And the soldiers’ counsel was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim out, and escape.
The soldiers were planning to kill all the prisoners because they were worried some of them might swim away and escape during the chaos.
When things got messy, the soldiers' solution was to eliminate the prisoners rather than risk them getting away.
📚 Historical Context
In the Book of Acts, the apostle Paul is being transported as a prisoner to Rome aboard a ship, along with other prisoners, during a perilous journey across the Mediterranean Sea. A violent storm arises, putting the ship in danger of breaking apart on the shores of Malta, and the Roman soldiers guarding the prisoners become fearful that some might escape by swimming to safety. To fulfill their duty and avoid punishment, the soldiers propose killing all the prisoners as a precautionary measure.
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