Acts 16:16-40

English Standard Version

Paul and Silas in Prison

¹⁶ As we were going to ^(A)the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had ^(B)a spirit of ^(C)divination and ^(D)brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling. ¹⁷ She followed Paul and us, ^(E)crying out, “These men are ^(F)servants of ^(G)the Most High God, who proclaim to you ^(H)the way of salvation.” ¹⁸ And this she kept doing for many days. Paul, having become greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, ^(I)“I command you ^(J)in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And ^(K)it came out that very hour.

¹⁹ But ^(L)when her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and ^(M)dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers. ²⁰ And when they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, “These men are Jews, and they are disturbing our city. ²¹ They ^(N)advocate customs that are not lawful for us ^(O)as Romans to accept or practice.” ²² The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders ^(P)to beat them with rods. ²³ And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely. ²⁴ Having received this order, he put them into the inner ^(Q)prison and fastened their feet in ^(R)the stocks.

The Philippian Jailer Converted

^25 (S)About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, ²⁶ and suddenly ^(T)there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately ^(U)all the doors were opened, and ^(V)everyone's bonds were unfastened. ²⁷ When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and ^(W)was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. ²⁸ But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” ²⁹ And the jailer^[a] called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he ^(X)fell down before Paul and Silas. ³⁰ Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, ^(Y)what must I do to be ^(Z)saved?” ³¹ And they said, ^(AA)“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you ^(AB)and your household.” ³² And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. ³³ And he took them ^(AC)the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he ^(AD)was baptized at once, he and all his family. ³⁴ Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he ^(AE)rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God.

³⁵ But when it was day, the magistrates sent the police, saying, “Let those men go.” ³⁶ And the jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, “The magistrates have sent to let you go. Therefore come out now and go in peace.” ³⁷ But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us publicly, ^(AF)uncondemned, men who are Roman citizens, and have thrown us into prison; and do they now throw us out secretly? No! Let them come themselves and take us out.” ³⁸ The police reported these words to the magistrates, and ^(AG)they were afraid when they heard that they were Roman citizens. ³⁹ So they came and apologized to them. And they took them out and ^(AH)asked them to leave the city. ⁴⁰ So they went out of the prison and visited ^(AI)Lydia. And when they had seen ^(AJ)the brothers, they encouraged them and departed.