^16:35At daybreak¹²⁸ the magistrates¹²⁹ sent their police officers,¹³⁰ saying, “Release those men.” ^16:36The jailer reported these words to Paul, saying,¹³¹ “The magistrates have sent orders¹³² to release you. So come out now and go in peace.”¹³³

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Footnotes

128 The translation “day is breaking” for ῥμέρα γίνεται (hēmera ginetai) in this verse is given by ῥμέρα 1.a.
129 On the term translated “magistrates,” see στρατηγός 1. These city leaders were properly called duoviri, but were popularly known as praetors (στρατηγοί, stratēgoi). They were the chief officials of Philippi. The text leaves the impression that they came to the decision to release Paul and Silas independently. God was at work everywhere.
130 On the term ῥαβδοῦχος (rhabdouchos) see The term was used of the Roman lictor and roughly corresponds to contemporary English “constable, policeman.”
131 The word “saying” is not in the Greek text, but is implied; it is necessary in English because the content of what the jailer said to Paul and Silas is not the exact message related to him by the police officers, but is a summary with his own additions.
132 The word “orders” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects in Greek were often omitted when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.
133 Grk “So coming out now go in peace.” The participle ἐξελθόντες (exelthontes) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

But when it was day, the magistrates sent the police, saying, “Let those men go.” And the jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, “The magistrates have sent to let you go. Therefore come out now and go in peace.”

NIVNew International Version (2011)

When it was daylight, the magistrates sent their officers to the jailer with the order: “Release those men.” The jailer told Paul, “The magistrates have ordered that you and Silas be released. Now you can leave. Go in peace.”

CSBChristian Standard Bible

When daylight came, the chief magistrates sent the police to say, “Release those men.”

The jailer reported these words to Paul: “The magistrates have sent orders for you to be released. So come out now and go in peace.”

NLTNew Living Translation

The next morning the city officials sent the police to tell the jailer, “Let those men go!” So the jailer told Paul, “The city officials have said you and Silas are free to leave. Go in peace.”

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

And when it was day, the chief magistrates sent the police officers, saying, “Release those men.” And the jailer reported these words to Paul: “The chief magistrates have sent an order that you should be released. So come out now and go in peace!”

KJV 1900King James Version

And when it was day, the magistrates sent the serjeants, saying, Let those men go. And the keeper of the prison told this saying to Paul, The magistrates have sent to let you go: now therefore depart, and go in peace.

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