Acts 16:25-28

At midnight Paul and Silas prayed Doubtless, for their persecutors as well as for themselves; and sang praises unto God Notwithstanding weariness, hunger, stripes, and blood; and the prisoners heard them Heard a song to which they had not been accustomed, and such as had never been heard in that prison before. And suddenly While they were thus engaged; there was a great earthquake A token of God's favour toward them, and threatening vengeance to their persecutors; so that the foundations of the prison were shaken And probably of the neighbouring buildings also; and immediately By the force of the earthquake; all the doors were opened, and, in the same moment, every one's bands were miraculously loosed Yet the spirits of the prisoners were impressed with such astonishment, that none of them attempted to escape. And the keeper of the prison Who, it seems, resided in a part of it, not far from the ward where Paul and Silas lay; awaking out of sleep Upon this violent concussion of the earth; and seeing the prison-doors open Was in such consternation, that he drew his sword and would have killed himself If he had not been prevented by the apostle, to avoid a more severe punishment, supposing that all the prisoners had escaped. For by the Roman laws, in that case, the keeper was liable to the same punishment that awaited the criminals who had escaped. But Paul cried, &c. As they were all then in the dark, it is not easy to say how Paul knew of the jailer's purpose, unless it were by hearing same desperate words that declared it, or by some immediate suggestion from God, which is by no means incredible; with a loud voice Through earnestness, and because he was at some distance; Do thyself no harm Although the Christian faith opens a bright prospect into another life, yet it absolutely forbids, and effectually prevents, a man's discharging himself from this. For we are all here And none of us will take the opportunity of escaping, while the hand of God is working thus awfully around us.