{Into the inner prison} (eis t(886e) es(9374)eran phulak(886e)). The
comparative form from the adverb es(935c) (within), Ionic and old
Attic for eis(935c). In the LXX, but in the N.T. only here and  Heb
6:19 . The Roman public prisons had a vestibule and outer prison
and behind this the inner prison, a veritable dungeon with no
light or air save what came through the door when open. One has
only to picture modern cells in our jails, the dungeons in feudal
castles, London prisons before the time of Howard, to appreciate
the horrors of an inner prison cell in a Roman provincial town of
the first century A.D. {Made their feet fast} (	ous podas
(8873)phalisato aut(936e)). First aorist (effective) middle of
asphaliz(935c), from asphal(8873) (safe), common verb in late Greek,
in the N.T. only here and  Mt 24:64ff . The inner prison was safe
enough without this refinement of cruelty. {In the stocks} (eis
to xulon). Xulon, from xu(935c), to scrape or plane, is used for
a piece of wood whether a cross or gibbet ( Ac 5:30  10:39  13:29  Ga 3:13  1Pe 2:24 ) or a log or timber with five holes
(four for the wrists and ankles and one for the neck) or two for
the feet as here, xuloped(885c), Latin _vervus_, to shackle the feet
stretched apart ( Job 33:11 ). This torment was practiced in
Sparta, Athens, Rome, and Adonirom Judson suffered it in Burmah.
Xulon is also used in the N.T. for stick or staff ( Mt 26:47 )
and even a tree ( Lu 23:31 ). Tertullian said of Christians in
the stocks: _Nihil crus sentit in vervo, quum animus in caelo
est_ (Nothing the limb feels in the stocks when the mind is in
heaven).