Acts 16:30
New International Version
He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

New Living Translation
Then he brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

English Standard Version
Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

Berean Standard Bible
Then he brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

Berean Literal Bible
And having brought them out, he was saying, "Sirs, what is necessary of me to do, that I may be saved?"

King James Bible
And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

New King James Version
And he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

New American Standard Bible
and after he brought them out, he said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

NASB 1995
and after he brought them out, he said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

NASB 1977
and after he brought them out, he said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

Legacy Standard Bible
and after he brought them out, he said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

Amplified Bible
and after he brought them out [of the inner prison], he said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

Christian Standard Bible
He escorted them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved? ”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then he escorted them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

American Standard Version
and brought them out and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

Contemporary English Version
After he had led them out of the jail, he asked, "What must I do to be saved?"

English Revised Version
And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Then he took Paul and Silas outside and asked, "Sirs, what do I have to do to be saved?"

Good News Translation
Then he led them out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"

International Standard Version
he took them outside and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"

Majority Standard Bible
Then he brought them out and asked, ?Sirs, what must I do to be saved??

NET Bible
Then he brought them outside and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"

New Heart English Bible
and brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"

Webster's Bible Translation
And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

Weymouth New Testament
and, bringing them out of the prison, he exclaimed, "O sirs, what must I do to be saved?"

World English Bible
brought them out, and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and having brought them forth, said, “Lords, what must I do that I may be saved?”

Berean Literal Bible
And having brought them out, he was saying, "Sirs, what is necessary of me to do, that I may be saved?"

Young's Literal Translation
and having brought them forth, said, 'Sirs, what must I do -- that I may be saved?'

Smith's Literal Translation
And bringing them out, he said, Lords, what must I do that I might be saved.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And bringing them out, he said: Masters, what must I do, that I may be saved?

Catholic Public Domain Version
And bringing them outside, he said, “Sirs, what must I do, so that I may be saved?”

New American Bible
Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

New Revised Standard Version
Then he brought them outside and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And he brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And he brought them outside and he said to them, “Sirs, what must I do so that I may live?”
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
and, having brought them out, he said: Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

Godbey New Testament
and leading them out said, Sirs, what does it behoove me to do in order that I may be saved?

Haweis New Testament
and having first brought them out, said, Sirs! what must I do to be saved?

Mace New Testament
and bringing them out, he said, sirs, what must I do to be saved?

Weymouth New Testament
and, bringing them out of the prison, he exclaimed, "O sirs, what must I do to be saved?"

Worrell New Testament
and, having brought them out, he said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"

Worsley New Testament
and bringing them out, he said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Conversion of the Jailer
29Calling for lights, the jailer rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30Then he brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, you and your household.”…

Cross References
John 3:16
For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Romans 10:9-10
that if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. / For with your heart you believe and are justified, and with your mouth you confess and are saved.

Ephesians 2:8-9
For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, / not by works, so that no one can boast.

John 6:28-29
Then they inquired, “What must we do to perform the works of God?” / Jesus replied, “The work of God is this: to believe in the One He has sent.”

Romans 1:16
I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, then to the Greek.

Mark 16:16
Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

John 14:6
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

Titus 3:5
He saved us, not by the righteous deeds we had done, but according to His mercy, through the washing of new birth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.

1 John 5:11-13
And this is that testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. / Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. / I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.

Matthew 19:16-17
Just then a man came up to Jesus and inquired, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to obtain eternal life?” / “Why do you ask Me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.”

Luke 18:18-23
Then a certain ruler asked Him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” / “Why do you call Me good?” Jesus replied. “No one is good except God alone. / You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not bear false witness, honor your father and mother.’” ...

Hebrews 11:6
And without faith it is impossible to please God. For anyone who approaches Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.

Isaiah 45:22
Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other.

Joel 2:32
And everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance, as the LORD has promised, among the remnant called by the LORD.

Isaiah 55:6-7
Seek the LORD while He may be found; call on Him while He is near. / Let the wicked man forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that He may have compassion, and to our God, for He will freely pardon.


Treasury of Scripture

And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

brought.

Acts 16:24
Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.

Job 34:32
That which I see not teach thou me: if I have done iniquity, I will do no more.

Isaiah 1:16,17
Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; …

Sirs.

Acts 14:15
And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein:

what.

Acts 16:17
The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation.

Acts 2:37
Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

Acts 9:6
And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.

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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.














Then he brought them out
This phrase refers to the Philippian jailer who, after a miraculous earthquake, brought Paul and Silas out of their prison cell. The Greek word for "brought" is "προάγω" (proagō), which means to lead forward or bring forth. This action signifies a transition from darkness to light, both physically and spiritually. Historically, Roman jails were dark, oppressive places, and the act of bringing someone out symbolized liberation and a new beginning. Spiritually, this act foreshadows the jailer's own journey from spiritual darkness to the light of salvation.

and asked
The Greek word "ἐρωτάω" (erōtaō) is used here, meaning to ask or inquire. This is not a casual question but a deep, earnest inquiry. The jailer, having witnessed the power of God through the earthquake and the integrity of Paul and Silas, is compelled to seek truth. This reflects a heart that is open and ready to receive divine revelation, a critical step in the process of conversion.

Sirs
The term "κύριοι" (kurioi) is used, which is a respectful address meaning "lords" or "masters." This shows the jailer's recognition of the authority and dignity of Paul and Silas, despite their status as prisoners. It indicates a shift in his perception, acknowledging that these men possess a power and authority beyond the earthly realm.

what must I do
The phrase "τί με δεῖ ποιεῖν" (ti me dei poiein) translates to "what must I do." The word "δεῖ" (dei) implies necessity or obligation. The jailer is not asking for a suggestion but is seeking a definitive course of action. This reflects a heart that is ready to act upon the truth, understanding that salvation requires a response.

to be saved?
The Greek word "σωθῆναι" (sōthēnai) is used here, meaning to be saved or delivered. In the biblical context, salvation encompasses deliverance from sin and its consequences, reconciliation with God, and the promise of eternal life. The jailer's question reveals an awareness of his need for salvation, a recognition that transcends physical safety and touches on the eternal state of his soul. This moment is pivotal, as it encapsulates the essence of the Gospel message: the need for personal salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.

(30) Sirs, what must I do to be saved?--The use of "Sirs" differs from that of Acts 7:26 in having a Greek word, expressive of respect (that used in John 20:15), corresponding to it. We ask what the gaoler meant by the question. Was he thinking of temporal safety from the earthquake, or from punishment; or had there come upon him, in that suicidal agony, the sense of an inward misery and shame, a "horror of great darkness" from which he sought deliverance? The latter seems every way most probable. It must be remembered that the very circumstances which had brought St. Paul to the prison had pointed him out as "proclaiming the way of salvation" (Acts 16:17). The witness of the demoniac girl was thus not altogether fruitless.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
Then
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

he brought
προαγαγὼν (proagagōn)
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 4254: From pro and ago; to lead forward; intransitively, to precede (participle, previous).

them
αὐτοὺς (autous)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

out
ἔξω (exō)
Adverb
Strong's 1854: Without, outside. Adverb from ek; out(-side, of doors), literally or figuratively.

[and] asked,
ἔφη (ephē)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 5346: To say, declare. Properly, the same as the base of phos and phaino; to show or make known one's thoughts, i.e. Speak or say.

“Sirs,
Κύριοι (Kyrioi)
Noun - Vocative Masculine Plural
Strong's 2962: Lord, master, sir; the Lord. From kuros; supreme in authority, i.e. controller; by implication, Master.

what
τί (ti)
Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 5101: Who, which, what, why. Probably emphatic of tis; an interrogative pronoun, who, which or what.

must
δεῖ (dei)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1163: Third person singular active present of deo; also deon deh-on'; neuter active participle of the same; both used impersonally; it is Necessary.

I
με (me)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.

do
ποιεῖν (poiein)
Verb - Present Infinitive Active
Strong's 4160: (a) I make, manufacture, construct, (b) I do, act, cause. Apparently a prolonged form of an obsolete primary; to make or do.

to
ἵνα (hina)
Conjunction
Strong's 2443: In order that, so that. Probably from the same as the former part of heautou; in order that.

be saved?”
σωθῶ (sōthō)
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Passive - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 4982: To save, heal, preserve, rescue. From a primary sos; to save, i.e. Deliver or protect.


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NT Apostles: Acts 16:30 And brought them out and said Sirs (Acts of the Apostles Ac)
Acts 16:29
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