complete verse (Acts 16:26)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 16:26:

  • Uma: “At that time all of a sudden there was unexpectedly a big earthquake, with the result that the foundation-stones of the jail moved/shook. All the doors immediately opened and the chains binding all the prisoners opened/loosened by themselves.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Suddenly there was a very strong earthquake so that the foundation (lit. for-placing-on) of that prison was shaken. Immediately all the doors opened and the chains of all the prisoners dropped off.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And then it suddenly earthquaked very strongly, and the prison was thoroughly shaken, and then and there the doors of the prison came open, and the chains on the prisoners dropped off.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “When that was so, there was right-then a fearful earthquake that severely shook the prison, and the doors all-opened, while the chains that were handcuffed to the various-prisoners abruptly-came-off.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “And then suddenly/unexpectedly the earth quaked strongly. Without anything further, all the supports of that jail swayed, at the same time the doors opened and what was fastening each one came undone.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Acts 16:26

There was a violent earthquake may be rendered in some languages as “the earth shook very much.” In practically all areas there are earthquakes, and some equivalent expression is normally well known. In some instances, however, it is highly idiomatic—for example, “the volcano snored,” “mother earth had a fit,” or “the giant rolled over.”

Shook the prison to its foundations may be rendered as “even shook the foundations of the prison” or “even shook the ground on which the prison was built.”

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on The Acts of the Apostles. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1972. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator’s Notes on Acts 16:26

16:26a–b

Suddenly a strong earthquake shook the foundations of the prison: This clause indicates that the earth shook greatly and this caused the foundation stones to move about. But the prison building did not fall down. Other ways to translate this clause are:

there came a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison house were shaken (New American Standard Bible)
-or-
there was an earthquake, so violent that the foundations of the prison were shaken (New Revised Standard Version)
-or-
an earthquake occurred and it shook so much that the foundation stones of the prison moved about

16:26a

a strong earthquake: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as strong is literally “big.” It indicates that the earth shook very much. For example:

a great earthquake (Revised Standard Version)

earthquake: Some languages do not have a word for earthquake. If that is true in your language, describe the event. For example:

the ground/earth shook

16:26b

the foundations of the prison: This refers to stones sunk into the ground that supported the walls. The stones were shaped so that they fit tightly together. This phrase probably implies that the whole prison shook.

In some places people do not bury large stones to support the walls. If that is true in your area, you may want to:

• Describe it. For example:

the ⌊cut/dressed⌋ stones that supported the walls of the prison
-or-
the stone blocks under the walls of the prison
-or-
the prison stone floor of huge blocks

• Refer to the whole building. For example:

the whole prison, ⌊bottom to top⌋

You may then want to indicate the literal words in a footnote. An example footnote is:

Literally “the foundations of the prison.”

• Use the common language word for foundations. You may then want to indicate how the Greeks built stone houses in a footnote. An example footnote is:

The Greeks laid their foundation stones side-by-side in the ground so that the walls began at the level of the ground. These stones then were also the floor inside.

16:26c

At once all the doors flew open: The doors opened and the chains loosened during the earthquake. The Contemporary English Version allows the context to indicate that and omits the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as At once:

The doors opened…

all the doors flew open: This clause in Greek is literally “all the doors opened immediately.” The earthquake caused the doors to open. The doors probably opened quickly and forcefully. So the Berean Standard Bible uses the verb flew as a figure of speech to indicate that. Other ways to translate this clause are:

the doors burst open (Revised English Bible)
-or-
all the doors of the jail broke open (New Century Version)

everyone’s chains came loose: This clause may refer to:

(a) The chains coming loose from the walls where they were attached. The chains and stocks were still attached to the arms and legs of the prisoners.

(b) The fetters on the arms and the stocks on the legs came apart. The prisoners no longer had chains attached to them.

(c) Both the chains came loose from the wall and the fetters and stocks came apart.

It is not clear what happened. An earthquake could cause the stones in the wall to move and loosen the spikes holding the chains to the wall, which would indicate (a). An earthquake would probably not cause (b). The jailer assumed the prisoners had escaped quickly in 16:27, which would make (b) or (c) more likely. (Prisoners could still run quickly with chains on their arms, but prisoners with their legs still in stocks would have difficulty moving.) But the jailer had not looked to see what had actually happened yet. God could have done any of these options. If possible translate in a way that allows any of these options. For example:

all the prisoners’ chains came loose (God’s Word)

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