Paul
and Silas in Prison
16Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl
who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal
of money for her owners by fortune-telling. 17This girl followed Paul and the
rest of us, shouting, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who
are telling you the way to be saved." 18She kept this up for many days.
Finally Paul became so troubled that he turned around and said to the spirit, "In
the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!" At that moment
the spirit left her.
19When
the owners of the slave girl realized that their hope of making
money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into
the marketplace to face the authorities. 20They brought them before
the magistrates and said, "These men are Jews, and are throwing
our city into an uproar 21by advocating customs unlawful for us
Romans to accept or practice."
22The
crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates
ordered them to be stripped and beaten. 23After they had been severely
flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded
to guard them carefully. 24Upon receiving such orders, he put them
in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.
25About
midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God,
and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26Suddenly there
was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison
were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody's
chains came loose. 27The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison
doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because
he thought the prisoners had escaped. 28But Paul shouted, "Don't
harm yourself! We are all here!"
29The
jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul
and Silas. 30He then brought them out and asked, "Sirs, what
must I do to be saved?"
31They
replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you
and your household." 32Then they spoke the word of the Lord
to him and to all the others in his house. 33At that hour of the
night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately
he and all his family were baptized. 34The jailer brought them
into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy
because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole family.
35When
it was daylight, the magistrates sent their officers to the jailer
with the order: "Release those men." 36The jailer told
Paul, "The magistrates have ordered that you and Silas be
released. Now you can leave. Go in peace."
37But
Paul said to the officers: "They beat us publicly without
a trial, even though we are Roman citizens, and threw us into prison.
And now do they want to get rid of us quietly? No! Let them come
themselves and escort us out."
38The
officers reported this to the magistrates, and when they heard
that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, they were alarmed. 39They
came to appease them and escorted them from the prison, requesting
them to leave the city. 40After Paul and Silas came out of the
prison, they went to Lydia's house, where they met with the brothers
and encouraged them. Then they left.
