Acts 16:29-30

‘And he called for lights and sprang in, and, trembling for fear, fell down before Paul and Silas, and brought them out and said, “Sirs (lords), what must I do to be saved?” '

The jailer immediately called for lights (and thereby assistance) and it seemingly came home to him that the earthquake must have been the result of these two men and their prayers. He would know that they were there on a charge of having by some supernatural power cast out an evil spirit who had declared them to be servants of the Most High God, and their worshipping and singing would have further affected him (especially if some of it was in Hebrew). He probably wished that they were elsewhere, but his ruined prison proved otherwise. And being fearful at what must be the power and awesomeness of their God, he recognised the danger that this fact placed him in. Falling before them he asked what he must do to be saved from the anger of this mighty God.

Contrary to some commentators this could hardly simply mean saved from the consequences of what had happened to the prison. That was all clearly in hand. What he was concerned about went deeper. His question was as to how he could be spared from the wrath of this Most High God whom Paul and Silas worshipped and clearly influenced. If they could destroy a prison with their incantations, what could they not do to him? But Paul had already demonstrated good will towards him. Perhaps then they would arrange for him to be spared. It was clear from what had happened that this powerful God was able to save His own servants. There must be some way by which he could be persuaded to spare him too.

‘Sirs/lords.' He probably intended a little more than ‘sirs'. He recongised that the men had contact with the gods. They were important emissaries who could speak to him authoritatively from the gods.