Acts 16:12-40

12and from there to ^aPhilippi, which is a leading city of the ▼

▼Or that

district of Macedonia and ^ca Roman colony. We remained in this city some days. 13And ^don the Sabbath day we went outside the gate ^eto the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we ^fsat down and spoke to the women who had come together. 14One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, ^gwho was a worshiper of God. The Lord ^hopened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. 15And after she was baptized, ⁱand her household as well, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” And she ^jprevailed upon us.

Paul and Silas in Prison

16As we were going to ^kthe place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had ^la spirit of ^mdivination and ⁿbrought her owners much gain by fortune-telling. 17She followed Paul and us, ^ocrying out, “These men are ^pservants ▼

▼Greek bondservants

of ^rthe Most High God, who proclaim to you ^sthe way of salvation.” 18And this she kept doing for many days. Paul, having become greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, ^t“I command you ^uin the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And ^vit came out that very hour.

19But ^wwhen her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and ^xdragged them into the marketplace before the rulers. 20And when they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, “These men are Jews, and they are disturbing our city. 21They ^yadvocate customs that are not lawful for us ^zas Romans to accept or practice.” 22The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders ^aato beat them with rods. 23And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely. 24Having received this order, he put them into the inner ^abprison and fastened their feet in ^acthe stocks.

The Philippian Jailer Converted

25 ^adAbout midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, 26and suddenly ^aethere was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately ^afall the doors were opened, and ^ageveryone’s bonds were unfastened. 27When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and ^ahwas about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. 28But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” 29And the jailer ▼

▼Greek he

called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he ^ajfell down before Paul and Silas. 30Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, ^akwhat must I do to be ^alsaved?” 31And they said, ^am“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you ^anand your household.” 32And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. 33And he took them ^aothe same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he ^apwas baptized at once, he and all his family. 34Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he ^aqrejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God.

35But when it was day, the magistrates sent the police, saying, “Let those men go.” 36And the jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, “The magistrates have sent to let you go. Therefore come out now and go in peace.” 37But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us publicly, ^aruncondemned, men who are Roman citizens, and have thrown us into prison; and do they now throw us out secretly? No! Let them come themselves and take us out.” 38The police reported these words to the magistrates, and ^asthey were afraid when they heard that they were Roman citizens. 39So they came and apologized to them. And they took them out and ^atasked them to leave the city. 40So they went out of the prison and visited ^auLydia. And when they had seen ^avthe brothers, they encouraged them and departed.