with his grandmother Lois, educated the lad in the religion of Israel, tho...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    GOOD NEWS FOR EVERYONE ACTS _MARION ADAMS_ CHAPTER 16 TIMOTHY WORKS WITH PAUL AND SILAS, 16:1-5 V1 Paul went to Derbe and then he went to Lystra. A *Christian called Timothy lived there. Timothy...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    DO THYSELF NO HARM. — Few and simple as the words are, they are eminently characteristic of the love and sympathy which burnt in St. Paul’s heart. For him the suicide which others would have admired,...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    μηδὲν πράξ. σεαυτῷ κακόν : Blass remarks that the distinction between πράσσειν and ποιεῖν is not always precisely observed in N.T., and takes it as = Attic, μ. ποιησῆς. πράσσειν is not found in St. Ma...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    SALVATION IN THE JAIL Acts 16:25 Some, as we have seen, are converted by the gentle opening of the heart; others amid the convulsions of the storm. The first knowledge of salvation may have reached t...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    Here begins the account of Pads second journey. At Lystra he found Timothy. His action in the circumcision of Timothy is startling in view of the recent decision of the council. Some charge him with i...

  • Gary Hampton Commentaries

    The Conversion of the Jailor At midnight, while the other prisoners listened to Paul and Silas singing and praying, a great earthquake shook open all the prison doors and released all those bound in...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    (17) But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. (17) In means which are especially extraordinary, we should not move our foot forward, unless God goes before u...

  • Godbey's Commentary on the New Testament

    The awakened and panic-stricken jailer, knowing that cruel Roman law will require his life as substitute for the fugitive prisoner, in the absence of Bible light on suicide, and with the noble example...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. (26) And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and i...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    We now enter on the missionary journeys, as they are called, of the apostle Paul. The work, under the Spirit, opens to the glory of the Lord. Not merely are Gentiles met in grace and brought into the...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    There is perhaps no example of this more remarkable than that which Paul does with regard to Timothy. He uses circumcision in all liberty to set aside Jewish prejudice. It is very doubtful whether, ac...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    BUT PAUL CRIED WITH A LOUD VOICE,.... Knowing by divine revelation, what the jailer was about to do; though being in the innermost prison, in a dark dungeon, he could not see him, unless it can be tho...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. Ver. 28. _But Paul cried with a loud voice, &c._] We should likewise cry _Cave miser, _ beware oh wretch, when we se...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _At midnight Paul and Silas prayed_ Doubtless, for their persecutors as well as for themselves; _and sang praises unto God_ Notwithstanding weariness, hunger, stripes, and blood; _and the prisoners he...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    BUT PAUL CRIED WITH A LOUD VOICE, SAYING, DO THYSELF NO HARM; FOR WE ARE ALL HERE. Peter had calmly slept in prison on the night before his execution was to take place, chap. 12:6. And here these two...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    The earthquake at midnight:...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    Coming to Derbe and Lystra, where he and Barnabas had been persecuted before, Paul was favorably impressed with the young man, Timothy, who had evidently been converted through Paul on his first visit...

  • Manly Luscombe Commentary on New Testament

    BUT PAUL CALLED WITH A LOUD VOICE, SAYING, " DO YOURSELF NO HARM, FOR WE ARE ALL HERE. " 1. Paul intervenes. There is no need for the jailer to kill himself. ALL the prisoners have remained. None hav...

  • Mark Dunagan Commentaries

    "But Paul cried with. loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here" Notice Paul's attitude. This Jailer had inflicted punishment upon them. Other men might have said, "It serves him rig...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    25-34 The consolations of God to his suffering servants are neither few nor small. How much more happy are true Christians than their prosperous enemies! As in the dark, so out of the depths, we may...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    The other prisoners were smitten with amazement; neither did they mind (or it might have been kept from them) that the doors were opened, and their chains loosed: but as for the apostles, the same God...

  • McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries

    28. He had already planted the hilt of his sword upon the floor, and was about to cast himself upon the point of it, when Paul, who must now have left his dungeon, saw what he was doing, and arrested...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Acts 16:28 But G1161 Paul G3972 called G5455 (G5656) loud G3173 voice G5456 saying G3004 (G5723) Do...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    ‘But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, “Do yourself no harm, for we are all here.” ' Paul, seeing him in the light of his glowing lamp, recognised his intention and yelled to him not to harm hims...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    ARREST AND IMPRISONMENT LEAD TO ADDITIONS TO THE CHURCH IN PHILIPPI (16:19-34). But the problem was that what he had done would hit at men's pockets. They did not care about the girl herself, they had...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    MINISTRY IN PHILIPPI FROM THE HOUSE OF LYDIA (16:12B-40). The arrival in Europe was clearly seen by Luke as very important. He illustrates the successful ministry there by a threefold description of P...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    Acts 16:28. WE ARE ALL HERE. The prisoners, we are especially told, had been listening to the sweet, solemn Hebrew hymns of Paul and Silas when the earthquake and its accompanying marvels took place....

  • Robertson's Word Pictures of the New Testament

    DO THYSELF NO HARM (μηδεν πραξηις σεαυτω κακον). The usual construction (μη and the aorist subjunctive) for a prohibition not toBEGIN to do a thing. The older Greek would probably have used ποιηση...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Acts 16:9. _And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us._ Our dreams often follow the leading thoughts of...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Paul finds Timothy. Paul's Macedonian vision. The first convert in Europe. Demons cast out of a damsel. Paul and Silas beaten. Conversion of the Philippian jailer. CHARACTERS: Jesus, Holy S...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Acts 16:1. _Then came he to Lystra,_ as in Acts 14:6. In their former labours in that city, Lois a jewess, her daughter Eunice, and Timothy her son, had embraced the faith. Now, they found Timothy gro...

  • The Bible Study New Testament

    ABOUT MIDNIGHT. Note they were praying and singing in spite of their physical condition and the place where they were! SUDDENLY THERE WAS A VIOLENT EARTHQUAKE. This was God's answer. Compare Acts 4:31...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _And the keeper of the prison … would have killed himself._ SUICIDE Suicide is not to fear death, but yet to be afraid of life. It is a brave act of valour to contemn death; but where life is more t...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    ACTS—NOTE ON ACTS 16:11 Philippi was the first Macedonian city in which Paul witnessed. ⇐ ⇔...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    _CRITICAL REMARKS_ Acts 16:19. THE RULERS, ἄρχοντες, were the town magistrates (Luke 12:58). Acts 16:20. The MAGISTRATES, στρατηγοί, were the two chief civic authorities (dunmviri) in a Roman colony...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION ACTS 16:1 _And he came also _for _then came he, _A.V._ _and T.R.; _to Lystra _for _Lystra, _A.V._; Timothy _for _Timotheus, _A.V._; of a Jewess _for _of a certain woman which was a Jewess,...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    We remember at the end of our study last week there arose a contention between Paul and Barnabas who had been close companions on the first missionary venture of the church. But because Barnabas was i...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Thessalonians 5:15; Ecclesiastes 7:17; Exodus 20:13; Leviticus 19:18;...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    But Paul cried — As they were all then in the dark, it is not easy to say, how Paul knew of the jailer's purpose; unless it were by some immediate notice from God, which is by no means incredible. Wit...

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