The common prison - The public prison; or the prison for the keeping of common and notorious offenders.

Put them in the common prison - It being too late in the evening to bring them to a hearing. To this verse the Codex Bezae adds, και επορευθη εἱς ἑκαστος εις τα ιδια, And each of them went to his own house.

And laid their hands on the apostles,.... That is, laid hold on them, and took them, and carried them away; at least their servants did so, by their orders:
and put them in the common prison; where malefactors were put; and this both for greater security, and for greater disgrace.

Put them in the common prison. In the city jail, among malefactors. "The 'common prison,' corresponding to our jail, consists of a single room in the governor's cellar, with a floor of earth, and one small window, where all manner of people, from the murderer to the insolent debtor, are promiscuously crowded together. The only furniture consists of a bench, always occupied by the strongest; the rest lie on the floor, or stand. We have visited prisons of this kind where we could only stand a few moments upon the threshold on account of the foul air. The keepers remain outside of the door (Acts 5:23), but the prisoners are not bound.--Van Lenneps.