Acts 16:16-40 ▼

16 Now it happened in our going to the prayer that a certain girl having a spirit of Python met us, who was bringing her masters much gain by fortune-telling.

17 Having followed Paul and us, she was crying out, saying, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you? the way of salvation!”

18 And she continued this for many days. And Paul, having been distressed and having turned, said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out from her!” And it came out the same hour.

19 And her masters, having seen that their hope of profit was gone, having taken hold of Paul and Silas, dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers.

20 And having brought them up to the magistrates, they said, “These men, being Jews, exceedingly trouble our city

21 and proclaim customs not lawful for us, being Romans, to accept nor to practice.”

22 And the crowd rose up together against them, and the magistrates, having torn off their garments, were commanding that they be beaten with rods.

23 And having laid many blows on them, they cast them into prison, having charged the jailer to keep them securely,

24 who, having received such an order, threw them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.

25 Now toward midnight, Paul and Silas, praying, were singing praises to God. And the prisoners were listening to them.

26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison house were shaken, and immediately all the doors were opened, and the chains of all were loosed.

27 And the jailer, having been awoken and having seen the doors of the prison open, having drawn his sword, was about to kill himself, supposing the prisoners to have escaped.

28 But Paul called out in a loud voice, saying, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here!”

29 And having called for lights, he rushed in, and having become terrified, he fell down before Paul and Silas.

30 And having brought them out, he was saying, “Sirs, what is necessary for me to do so that I may be saved?”

31 And they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, you and your house.”

32 And they spoke the word of the Lord to him, along with all those in his house.

33 And having taken them in that hour of the night, he washed them from the wounds, and immediately he was baptized, and all his own.

34 And having brought them into the house, he set a table and rejoiced with all his household, having believed in God.

35 And day having come, the magistrates sent the officers, saying, “Release those men.”

36 And the jailer reported these words to Paul: “The captains have sent that you? may be let go. Now, therefore, having gone out, depart in peace.”

37 But Paul was saying to them, “Having beaten us publicly, uncondemned men being Romans, they cast us into prison, and now do they throw us out secretly? No indeed! Rather, having come themselves, let them bring us out.”

38 And the officers reported these words to the captains, and they were afraid, having heard that they are Romans.

39 And having come, they appealed to them, and having brought them out, they were asking them to go out of the city.

40 And having gone out of the prison, they came to Lydia, and having seen them, they exhorted the brothers and went out.