Acts 5 22

Acts 5:22 kjv

But when the officers came, and found them not in the prison, they returned and told,

Acts 5:22 nkjv

But when the officers came and did not find them in the prison, they returned and reported,

Acts 5:22 niv

But on arriving at the jail, the officers did not find them there. So they went back and reported,

Acts 5:22 esv

But when the officers came, they did not find them in the prison, so they returned and reported,

Acts 5:22 nlt

But when the Temple guards went to the jail, the men were gone. So they returned to the council and reported,

Acts 5 verses

Acts 5 22 Meaning

Acts 5:22 details the moment when the temple officers, sent by the Sanhedrin to retrieve the apostles from prison, returned empty-handed. They did not find the apostles locked up as expected. This verse encapsulates a pivotal moment where human authority and security measures are completely overridden by divine intervention, setting the stage for the Sanhedrin's shock and dilemma upon hearing the report. It underscores the inability of human institutions to thwart God's sovereign plan and the progress of the Gospel.

Acts 5 22 Context

Acts 5:22 is situated amidst a heightened conflict between the rapidly growing early church and the established Jewish religious authorities, particularly the Sadducees, who were fueled by jealousy (Acts 5:17). The apostles had been performing many signs and wonders, and the sick were being healed and demon-possessed delivered by their shadow passing over them (Acts 5:12-16), drawing large crowds. This widespread impact directly challenged the authority and doctrines of the Sadducees, who denied the resurrection of the dead and the existence of angels and spirits.

In the immediate context (Acts 5:17-18), the high priest and the Sadducees arrested the apostles and placed them in the common prison. However, an angel of the Lord supernaturally opened the prison doors by night and led them out, instructing them to return to the temple and preach the full message of life (Acts 5:19-20). In stark obedience to God's command, the apostles entered the temple at daybreak and began teaching (Acts 5:21a). Unaware of this divine intervention, the high priest and the Sanhedrin assembled and sent officers to the prison to bring the apostles for questioning (Acts 5:21b-c). Verse 22 then captures the astonishing discovery of the empty prison, a direct divine rebuke to their attempt to silence the Gospel, further deepening the mystery and dilemma for the authorities in the verses that follow (Acts 5:23-26). Historically and culturally, this event demonstrated God's direct involvement against the Sadducees' theological positions that denied divine, angelic, or resurrected activities.

Acts 5 22 Word analysis

• But (δὲ - de): This Greek particle functions as a transition or conjunction, often indicating a mild contrast or continuation. Here, it signals a shift from the Sanhedrin sending officers to the officers' arrival and the surprising outcome, marking the turning point in their mission.
• when the officers (οἱ ὑπηρέται - hoi hypēretai): The term hypēretai (from hypo, "under," and eresso, "to row") literally means "under-rowers" or "servants." In this context, it refers to the temple police or attendants, subordinates to the Sanhedrin, dispatched to execute their orders. They represent the human instrument of the authorities.
• came (ἐλθόντες - elthontes): An aorist participle of erchomai (to come). It signifies the action of their arrival at the prison to carry out the Sanhedrin's command. Their coming highlights the initiation of a routine procedure that will unexpectedly lead to a supernatural revelation.
• and did not find (οὐχ εὗρον - ouch heuron): Ouch (not) is a strong negation in Greek, emphatically stating a factual non-occurrence. Heuron (from heuriskō, to find) signifies the act of discovery or locating something. The combination powerfully conveys the utter absence of the prisoners despite the secure environment, directly opposing their expectations. This is the central, shocking revelation of the verse.
• them (αὐτούς - autous): Refers directly to the apostles (Peter and the others), the designated prisoners whose disappearance causes such bewilderment.
• in the prison (ἐν τῇ φυλακῇ - en tē phylakē): Phylakē (prison/guardhouse/watch) indicates the place of custody or detention. Its mention emphasizes that the apostles were supposedly securely held, making their absence all the more inexplicable and miraculous. The prison walls, symbolizing human confinement, were no match for God's power.
• they returned (ἀναστρέψαντες - anastrepsantes): From anastrephō (to turn back, return, turn around). This action signifies the reversal of their mission's purpose. They were sent to fetch, but had to come back without the designated persons, their objective unfulfilled.
• and reported (ἀπήγγειλαν - apēngeilan): From apangellō (to report, announce, bring tidings). This verb indicates the official act of relaying information back to the sender. It implies the delivery of astonishing news that defies human logic and security.
• saying (λέγοντες - legontes): A present participle indicating that the following statement is the content of their report, a direct quotation of their astonishing findings to the Sanhedrin.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "But when the officers came and did not find them in the prison": This phrase delivers the core information of the verse, highlighting the unexpected and impossible situation. The Sanhedrin's human plan to contain the apostles, executed by their officers, has failed decisively due to divine intervention. The "not finding them" emphasizes the emptiness and the supernatural element, challenging the very premises of the Sadducees who denied angels and resurrections. This scene mirrors the guards at the empty tomb of Jesus (Matt 28), where human security could not contain divine power.
• "they returned and reported, saying": This phrase highlights the dutiful nature of the officers even in the face of bewilderment. They completed their immediate task of observation and were now ready to deliver the unpalatable and utterly baffling news to their superiors. Their report, though factual, introduces a crisis of understanding for the Sanhedrin, underscoring the undeniable nature of the event—it was an official discovery, not a rumor.

Acts 5 22 Bonus section

• The surprise and frustration conveyed by the empty prison underscore a common theme in Acts: the inability of the Sanhedrin, with all its religious and civil authority, to halt the progress of the Gospel. Every attempt they make to suppress it ironically contributes to its spread and the demonstration of divine power.
• The meticulous detailing of the security measures ("the prison was shut safe, and the guards standing at the doors" - Acts 5:23) contrasts sharply with the emptiness within. This detail is crucial in emphasizing that the escape was not humanly possible; it leaves no room for doubt that a supernatural event occurred.
• The fact that the officers themselves return and report this shocking discovery adds credibility and gravity to the event. It was not a partisan report from believers but an official, reluctant admission from those tasked to oppose the movement. This makes the miracle undeniable to the authorities, forcing them to reckon with divine power rather than human deceit.
• The immediate aftermath of this report is a state of perplexity and questioning among the Sanhedrin, further demonstrating their confusion and lack of control in the face of God's active involvement.

Acts 5 22 Commentary

Acts 5:22 is a concise but potent verse that serves as the immediate climax to the divine deliverance of the apostles from prison. It illustrates the futility of human efforts to suppress God's work when that work is divinely empowered. The officers, dispatched by the powerful Sanhedrin to bring the apostles back, find their mission impossible because God's hand has already intervened.

The simple factual report of "did not find them in the prison" carries immense theological weight. It speaks to God's sovereign power, demonstrating that no human institution, no matter how powerful or well-secured, can thwart His purposes or contain His servants when He wills otherwise. This divine intervention is not merely an act of rescue but a profound statement to the Jewish authorities, particularly the Sadducees, who disbelieved in resurrection and angelic activity. They are confronted with an undeniable miracle that directly contradicts their theological positions, further hardening their hearts against the Gospel.

Moreover, this empty prison echoes the empty tomb of Jesus, signifying God's ability to transcend human control and mortality. The report of the officers initiates a wave of confusion and consternation among the Sanhedrin (Acts 5:23-26), pushing them into a dilemma: how could such an impossibly secure prison be empty, and yet the prisoners are out teaching publicly in the temple? The verse thus perfectly sets the stage for the dramatic confrontation that follows, wherein the apostles reiterate their commitment to obey God over man. It's a vivid reminder that the message of Christ cannot be chained, and God ensures His witnesses are heard.