Acts 5:23

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.

a. NLT: “The jail was securely locked, with the guards standing outside, but when we opened the gates, no one was there!” [Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.]

b. ASV: Saying, The prison-house we found shut in all safety, and the keepers standing at the doors: but when we had opened, we found no man within. [Thomas Nelson & Sons first published the American Standard Version in 1901. This translation of the Bible is in the public domain.]

c. YLT: Saying -- 'The prison indeed we found shut in all safety, and the keepers standing without before the doors, and having opened -- within we found no one.'  [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]

d. Classic Amplified: We found the prison quite safely locked up and the guards were on duty outside the doors, but when we opened [it], we found no one on the inside. [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

e. Peshitta Eastern Text: Saying, We found the prison carefully locked and also the guards standing at the doors; and we opened them but found no man there. [HOLY BIBLE FROM THE ANCIENT EASTERN TEXT. Copyright  Ⓒ 1933 by A.J. Holmon Co.; copyright  Ⓒ renewed 1968 by A.J. Holmon Co.; All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. HarperCollins Publishers, 195 Broadway, New York, NY 10007.]

1. “Saying, The prison truly found we shut with all safety, and the keepers standing without before the doors…

a. Saying [Strong: 3004. lego leg'-o a primary verb; properly, to "lay" forth, i.e. (figuratively) relate (in words (usually of systematic or set discourse; whereas 2036 and 5346 generally refer to an individual expression or speech respectively; while 4483 is properly to break silence merely, and 2980 means an extended or random harangue)); by implication, to mean:--ask, bid, boast, call, describe, give out, name, put forth, say(-ing, on), shew, speak, tell, utter.]

b. [Strong: 3754. hoti hot'-ee neuter of 3748 as conjunction; demonstrative, that (sometimes redundant); causative, because:--as concerning that, as though, because (that), for (that), how (that), (in) that, though, why.]

c. The [Strong: 3588. [to] ὁ ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.] [Thayer: [to] ὁ, ἡ, τό, originally τος, τῇ, τό (as is evident from the forms τοι, ται for οἱ, αἱ in Homer and the Ionic writings), corresponds to our definite article the (German der, die, das), which is properly a demonstrative pronoun, which we see in its full force in Homer, and of which we find certain indubitable traces also in all kinds of Greek prose, and hence also in the N. T.] [Additional variants: tē, hoi, oi, tēn, ta, tēs, tois, tais, tō, tōn, tou, hé, ‘Hē  hē, hai, tas.]

d. prison [Strong: 1201. desmoterion des-mo-tay'-ree-on from a derivative of 1199 (equivalent to 1196); a place of bondage, i.e. a dungeon:--prison.]

e. truly [Strong: 3303. men men a primary particle; properly, indicative of affirmation or concession (in fact); usually followed by a contrasted clause with 1161 (this one, the former, etc.):--even, indeed, so, some, truly, verily. Often compounded with other particles in an intensive or asseverative sense.]

f. found [we] [Strong: 2147. heurisko hyoo-ris'-ko, a prolonged form of a primary heuro hyoo'-ro, which (together with another cognate form) heureo hyoo-reh'-o is used for it in all the tenses except the present and imperfect to find (literally or figuratively):--find, get, obtain, perceive, see.]

g. shut [Strong: 2808. kleio kli'-o a primary verb; to close (literally or figuratively):--shut (up).]

h. with [Strong: 1722. en en a primary preposition denoting (fixed) position (in place, time or state), and (by implication) instrumentality (medially or constructively), i.e. a relation of rest (intermediate between 1519 and 1537); "in," at, (up-)on, by, etc.:--about, after, against, + almost, X altogether, among, X as, at, before, between, (here-)by (+ all means), for (... sake of), + give self wholly to, (here-)in(-to, -wardly), X mightily, (because) of, (up-)on, (open-)ly, X outwardly, one, X quickly, X shortly, (speedi-)ly, X that, X there(-in, -on), through(-out), (un-)to(-ward), under, when, where(-with), while, with(-in). Often used in compounds, with substantially the same import; rarely with verbs of motion, and then not to indicate direction, except (elliptically) by a separate (and different) preposition.]

i. all [Strong: 3956. pas pas including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole:--all (manner of, means), alway(-s), any (one), X daily, + ever, every (one, way), as many as, + no(-thing), X thoroughly, whatsoever, whole, whosoever.]

j. safety [Strong: 803. asphaleia as-fal'-i-ah from 804; security (literally or figuratively):--certainty, safety.]

k. and [Strong: 2532. kai kahee apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.]

l. the [Strong: 3588. [tous] ὁ ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.] [Thayer: [tous] ὁ, ἡ, τό, originally τος, τῇ, τό (as is evident from the forms τοι, ται for οἱ, αἱ in Homer and the Ionic writings), corresponds to our definite article the (German der, die, das), which is properly a demonstrative pronoun, which we see in its full force in Homer, and of which we find certain indubitable traces also in all kinds of Greek prose, and hence also in the N. T.] [Additional variants: tē, hoi, oi, tēn, ta, tēs, tois, tais, tō, tōn, tou, hé, ‘Hē  hē, hai, tas.]

m. keepers [Strong: 5441. phulax foo'-lax from 5442; a watcher or sentry:--keeper.]

n. standing [Strong: 2476. histemi his'-tay-mee a prolonged form of a primary stao stah'-o (of the same meaning, and used for it in certain tenses); to stand (transitively or intransitively), used in various applications (literally or figuratively):--abide, appoint, bring, continue, covenant, establish, hold up, lay, present, set (up), stanch, stand (by, forth, still, up).]

o. without [Strong: 1854. exo ex'-o adverb from 1537; out(-side, of doors), literally or figuratively:--away, forth, (with-)out (of, -ward), strange.]

p. before [Strong: 4253. pro pro a primary preposition; "fore", i.e. in front of, prior (figuratively, superior) to:--above, ago, before, or ever. In the comparative, it retains the same significations.]

q. the [Strong: 3588. [tōn] ὁ ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.] [Thayer: [tōn] ὁ, ἡ, τό, originally τος, τῇ, τό (as is evident from the forms τοι, ται for οἱ, αἱ in Homer and the Ionic writings), corresponds to our definite article the (German der, die, das), which is properly a demonstrative pronoun, which we see in its full force in Homer, and of which we find certain indubitable traces also in all kinds of Greek prose, and hence also in the N. T.] [Additional variants: tē, hoi, oi, tēn, ta, tēs, tois, tais, tō, tōn, tou, hé, ‘Hē  hē, hai, tas.]

r. doors [Strong: 2374. thura thoo'-rah apparently a primary word (compare "door"); a portal or entrance (the opening or the closure, literally or figuratively):--door, gate.]

2. “...but when we had opened, we found no man within.”

a. but [Strong: 1161. de deh a primary particle (adversative or continuative); but, and, etc.:--also, and, but, moreover, now (often unexpressed in English).]

b. [when we had] opened [Strong: 455. anoigo an-oy'-go from 303 and oigo (to open); to open up (literally or figuratively, in various applications):--open.]

c. [we] found [Strong: 2147. heurisko hyoo-ris'-ko, a prolonged form of a primary heuro hyoo'-ro, which (together with another cognate form) heureo hyoo-reh'-o is used for it in all the tenses except the present and imperfect to find (literally or figuratively):--find, get, obtain, perceive, see.]

d. no man [Strong: 3762. oudeis oo-dice', including feminine oudemia oo-dem-ee'-ah, and neuter ouden oo-den' from 3761 and 1520; not even one (man, woman or thing), i.e. none, nobody, nothing:--any (man), aught, man, neither any (thing), never (man), no (man), none (+ of these things), not (any, at all, -thing), nought.]

e. within [Strong: 2080. eso es'-o from 1519; inside (as preposition or adjective):-- (with-)in(-ner, -to, -ward).]

1). Looking at the text it reveals that the angel opened the doors to the prison and they walked out and the next day those who were sent to bring the apostles into the court said that the guards were standing outside the doors which were shut. It means that the apostles walked right past the guards and were not seen.

a). Acts 5:17-23 Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him, (which is the sect of the Sadducees,) and were filled with indignation,

5:18 And laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison.

5:19 But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said,

5:20 Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.

5:21 And when they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning, and taught. But the high priest came, and they that were with him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.

5:22 But when the officers came, and found them not in the prison, they returned and told,

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.