Acts 16:24

Into the inner prison

(εις την εσωτεραν φυλακην). The comparative form from the adverb εσω (within), Ionic and old Attic for εισω. In the LXX, but in the N.T. only here and Hebrews 6:19. The Roman public prisons had a vestibule and outer prison and behind this the inner prison, a veritable dungeon with no light or air save what came through the door when open. One has only to picture modern cells in our jails, the dungeons in feudal castles, London prisons before the time of Howard, to appreciate the horrors of an inner prison cell in a Roman provincial town of the first century A.D.Made their feet fast

(τους ποδας ησφαλισατο αυτων). First aorist (effective) middle of ασφαλιζω, from ασφαλης (safe), common verb in late Greek, in the N.T. only here and Matthew 24:64. The inner prison was safe enough without this refinement of cruelty.In the stocks

(εις το ξυλον). Ξυλον, from ξυω, to scrape or plane, is used for a piece of wood whether a cross or gibbet (Acts 5:30; Acts 10:39; Acts 13:29; Galatians 3:13; 1 Peter 2:24) or a log or timber with five holes (four for the wrists and ankles and one for the neck) or two for the feet as here, ξυλοπεδη, Latin vervus, to shackle the feet stretched apart (Job 33:11). This torment was practiced in Sparta, Athens, Rome, and Adonirom Judson suffered it in Burmah. Ξυλον is also used in the N.T. for stick or staff (Matthew 26:47) and even a tree (Luke 23:31). Tertullian said of Christians in the stocks: Nihil crus sentit in vervo, quum animus in caelo est (Nothing the limb feels in the stocks when the mind is in heaven).