What Does Acts 16:39 Mean in the King James?
And they came and besought them, and brought them out, and desired them to depart out of the city.
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 Greek repeats one appeal before and after the escort, so the release comes with continued pressure to leave.
THE MEANING
The authorities come in person, bring you out, and continue urging you to leave the city. The verse holds release and pressure together: you are no longer confined, yet you are still being pressed to depart.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
Being let out does not mean being welcomed to stay; the verse keeps release and the demand to leave side by side.
THE ROOT
παρακαλέω
parakaleō
GROWS FROM
καλέω
Call, summon; παρακαλέω means to urge or make an appeal.
“besought / desired them to depart” in this verse is parakaleō. The Greek repeats παρακαλέω: the officials first appeal to them, then keep urging them after bringing them out. The KJV renders the same word as “besought” and “desired,” hiding one continuous appeal that accompanies the exit.
ALSO GROWS
paraklēsis: appeal, encouragement, consolation
παράκλησις
This related word holds an appeal together with the encouragement or comfort it can carry.
paraklētos: advocate, helper
παράκλητος
This related word shows the same call-root in the role of one who speaks or acts in support.
ἐξάγω
exagō
GROWS FROM
ἄγω
Lead, bring; ἐξάγω means to lead out.
“Brought them out” carries the sense of being led outward, and the same verb appears in the previous verse when Paul demands that the officials come and fetch them out. The root makes their escort the exact response to that demand.
ALSO GROWS
agō: lead, bring
ἄγω
This is the base verb beneath the officials’ act of leading them out.
agōgē: conduct, manner of life
ἀγωγή
The related word extends leading into the course or way a life is led.
THE PATTERN
Confinement gives way when the captive is led outward into open space.
Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise thy name: the righteous shall compass me about; for thou shalt deal bountifully with me.That thou mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Shew yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places.When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him.THE THREAD
But Paul said unto them, They have beaten us openly uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast us into prison; and now do they thrust us out privily? nay verily; but let them come themselves and fetch us out.Paul demands that the officials come and “fetch us out”; verse 39 uses the same Greek verb, ἐξάγω (exagō), when they bring them out. The repeated root makes the escort the direct fulfillment of his demand.
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