The commentaries of M. John Calvin upon the Acts of the Apostles, faithfully translated…The commentaries of M. Iohn Caluin vpon the Actes of the Apostles, faithfully translated…

35 And when it was day, the magistrates sent the apparitors, saying, Let these men go. 36 And the keeper of the prison told these words to Paul, The magistrates have sent to loose you. Now therefore going out, depart in peace. 37 And Paul said to them, After that they have beaten us openly before our cause was known, seeing that we be Romans, they have cast us into prison: & now they cast us out privily? No surely: but let them come themselves & fetch us out. ⟨p. 405⟩38 And the apparitors told these words to the magistrates: who feared after that they heard that they were Romans. 39 And they came and besought them: and when they had brought them out, they requested them that they would depart out of the city. 40 And coming out of the prison, they entered in unto Lydia, & when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them, and departed.

35 And when it was day, the magistrates sent the apparitors, saying, Let these men goe. 36 And the keeper of the prison tolde these woordes to Paule, The magistrates haue sent to loose you. Now therefore going out, depart in peace. 37 And Paul said to them, After that they haue beaten vs openly before our cause was knowen, seeing that we be Romaines, they haue cast vs into prison: & now they cast vs out priuily? No surely: but let them come themselues & fetch vs out. ⟨p. 405⟩38 And the apparitours told these wordes to the magistrates: who feared after that they heard that they were Romanes. 39 And they came and besought them: and when they had brought them out, they requested them that they would depart out of the citie. 40 And comming out of the prison, they entred in vnto Lydia, & when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them, and departed.

35 When it was day. The question is, how it came to pass that the Judges did so suddenly change their purpose. The day before, they had commanded that Paul & Silas should be bound with fetters, as if they meant to punish them cruelly: now they let them go free. At least if they had heard them, it might have bin that the knowledge of the cause had brought them to be more gentle and better minded. But it appeareth that forasmuch as the matter stood as yet still in one state, they were brought unto repentance of their own accord. I answer that there is no other thing here set down, but that which falleth out most commonly, when sedition is once raised. For not only the minds of the common people begin to rage, but also the tempest carrieth away the governors also, no doubt perversely: for we know that of Virgil, And as amidst a mighty route, when discord oft is bred, And baser froward minded men, with furious rage are led, Forthwith flies fire, and stones are flung, madness doth tools supply, Then if on the sudden they, do any one espy, Whom love to common wealth, and just deserts have reverent made, They hush, and eke attentive stand, to hear what will be said: He governs both their will and rage, With words their wrath he doth assuage.