Acts 16:16-40

The conversion of the Jailer in Philippi Acts 16:16-40: At a place of prayer in Philippi Paul and Silas came across a girl that had a spirit of divination. Her masters made a lot of money from her power. She followed Paul and Silas saying, "These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation." After being troubled by this many days Paul commanded the evil spirit to come out of her.

When her masters saw that their means of gain was gone they took Paul and Silas before their rulers and charged them with teaching rules of living that were unlawful. They were whipped and put in the inner prison with chains on their feet. A jailer was charged to watch them. About midnight they were singing and praying in the hearing of the other prisoners. An earthquake opened the prison doors and caused all the shackles to fall off. The jailer thought the prisoners had escaped. He started to kill himself. Paul cried, "Do thyself no harm: for we are all here." This is good advice to anyone contemplating suicide. The jailer then saw that all the prisoners were still there.

With much fear he fell down before Paul and Silas and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" He was told, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house." But, you cannot believe without hearing so they spoke unto him and to those in his house the word of the Lord. After learning how to become a Christians the jailer and his family were all baptized immediately. Baptism was so important that they were baptized "the same hour of the night." After their baptism into Christ they were filled with great joy.

The authorities sent word to let these men go. Paul refused to leave because he was mistreated as a Roman citizen. The authorities were full of fear when they learned that Paul was a Roman. They came and took them from prison and begged them to leave town. Paul and Silas went to the house of Lydia, saw the brethren, comforted them, and departed.