Acts 16:40

And they went out of the prison, and entered into the house of Lydia; and when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them and departed.

In the morning a peculiar surprise came to the imprisoned missionaries. For hardly had the day dawned when the duoviri, or praetors, of the city sent the lictors to the prison with the order to dismiss the prisoners. The lictors were the police officers of the Roman magistrates, the insignia of their office being a bundle of rods tied around a hatchet. Whether the earthquake had caused the authorities to believe that they had offended some god on the day before, or whether on second thought their treatment of the apostles seemed to them too hasty and severe, or whether they believed that their purpose had been accomplished in silencing the clamor of the mob, cannot be determined from the text. Enough that the jailer informed the prisoners of the gracious order that the praetors had sent word to release them. And he was glad to give them their liberty and have them go forth in peace, without further molestation. The order of the duoviri had been given in haughty and contemptuous terms; as transmitted and paraphrased by the jailer, the words were a kind announcement and invitation to accept the gift of liberty. But now Paul refused to leave the prison, In the clamor and tumult of the assault on the previous day he had not gotten a chance to make himself heard, even if he had made the attempt. But now he makes a very serious charge against the magistrates of the city. Although he and Silas were Roman citizens, the praetors had both caused them to be beaten in public, not only uncondemned, but even without trial, without investigating the case, and had also thrown them into prison. According to the laws of Rome, Roman citizens were exempted from stripes and torture, and the violation of the rights of citizens was regarded as treason and, as such, severely punished. And after all these outrages, which Paul might very well have repaid with a summary vengeance, if he had not been a Christian, Romans 12:19, the praetors proposed to turn them out of the prison secretly? Indeed not! The least the praetors must do was to come and lead them out, as one form of apology. When the lictors reported these statements to the praetors, the latter were thoroughly frightened, and with good reason, wherefore they lost no time in coming personally, in apologizing and earnestly entreating the apostles to be satisfied. They then conducted them out of the prison and begged them, courteously requested them, to leave the city of their own free will. Paul and Silas accepted the apology and got ready to leave the city, but without undue and suspicious hurry. They first went to the house of Lydia, which may have become a meeting-place of the disciples that had been gained. Here they saw the brethren, comforted and encouraged them, and then left Philippi. Note: It was not only the sense of justice which made Paul insist upon some form of public apology, but also the fact that the public disgrace to which he and Silas had been subjected might seriously hinder the spread of the Gospel-message, on account of the prejudice which many people might have against a man that had been beaten in public. In our days also we Christians should be perfectly willing to suffer wrong and shame, but under circumstances, especially if the course of the Gospel is endangered, it is altogether in accordance with God's will that we insist upon our rights as citizens. We may find it imperative to insist upon recognition as honest and desirable members of the community.

Summary

Paul and Silas make a visitation and missionary trip through Asia Minor and are then directed by the spirit to Macedonia, where they begin their labors in the city of Philippi.