Acts 16:25-40

English Standard Version

The Philippian Jailer Converted

^25 (A)About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, ²⁶ and suddenly ^(B)there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately ^(C)all the doors were opened, and ^(D)everyone's bonds were unfastened. ²⁷ When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and ^(E)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 ^(F)fell down before Paul and Silas. ³⁰ Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, ^(G)what must I do to be ^(H)saved?” ³¹ And they said, ^(I)“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you ^(J)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 ^(K)the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he ^(L)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 ^(M)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, ^(N)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 ^(O)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 ^(P)asked them to leave the city. ⁴⁰ So they went out of the prison and visited ^(Q)Lydia. And when they had seen ^(R)the brothers, they encouraged them and departed.