Atos 16

Prison

16 Now it happened, as we were going to prayer, that a certain slave girl having a spirit of divination met us, who brought considerable profit to her owners by divination. 17 Following Paul and Silas*I follow the best line of transmission in reading ‘Silas’; some 60% of the Greek manuscripts have ‘us’, as in most versions. Luke, who was there, is focusing the account on the two who were put in prison. this girl kept calling out, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to us the way of salvation!"*I find it to be curious that what the demon said was precisely true! So why did that truth not result in many conversions? Presumably because the Holy Spirit did not apply it, coming from a demon. Instead of "to us", perhaps 20% of the Greek manuscripts have ‘to you’ (as in NIV, NASB, LB, TEV, etc.). Did the demon have the girl include herself, or not? 18 She kept this up for many days!*The ‘hour of prayer’ was observed every day by God-fearing Jews. So the apostles would pass at a predictable time each day. So Paul, becoming increasingly annoyed,*But Paul, she was giving you free advertising! Evidently he didn’t want advertising from the enemy, and in this he followed the Lord’s example (Mark 3:11-12). turned and said to the spirit, "I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!" And it came out that very hour.

19 But when her owners saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the market place to the rulers,*This was a put up job. It would take a day or two to make clear that the girl was now useless. The magistrates had probably been getting a ‘cut’. Some rabble had been mobilized to join in—the whole proceeding had been organized in advance. They figured they could beat up on two Jews with impunity. 20 and bringing them before the magistrates they said, "These men, being Jews, are agitating our city, 21 and are advocating customs that are not lawful for us, being Romans, to receive or do." 22 The crowd joined in the attack against them, and the magistrates tore the clothes off of them and ordered a beating with rods. 23 When they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them securely; 24 who, having received such a charge, threw them into the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.*Their backs are bleeding from ‘many stripes’ and their feet are in stocks (you try to sit up so as not to lie on your wounded back; all of which gets pretty ‘old’ pretty fast)—a great time for a praise meeting!

The jailer converts

25 Well about midnight Paul and Silas were singing hymns to God in prayer; and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was a great earthquake, enough to shake the foundations of the prison; immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed.*A proper earthquake could shake the doors open, but not unlock chains (unless it was their anchors that came loose from the walls). 27 But the jailer, awaking from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, drew sword, intending to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped.*Better a quick death than the humiliation that would follow (culminating in a slow death).

28 But Paul shouted out, "Don’t harm yourself, because we are all here!"*For the prisoners to be free and not run was really supernatural! The jailor understands that he is in the presence of a higher power. 29 So calling for a light he ran in and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 He then brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"*Philippi was not all that large, and the members of his household would be information gatherers. He was doubtless aware of the slave girl’s ‘advertising’, etc. 31 So they said, "Believe upon the Lord Jesus Christ*Perhaps 3% of the Greek manuscripts, of inferior quality, omit ‘Christ’ (as in NIV, NASB, LB, TEV, etc.). and you will be saved, you and your household." 32 Then they spoke the Word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. 33 In that same hour of the night he took them aside and washed their wounds, and thereupon he and all his family were baptized.*Very appropriate—he washed their wounds and restored their dignity, so they could baptize him. Note again that baptism followed immediately. (Would there have been enough water there to dunk them? Probably not.) Note that everyone in the family was baptized, which would put them under Christ’s protection, but that procedure was imposed by the head of the household, whether or not there was personal commitment to Jesus on the part of each one. 34 Then he brought them into his house and set a meal before them, and he was really rejoicing, having believed in God with his whole family.

Magistrates rebuked

35 Now when it was day the magistrates sent the officers saying, "Let those men go." 36 So the jailer reported these words to Paul, "The magistrates have sent to release you; so now you can leave and go in peace." 37 But Paul said to them:*The officers were still there. Paul decided to give the magistrates a much-needed lesson, but then acquiesced in leaving the city without further fuss. "After severely beating us in public, although we were uncondemned Romans, they threw us into prison, and now do they toss us out on the sly? No way! Rather, let them come themselves and escort us out!" 38 So the officers reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Romans; 39 and they came and appealed to them, and leading them out they asked them to leave the city. 40 So exiting the prison they entered Lydia’s place, and upon seeing the brothers they encouraged them and departed.