Prisoners

Passages on this topic

From Nave’s Topical Bible (1896), a historical reference index. The groupings are Nave’s; the verses are shown in the text used across this site.

Joseph

• Genesis 39:20–23 So Joseph’s master took him and had him thrown into the prison where the king’s prisoners were confined. While Joseph was there in the prison, the LORD was with him and extended kindness to him, granting him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. And the warden put all the prisoners under Joseph’s…
• Genesis 40 Some time later, the king’s cupbearer and baker offended their master, the king of Egypt. Pharaoh was angry with his two officers, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker, and imprisoned them in the house of the captain of the guard, the same prison where Joseph was confined. The captain of the gua… (whole chapter)
• Genesis 41:1–44 After two full years had passed, Pharaoh had a dream: He was standing beside the Nile, when seven cows, sleek and well-fed, came up from the river and began to graze among the reeds. After them, seven other cows, sickly and thin, came up from the Nile and stood beside the well-fed cows on the bank…

Jeremiah

• Jeremiah 38:6–28 So they took Jeremiah and dropped him into the cistern of Malchiah, the king’s son, which was in the courtyard of the guard. They lowered Jeremiah with ropes into the cistern, which had no water but only mud, and Jeremiah sank down into the mud. Now Ebed-melech the Cushite, a court official in the…
• Jeremiah 39:14 had Jeremiah brought from the courtyard of the guard, and they turned him over to Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, to take him home. So Jeremiah remained among his own people.

John the Baptist

• Matthew 11:2 Meanwhile John heard in prison about the works of Christ, and he sent his disciples
• Matthew 14:3–12 Now Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because John had been telling him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.” Although Herod wanted to kill John, he was afraid of the people, because they regarded John as a prophet. On…
• Mark 6:17 For Herod himself had ordered that John be arrested and bound and imprisoned, on account of his brother Philip’s wife Herodias, whom Herod had married.
• Luke 3:20 Herod added this to them all: He locked John up in prison.

Jesus

• Matthew 26:47–75 While Jesus was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived, accompanied by a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and elders of the people. Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The One I kiss is the man; arrest Him.” Going directly to Jesus, he s…
• Matthew 27 When morning came, all the chief priests and elders of the people conspired against Jesus to put Him to death. They bound Him, led Him away, and handed Him over to Pilate the governor. When Judas, who had betrayed Him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was filled with remorse and returned the thirty… (whole chapter)
• Mark 14:43–72 While Jesus was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived, accompanied by a crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests, scribes, and elders. Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The One I kiss is the man; arrest Him and lead Him away securely.” Going direct…
• Mark 15 Early in the morning, the chief priests, elders, scribes, and the whole Sanhedrin devised a plan. They bound Jesus, led Him away, and handed Him over to Pilate. So Pilate questioned Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” “You have said so,” Jesus replied. And the chief priests began to accuse Him of… (whole chapter)
• Luke 22:47–71 While He was still speaking, a crowd arrived, led by the man called Judas, one of the Twelve. He approached Jesus to kiss Him. But Jesus asked him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?” Those around Jesus saw what was about to happen and said, “Lord, should we strike with our sword…
• Luke 23 Then the whole council rose and led Jesus away to Pilate. And they began to accuse Him, saying, “We found this man subverting our nation, forbidding payment of taxes to Caesar, and proclaiming Himself to be Christ, a King.” So Pilate asked Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” “You have said so,” Je… (whole chapter)
• John 18:3–40 So Judas brought a band of soldiers and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees. They arrived at the garden carrying lanterns, torches, and weapons. Jesus, knowing all that was coming upon Him, stepped forward and asked them, “Whom are you seeking?” “Jesus of Nazareth,” they answered. Jesus s…
• John 19 Then Pilate took Jesus and had Him flogged. The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns, set it on His head, and dressed Him in a purple robe. And they went up to Him again and again, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and slapping Him in the face. Once again Pilate came out and said to the Jews… (whole chapter)

The apostles

• Acts 5:17–42 Then the high priest and all his associates, who belonged to the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. They went out and arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out, saying, “Go, stan…

Peter

• Acts 12:3–19 And seeing that this pleased the Jews, Herod proceeded to seize Peter during the Feast of Unleavened Bread. He arrested him and put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out to the people after the Passover. So Peter was kept…

Paul

• Acts 16:19–40 When the girl’s owners saw that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them before the authorities in the marketplace. They brought them to the magistrates and said, “These men are Jews and are throwing our city into turmoil by promoting customs that are unlawfu…
• Acts 21:27–40 When the seven days were almost over, some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul at the temple. They stirred up the whole crowd and seized him, crying out, “Men of Israel, help us! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against our people and against our law and against this place. Furth…
• Acts 22 “Brothers and fathers, listen now to my defense before you.” When they heard him speak to them in Hebrew, they became even more quiet. Then Paul declared, “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but raised in this city. I was educated at the feet of Gamaliel in strict conformity to the law of our f… (whole chapter)
• Acts 23 Paul looked directly at the Sanhedrin and said, “Brothers, I have conducted myself before God in all good conscience to this day.” At this, the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near Paul to strike him on the mouth. Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! You sit… (whole chapter)
• Acts 24 Five days later the high priest Ananias came down with some elders and a lawyer named Tertullus, who presented to the governor their case against Paul. When Paul had been called in, Tertullus opened the prosecution: “Because of you, we have enjoyed a lasting peace, and your foresight has brought im… (whole chapter)
• Acts 25 Three days after his arrival in the province, Festus went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem, where the chief priests and Jewish leaders presented their case against Paul. They urged Festus to grant them a concession against Paul by summoning him to Jerusalem, because they were preparing an ambush to ki… (whole chapter)
• Acts 26 Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand and began his defense: “King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate to stand before you today to defend myself against all the accusations of the Jews, especially since you are acquainted with all the… (whole chapter)
• Acts 27 When it was decided that we would sail for Italy, Paul and some other prisoners were handed over to a centurion named Julius, who belonged to the Imperial Regiment. We boarded an Adramyttian ship about to sail for ports along the coast of Asia, and we put out to sea. Aristarchus, a Macedonian from… (whole chapter)
• Acts 28 Once we were safely ashore, we learned that the island was called Malta. The islanders showed us extraordinary kindness. They kindled a fire and welcomed all of us because it was raining and cold. Paul gathered a bundle of sticks, and as he laid them on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fa… (whole chapter)

Silas

• Acts 16:19–40 When the girl’s owners saw that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them before the authorities in the marketplace. They brought them to the magistrates and said, “These men are Jews and are throwing our city into turmoil by promoting customs that are unlawfu…

Required to labor

• Judges 16:21 Then the Philistines seized him, gouged out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, where he was bound with bronze shackles and forced to grind grain in the prison.

Sustained on bread and water of affliction

• 1 Kings 22:27 and tell them that this is what the king says: ‘Put this man in prison and feed him only bread and water until I return safely.’”

In chains

• Acts 12:6 On the night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, with sentries standing guard at the entrance to the prison.

In stocks

• Proverbs 7:22 He follows her on impulse, like an ox going to the slaughter, like a deer bounding into a trap,
• Jeremiah 29:26 ‘The LORD has appointed you priest in place of Jehoiada, to be the chief officer in the house of the LORD, responsible for any madman who acts like a prophet — you must put him in stocks and neck irons.
• Acts 16:24 On receiving this order, he placed them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.

Confined

In the court of the palace

• Jeremiah 32:2 At that time the army of the king of Babylon was besieging Jerusalem, and Jeremiah the prophet was imprisoned in the courtyard of the guard, which was in the palace of the king of Judah.

In the house of the scribe

• Jeremiah 37:15 The officials were angry with Jeremiah, and they beat him and placed him in jail in the house of Jonathan the scribe, for it had been made into a prison.

In the house of the captain of the guard

• Genesis 40:3 and imprisoned them in the house of the captain of the guard, the same prison where Joseph was confined.

Visited by friends

• Matthew 11:2 Meanwhile John heard in prison about the works of Christ, and he sent his disciples
• Acts 24:23 He ordered the centurion to keep Paul under guard, but to allow him some freedom and permit his friends to minister to his needs.

Bound to soldiers

• Acts 12:6–7 On the night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, with sentries standing guard at the entrance to the prison. Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He tapped Peter on the side and woke him up, saying…

Severe hardships of, mitigated

• Jeremiah 37:20–21 But now please listen, O my lord the king. May my petition come before you. Do not send me back to the house of Jonathan the scribe, or I will die there.” So King Zedekiah gave orders for Jeremiah to be placed in the courtyard of the guard and given a loaf of bread daily from the street of the bake…

Cruelty to

• Jeremiah 38:6 So they took Jeremiah and dropped him into the cistern of Malchiah, the king’s son, which was in the courtyard of the guard. They lowered Jeremiah with ropes into the cistern, which had no water but only mud, and Jeremiah sank down into the mud.
• Lamentations 3:53–54 They dropped me alive into a pit and cast stones upon me. The waters flowed over my head, and I thought I was going to die.

See Captive

Guards responsible for

• Acts 12:18–19 At daybreak there was no small commotion among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter. After Herod had searched for him unsuccessfully, he examined the guards and ordered that they be executed. Then he went down from Judea to Caesarea and spent some time there.

Tortured to extort self-incriminating testimony

• Acts 22:24 the commander ordered that Paul be brought into the barracks. He directed that Paul be flogged and interrogated to determine the reason for this outcry against him.

Scourged

• Matthew 27:26 So Pilate released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed Him over to be crucified.
• Mark 15:15 And wishing to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed Him over to be crucified.
• Acts 16:23 And after striking them with many blows, they threw them into prison and ordered the jailer to guard them securely.
• Acts 16:33 At that hour of the night, the jailer took them and washed their wounds. And without delay, he and all his household were baptized.
• 2 Corinthians 6:5 in beatings, imprisonments, and riots; in labor, sleepless nights, and hunger;
• 2 Corinthians 11:23–24 Are they servants of Christ? (I am speaking as if I were out of my mind.) I am so much more: in harder labor, in more imprisonments, in worse beatings, in frequent danger of death. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one.

Permitted to make defense

• Acts 24:10 When the governor motioned for Paul to speak, he began his response: “Knowing that you have been a judge over this nation for many years, I gladly make my defense.
• Acts 25:8 Then Paul made his defense: “I have committed no offense against the law of the Jews or against the temple or against Caesar.”
• Acts 25:16 I told them that it is not the Roman custom to hand a man over before he has had an opportunity to face his accusers and defend himself against their charges.
• Acts 26:1 Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand and began his defense:
• 2 Timothy 4:16 At my first defense, no one stood with me, but everyone deserted me. May it not be charged against them.

Kindness to

By the prison guard to Jeremiah

• Jeremiah 38:7–28 Now Ebed-melech the Cushite, a court official in the royal palace, heard that Jeremiah had been put into the cistern. While the king was sitting at the Gate of Benjamin, Ebed-melech went out from the king’s palace and said to the king, “My lord the king, these men have acted wickedly in all that th…

By the Philippian jailer to Paul

• Acts 16:33 At that hour of the night, the jailer took them and washed their wounds. And without delay, he and all his household were baptized.

By Felix

• Acts 24:23 He ordered the centurion to keep Paul under guard, but to allow him some freedom and permit his friends to minister to his needs.

By Julius, the centurion

• Acts 27:1 When it was decided that we would sail for Italy, Paul and some other prisoners were handed over to a centurion named Julius, who belonged to the Imperial Regiment.
• Acts 27:3 The next day we landed at Sidon, and Julius treated Paul with consideration, allowing him to visit his friends and receive their care.
• Acts 28:16 When we arrived in Rome, Paul was permitted to stay by himself, with a soldier to guard him.
• Acts 28:30–31 Paul stayed there two full years in his own rented house, welcoming all who came to visit him. Boldly and freely he proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ.

To be visited and ministered to

• Matthew 25:35–46 For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you took Me in, I was naked and you clothed Me, I was sick and you looked after Me, I was in prison and you visited Me.’ Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we s…

Released at feasts

• Matthew 27:15–17 Now it was the governor’s custom at the feast to release to the crowd a prisoner of their choosing. At that time they were holding a notorious prisoner named Barabbas. So when the crowd had assembled, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called C…
• Mark 15:6 Now it was Pilate’s custom at the feast to release to the people a prisoner of their choosing.
• Luke 23:17
• John 18:39 But it is your custom that I release to you one prisoner at the Passover. So then, do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?”

Of War

Put to death

• Joshua 10:16–27 Now the five kings had fled and hidden in the cave at Makkedah. And Joshua was informed: “The five kings have been found; they are hiding in the cave at Makkedah.” So Joshua said, “Roll large stones against the mouth of the cave, and post men there to guard them. But you, do not stop there. Pursue…
• 1 Samuel 15:33 But Samuel declared: “As your sword has made women childless, so your mother will be childless among women.” And Samuel hacked Agag to pieces before the LORD at Gilgal.
• 1 Samuel 27:11 David did not leave a man or woman alive to be brought to Gath, for he said, “Otherwise they will report us, saying, ‘This is what David did.’” And this was David’s custom the whole time he lived in Philistine territory.
• 2 Samuel 12:31 David brought out the people who were there and put them to work with saws, iron picks, and axes, and he made them work at the brick kilns. He did the same to all the Ammonite cities. Then David and all his troops returned to Jerusalem.
• 2 Kings 25:7 And they slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes. Then they put out his eyes, bound him with bronze shackles, and took him to Babylon.
• 1 Chronicles 20:3 David brought out the people who were there and put them to work with saws, iron picks, and axes. And he did the same to all the Ammonite cities. Then David and all his troops returned to Jerusalem.
• Hosea 13:16 Samaria will bear her guilt because she has rebelled against her God. They will fall by the sword; their little ones will be dashed to pieces, and their pregnant women ripped open.
• Amos 1:13 This is what the LORD says: “For three transgressions of the Ammonites, even four, I will not revoke My judgment, because they ripped open the pregnant women of Gilead in order to enlarge their territory.
• Lamentations 3:34 To crush underfoot all the prisoners of the land,

By divine command

• Numbers 31:9 The Israelites captured the Midianite women and their children, and they plundered all their herds, flocks, and goods.
• Numbers 31:17 So now, kill all the boys, as well as every woman who has had relations with a man,

Thumbs and toes cut off

• Judges 1:6–7 As Adoni-bezek fled, they pursued him, seized him, and cut off his thumbs and big toes. Then Adoni-bezek said, “Seventy kings with their thumbs and big toes cut off have gathered the scraps under my table. As I have done to them, so God has repaid me.” And they brought him to Jerusalem, where he di…

Blinded

• 2 Kings 25:7 And they slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes. Then they put out his eyes, bound him with bronze shackles, and took him to Babylon.

See Captive

Consolations for

• Psalm 69:33 For the LORD listens to the needy and does not despise His captive people.
• Psalm 79:11 May the groans of the captives reach You; by the strength of Your arm preserve those condemned to death.
• Psalm 102:19–20 For He looked down from the heights of His sanctuary; the LORD gazed out from heaven to earth to hear a prisoner’s groaning, to release those condemned to death,
• Psalm 146:7 He executes justice for the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets the prisoners free,

See Captive

See Imprisonment

Figurative

• Isaiah 61:1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is on Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom to the prisoners,
• Luke 4:18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on Me, because He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to release the oppressed,