Acts 16:36 (ASV)

Passage

And the jailor reported the words to Paul, [saying], The magistrates have sent to let you go: now therefore come forth, and go in peace.

Nearby Context

Acts 16:34 And he brought them up into his house, and set food before them, and rejoiced greatly, with all his house, having believed in God.

Acts 16:35 But when it was day, the magistrates sent the sergeants, saying, Let those men go.

Acts 16:36 And the jailor reported the words to Paul, [saying], The magistrates have sent to let you go: now therefore come forth, and go in peace.

Acts 16:37 But Paul said unto them, They have beaten us publicly, uncondemned, men that are Romans, and have cast us into prison; and do they now cast us out privily? Nay verily; but let them come themselves and bring us out.

Acts 16:38 And the sergeants reported these words unto the magistrates: and they feared when they heard that they were Romans;

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "jailor", "reported", "words", "paul", "saying", "magistrates", "sent", and "therefore". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "jailor" and "reported", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 35's "But when it was day the magistrates..." into verse 37's "But Paul said unto them They have...", so "jailor" and "reported" belong inside that flow. In Acts context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "jailor" and "reported" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.