John the Baptist, who was now in prison, heard about all the miracles the Messiah was doing, so he sent his disciples to ask Jesus,

For Herod had arrested John and chained him in prison at the demand of his wife Herodias, his brother Philip’s ex-wife,

So John was beheaded in the prison,

naked and you clothed me; sick and in prison, and you visited me.’

When did we ever see you sick or in prison, and visit you?’

a stranger, and you refused me hospitality; naked, and you wouldn’t clothe me; sick, and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’

“Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?’

Now the governor’s custom was to release one Jewish prisoner each year during the Passover celebration—anyone they wanted.

So he sent one of his bodyguards to the prison to cut off John’s head and bring it to him. The soldier killed John in the prison,

Now, it was Pilate’s custom to release one Jewish prisoner each year at Passover time—any prisoner the people requested.

One of the prisoners at that time was Barabbas, convicted along with others for murder during an insurrection.

Now a mob began to crowd in toward Pilate, asking him to release a prisoner as usual.

(But after John had publicly criticized Herod, governor of Galilee, for marrying Herodias, his brother’s wife, and for many other wrongs he had done, Herod put John in prison, thus adding this sin to all his many others.)

“But before all this occurs, there will be a time of special persecution, and you will be dragged into synagogues and prisons and before kings and governors for my name’s sake.

(Barabbas was in prison for starting an insurrection in Jerusalem against the government, and for murder.)

And he released Barabbas, the man in prison for insurrection and murder, at their request. But he delivered Jesus over to them to do with as they would.

At this time John the Baptist was not yet in prison. He was baptizing at Aenon, near Salim, because there was plenty of water there.

But you have a custom of asking me to release someone from prison each year at Passover. So if you want me to, I’ll release the ‘King of the Jews.’”

But earnest prayer was going up to God from the church for his safety all the time he was in prison.

The night before he was to be executed, he was asleep, double-chained between two soldiers with others standing guard before the prison gate,

Again and again the rods slashed down across their bared backs; and afterwards they were thrown into prison. The jailer was threatened with death if they escaped,

Around midnight, as Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to the Lord—and the other prisoners were listening—

suddenly there was a great earthquake; the prison was shaken to its foundations, all the doors flew open—and the chains of every prisoner fell off!

The jailer wakened to see the prison doors wide open, and assuming the prisoners had escaped, he drew his sword to kill himself.

And I persecuted the Christians, hounding them to death, binding and delivering both men and women to prison.