What Does Acts 16:30 Mean in the King James?
And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The jailer asks how he can be brought out just after he has brought the prisoners out.
THE MEANING
You can bring someone else out of danger and still recognize your own need to be brought out. “Saved” carries the sense of deliverance and being brought safely through. Rescue becomes personal: not only what happens before your eyes, but what can happen to you.
THE ROOT
σωθῶ
sōthō
GROWS FROM
σωζ-
sōz-
Rescue, deliver, bring safely through.
“saved” in this verse is sōthō. The Greek verb is passive here: the question is about being delivered. The word holds the force of rescue, and the verse places it beside an actual leading out of danger.
ALSO GROWS
sōtēria: Deliverance; being brought to safety.
σωτηρία
This noun shares the verb’s rescue sense and makes deliverance more than a label: it is being brought through danger.
sōtēr: Deliverer; one who brings to safety.
σωτήρ
This branch names the one who brings another through danger, the person the jailer is asking about.
προαγαγὼν αὐτοὺς ἔξω
proagagōn autous exō
GROWS FROM
ἀγ- (ag-, in ἄγω / agō)
Lead or bring; here, lead them forward outside.
“brought them out” in this verse is proagagōn autous exō. The phrase means “having led them forward outside.” The jailer performs this movement for the prisoners, then asks whether he too can be led out.
ALSO GROWS
exagō: Lead out, bring forth.
ἐξάγω
This compound uses the same “lead” root to name movement from inside to outside, echoing the action in the verse.
prosagō: Bring near, lead toward.
προσάγω
This branch shows the root can also describe movement toward someone or something, giving “being led” a direction.
THE PATTERN
Deliverance appears as being brought out of a constricting condition into freedom and safety.
He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder.If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.THE THREAD
And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.Both verses use the Greek verb σώζω (sōzō, deliver), linking the jailer’s question to the reply. Verse 31 names trust in the Lord Jesus as the response to his question about deliverance.
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