The Meaning of Acts 16:29 Explained

Acts 16:29

KJV: Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas,

YLT: And, having asked for a light, he sprang in, and trembling he fell down before Paul and Silas,

Darby: And having asked for lights, he rushed in, and, trembling, fell down before Paul and Silas.

ASV: And he called for lights and sprang in, and, trembling for fear, fell down before Paul and Silas,

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Then  he called  for a light,  and sprang in,  and  came  trembling,  and fell down before  Paul  and  Silas, 

What does Acts 16:29 Mean?

Context Summary

Acts 16:25-40 - Salvation In The Jail
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 the heart of the jailer through the saving of the possessed girl, Acts 16:17. If only the heart is right with Christ, it can sing in the darkest night; and the impression of those holy songs must have wrought still further upon the conscience of this rough Roman official, who had treated his prisoners with uncommon severity, Acts 16:24. The inner prison! Perhaps some of our readers have been in it! They have come to an end of themselves and their feet are fastened!
But God has His own way of deliverance and never forsakes His own. Art thou in the stocks today? Then pray and sing praises! Choose, for instance, Psalms 103:1-22. God will be thy very present help. Thou shalt win thy jailer, and become a monument of God's saving mercy. There is no course for the convicted sinner but to trust in the salvation wrought upon the Cross; or still better, in Him who wrought it.
Paul was perfectly justified in insisting upon his civil rights when he had the opportunity, Acts 16:37. It made the way easier for his new converts. [source]

Chapter Summary: Acts 16

1  Paul and Silas are Joined by Timothy,
7  and being called by the Spirit from one country to another,
14  convert Lydia,
16  and cast out a spirit of divination;
19  for which cause they are whipped and imprisoned
25  The prison doors are opened
31  The jailor is converted,
35  and they are delivered

Greek Commentary for Acts 16:29

Trembling for fear [εντρομος γενομενος]
“Becoming terrified.” The adjective εντρομος — entromos (in terror) occurs in N.T. only here and Acts 7:32; Hebrews 12:21. [source]
Fell down [προσεπεσεν]
Second aorist active indicative of προσπιπτω — prospiptō old verb. An act of worship as Cornelius before Peter (Acts 10:25), when προσεκυνησεν — prosekunēsen is used. [source]
A light [φῶτα]
Rev., more correctly, lights. Several lamps, in order to search everywhere. [source]
Sprang in []
See on ran in, Acts 14:14. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Acts 16:29

Hebrews 12:21 The sight [τὸ φανταζόμενον]
N.T.olxx, Wisd. 6:16; Mark href="/desk/?q=mr+9:6&sr=1">Mark 9:6. Comp. lxx, Deuteronomy 9:19. Ἔντρομος , only Acts 7:32; Acts 16:29. Rare in lxx. [source]
Hebrews 12:21 The sight [τὸ φανταζόμενον]
N.T.olxx, Wisd. 6:16; Mark href="/desk/?q=mr+9:6&sr=1">Mark 9:6. Comp. lxx, Deuteronomy 9:19. Ἔντρομος , only Acts 7:32; Acts 16:29. Rare in lxx. [source]

What do the individual words in Acts 16:29 mean?

Having called for now lights he rushed in and terrified having become he fell down before - Paul - Silas
Αἰτήσας δὲ φῶτα εἰσεπήδησεν καὶ ἔντρομος γενόμενος προσέπεσεν τῷ Παύλῳ ‹τῷ› Σιλᾷ

Αἰτήσας  Having  called  for 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: αἰτέω  
Sense: to ask, beg, call for, crave, desire, require.
δὲ  now 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: δέ  
Sense: but, moreover, and, etc.
φῶτα  lights 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: φῶς  
Sense: light.
εἰσεπήδησεν  he  rushed  in 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: εἰσπηδάω 
Sense: to spring in, to rush in impetuously.
ἔντρομος  terrified 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ἔκτρομος 
Sense: trembling, terrified.
γενόμενος  having  become 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Middle, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: γίνομαι  
Sense: to become, i.
προσέπεσεν  he  fell  down  before 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: προσπίπτω  
Sense: to fall forwards, fall down, prostrate one’s self before, in homage or supplication: at one’s feet.
τῷ  - 
Parse: Article, Dative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Παύλῳ  Paul 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: Παῦλος  
Sense: Paul was the most famous of the apostles and wrote a good part of the NT, the 4 Pauline epistles.
‹τῷ›  - 
Parse: Article, Dative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Σιλᾷ  Silas 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: Σίλας  
Sense: a Roman citizen, the companion of the apostle Paul on several of his missionary journeys.