Atos 16

Paul and Silas Imprisoned in Philippi

16 One day, as we were on our way to prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination. She had brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling. 17 She followed along behind Paul and *16:17 us ¦ Silas ANT PCKus and kept crying out, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to *16:17 us ¦ you CTus a way of salvation." 18 She kept on doing this for many days, and Paul became so annoyed that he turned and said to the spirit, "I command yoʋ in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her." And it came out that very hour.

19 When her masters saw that their hope for profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas, dragged them to the marketplace, and set them before the authorities. 20 After bringing them to the magistrates, they said, "These men are seriously disturbing our city. They are Jews, 21 and they are proclaiming customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to accept or practice." 22 The crowd rose up together against them, and the magistrates tore their garments off them and ordered them to be beaten with rods. 23 After inflicting many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them under close guard. 24 When he received this order, he put them in the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.

25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. Immediately all the doors opened, and all the chains came loose. 27 Then the jailer was awakened, and when he saw that the doors of the prison were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, assuming that the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul cried out with a loud voice, "Do yoʋrself no harm, for we are all here." 29 Calling for lights, the jailer rushed in and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 Then he brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" 31 They said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus *16:31 Christ ¦ --- CTChrist, and yoʋ will be saved, yoʋ and yoʋr household." 32 Then they spoke the word of *16:32 the Lord ¦ God WHthe Lord to him *16:32 and to ¦ together with CTand to everyone in his household. 33 He then took them in that hour of the night and washed their wounds. Then he was baptized at once, along with his entire household. 34 After bringing Paul and Silas into *16:34 his ¦ the CThis house, he set a meal before them. And he rejoiced, along with his entire household, because he had come to believe in God.

35 When daybreak came, the magistrates sent their officers, saying, "Release those men." 36 So the jailer reported *16:36 these ¦ their WHthese words to Paul, saying, "The magistrates have sent orders for you to be released. Therefore come out now and go in peace." 37 But Paul said to them, "They beat us in public without a trial, even though we are Roman citizens, and they threw us into prison. And now they are sending us away secretly? Certainly not! Rather, let them come and escort us out themselves." 38 So the officers reported these words to the magistrates, and the magistrates were afraid when they heard that the men were Roman citizens. 39 So they came and spoke to them in a conciliatory manner. As they escorted them out, they begged them to leave the city. 40 So Paul and Silas came out of the prison and went to Lydia’s house. And after seeing the brothers and encouraging them, they departed.