Acts 16:22-40 ▼

22 And a large crowd gathered against them. Then the soldiers stripped them of their clothes and gave command to scourge them.

23 And when they had flogged them severely, they cast them into prison, charging the jailer to watch them carefully. Paul and Silas in prison.

24 He, having received the charge, brought them in and put them into the inner chamber of the prison, and fastened their feet in the stocks.

25 Now at midnight Paul and Silas prayed and glorified God; and the prisoners heard them.

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

27 When the keeper of the prison awoke, and saw that the prison doors were open, he took a sword and would have killed himself, for he thought the prisoners had escaped.

28 But Paul cried with a loud voice and said to him, Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.

29 Then he lighted a lamp, and sprang in, trembling, and threw himself at the feet of Paul and Silas.

30 And he brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

31 And they said to him, Believe in our LORD Jesus Christ, and both you and your household will be saved.

32 And they spoke to him the word of the LORD, and to all who were of his household.

33 And he took them at that hour of the night and washed their wounds; and then was baptized in that very hour, he and all his household.

34 And when he had brought them up into his house, he set food before them; and he and all the members of his household rejoiced, believing in God.

35 In the morning, the soldiers sent the lictors to tell the prison warden to release those men.

36 And when the keeper of the prison heard this, he went in and told Paul, saying, The soldiers have sent orders to release you: now therefore depart, and go in peace.

37 But Paul said to him, Not having committed any offense, they flogged us, Roman citizens, in the presence of the people, and they cast us into prison; and now do they let us out secretly? No verily; let them come themselves and fetch us out.

38 And the lictors went and told the soliers these words which were told to them: and when they heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, they were afraid.

39 And they came to them and urged them to get out and depart from the city.

40 And they went out of the prison and entered into the house of Lydia where they saw the brethren and comforted them, and departed.