Commentaries:
Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)
About midnight (kata de mesonuktion). Middle of the night, old adjective seen already in Mark 13:35; Luke 11:5 which see.
Were praying and singing (proseuxomenoi umnoun). Present middle participle and imperfect active indicative: Praying they were singing (simultaneously, blending together petition and praise). umnew is an old verb from umnov (cf. Isaiah 12:4; Daniel 3:23). Paul and Silas probably used portions of the Psalms (cf. Luke 1:39 f., Luke 1:67 f.; Luke 2:28 f.) with occasional original outbursts of praise.
Were listening to them (ephkrownto autwn). Imperfect middle of epakroaomai. Rare verb to listen with pleasure as to a recitation or music (Page). It was a new experience for the prisoners and wondrously attractive entertainment to them.
Other Robertson's Word Pictures (NT) entries containing Acts 16:25:
Acts 15:22
Philippians 1:4
Colossians 1:24
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