People who have been deprived of their liberty and confined against their will.
People imprisoned out of anger, envy or jealousy
Genesis 37:24; Jeremiah 52:11 See also Genesis 39:19, Genesis 40:3, Genesis 41:14, Genesis 42:16JDG Genesis 16:21, Judges 16:25 2 Kings 17:4 Hoshea, king of Israel; 2 Kings 25:18; 2 Chronicles 28:5, 2 Chronicles 28:17, 2 Chronicles 33:11 Manasseh; Isaiah 14:17, Isaiah 20:4; Habakkuk 1:9
and they took him and threw him into the pit. Now the pit was empty, with no water in it.
Then he put out Zedekiah’s eyes, bound him with bronze shackles, and took him to Babylon, where he kept him in custody until his dying day.
People imprisoned for lawlessness
Ezra 7:26; Matthew 27:16 parallels Mark 15:6–7, Luke 23:19 See also Exodus 12:29; Isaiah 42:22–24
If anyone does not keep the law of your God and the law of the king, let a strict judgment be executed against him, whether death, banishment, confiscation of property, or imprisonment.
At that time they were holding a notorious prisoner named Barabbas.
People imprisoned for their faithfulness to God
Micaiah
1 Kings 22:27 parallel 2 Chronicles 18:26
Hanani, seer to Asa
Jeremiah
Jeremiah 32:2, Jeremiah 33:1, Jeremiah 37:15, Jeremiah 37:18, Jeremiah 37:21, Jeremiah 38:6, Jeremiah 38:9, Jeremiah 39:15
John the Baptist
Matthew 4:12 parallel Mark 1:14; Matthew 11:2, Matthew 14:3 parallel Mark 6:17; Matthew 14:10 parallel Mark 6:27; Luke 3:20
The apostles
Simon Peter
The early Christian believers
Acts 8:3, Acts 9:21, Acts 22:4, Acts 22:19, Acts 26:10; Hebrews 10:34
Paul
Acts 12:4, Acts 22:27, Acts 23:29, Acts 28:17; 2 Corinthians 6:5, 2 Corinthians 11:23; Ephesians 3:1, Ephesians 4:1; Philemon 1:1
Paul and Silas
Aristarchus
Epaphras
The saints of old
Figurative and poetic use of imprisonment
Galatians 3:22–23 See also Psalm 142:7; Isaiah 24:22, Isaiah 42:6–7, Isaiah 42:22; Ezekiel 19:9; Zechariah 9:11–12; Matthew 18:30
But the Scripture pronounces all things confined by sin, so that by faith in Jesus Christ the promise might be given to those who believe. Before this faith came, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until faith should be revealed.
The LORD does not abandon prisoners
Psalm 79:11 See also Genesis 39:21; Psalm 68:6, Psalm 69:33, Psalm 102:20, Psalm 107:10, Psalm 146:7; Isaiah 49:8–9, Isaiah 61:1; Lamentations 3:31–36
May the groans of the captives reach You; by the strength of Your arm preserve those condemned to death.
Christians should show concern for prisoners
Hebrews 13:3 See also Matthew 25:36, Matthew 25:39, Matthew 25:43
Remember those in prison as if you were bound with them, and those who are mistreated as if you were suffering with them.
Related themes
Dictionary of Bible Themes © 1999 Martin Manser, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Bible Aquifer. Formatted for this site, with Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible.