Topical Encyclopedia The imprisonment of the apostles is a significant theme in the New Testament, illustrating the early church's challenges and the apostles' steadfast faith in the face of persecution. The accounts of their imprisonments highlight the opposition they faced from religious and political authorities and underscore the power of God to deliver and sustain His servants.Acts 4:1-3: The first recorded instance of apostolic imprisonment occurs shortly after Pentecost. Peter and John, having healed a lame man at the temple gate called Beautiful, are arrested by the priests, the captain of the temple guard, and the Sadducees. "While Peter and John were speaking to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple guard, and the Sadducees came up to them, greatly disturbed that they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. They seized Peter and John, and because it was evening, they put them in custody until the next day" (Acts 4:1-3). Acts 5:17-21: The apostles are again imprisoned after performing many signs and wonders among the people. The high priest and his associates, filled with jealousy, arrest the apostles and put them in the public jail. However, an angel of the Lord opens the prison doors during the night and instructs them to continue preaching in the temple courts. "But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out, saying, 'Go, stand in the temple courts and tell the people the full message of this new life.' At daybreak, they entered the temple courts, as they had been told, and began to teach the people" (Acts 5:19-21). Acts 12:1-11: The imprisonment of Peter by King Herod Agrippa I is another notable event. Herod, seeking to persecute the church, arrests Peter during the Feast of Unleavened Bread, intending to bring him to public trial after the Passover. The church earnestly prays for Peter, and an angel of the Lord miraculously frees him from his chains and leads him out of the prison. "Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. 'Quick, get up!' he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists" (Acts 12:7). Acts 16:16-40: Paul and Silas are imprisoned in Philippi after casting a spirit of divination out of a slave girl, which angers her owners. They are beaten and thrown into the inner cell of the prison, their feet fastened in stocks. At midnight, as they pray and sing hymns, a violent earthquake shakes the prison, opening the doors and loosening the chains of all the prisoners. The jailer, fearing the prisoners have escaped, is about to take his own life, but Paul reassures him. This leads to the jailer's conversion and baptism. "About midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose" (Acts 16:25-26). Acts 21:27-36; 23:11: Paul's arrest in Jerusalem marks the beginning of a series of imprisonments that would eventually lead him to Rome. Accused by the Jews of defiling the temple, Paul is seized and beaten by a mob before being taken into custody by Roman soldiers. Despite the trials and tribulations, the Lord stands by Paul, assuring him that he must testify in Rome. "The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, 'Take courage! As you have testified about Me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome'" (Acts 23:11). The imprisonments of the apostles serve as powerful testimonies of their unwavering commitment to the Gospel and the divine intervention that often accompanied their trials. These accounts continue to inspire believers to remain faithful amidst persecution, trusting in God's providence and deliverance. Nave's Topical Index Acts 5:18And laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison. Nave's Topical Index Library The Acts of the Apostles and the Acknowledged Epistles. The Acts of the Apostles The First Successors of the Apostles. Agrippa, who was Also Called Herod, Having Persecuted the Apostles ... Paul's Second Imprisonment, and Martyrdom; Peter, his Epistles ... A Relaton of the Imprisonment of Mr. John Bunyan, Minister of the ... The Acts of the Apostles A Relation of My Imprisonment in the Month of November 1660 The Acts of the Apostles. The Teaching of the Apostles. Resources Summary of the Book of Philippians - Bible Survey | GotQuestions.orgWho was Demas in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org Who was Tychicus in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org Imprisonment: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus |
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