Act 16:19-40 | NASB1995 | STEP | But when her masters saw that their hope of profit was gone , they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the market place before the authorities ,

Acts 16:19-40

19 But when her masters saw that their hope of ^aprofit was ^{▼▼ Lit gone out}gone, they seized ^cPaul and Silas and ^ddragged them into the market place before the authorities, 20 and when they had brought them to the chief magistrates, they said, “These men are throwing our city into confusion, being Jews, 21 and ^eare proclaiming customs which it is not lawful for us to accept or to observe, being ^fRomans.”

Paul and Silas Imprisoned

22 The crowd rose up together against them, and the chief magistrates tore their ^{▼▼ Or outer garments}robes off them and proceeded to order ^{▼▼ Lit to beat with rods} them to be ⁱbeaten with rods. 23 When they had struck them with many blows, they threw them into prison, commanding ^jthe jailer to guard them securely; 24 ^{▼▼ Lit who}and he, having received such a command, threw them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in ^lthe ^{▼▼ Lit wood}stocks.

25 But about midnight ⁿPaul and Silas were praying and ^osinging hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them; 26 and suddenly ^pthere came a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison house were shaken; and immediately ^qall the doors were opened and everyone’s ^rchains were unfastened. 27 When ^sthe jailer awoke and saw the prison doors opened, he drew his sword and was about ^tto kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here!” 29 And he called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before ^uPaul and Silas, 30 and after he brought them out, he said, “Sirs, ^vwhat must I do to be saved?”

The Jailer Converted

31 They said, ^w“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and ^xyour household.” 32 And they spoke the word of ^{▼▼ Two early mss read God}the Lord to him together with all who were in his house. 33 And he took them ^zthat very hour of the night and washed their wounds, and immediately he was baptized, he and all his household. 34 And he brought them into his house and set ^{▼▼ Lit a table}food before them, and rejoiced ^{▼▼ Or greatly with his whole household, having believed in God}greatly, having believed in God with ^achis whole household.

35 Now when day came, the chief magistrates sent their policemen, saying, “Release those men.” 36 And ^adthe jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, “The chief magistrates have sent to release you. Therefore come out now and go ^aein peace.” 37 But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us in public without trial, ^afmen who are Romans, and have thrown us into prison; and now are they sending us away secretly? No indeed! But let them come themselves and bring us out.” 38 The policemen reported these words to the chief magistrates. ^agThey were afraid when they heard that they were Romans, 39 and they came and appealed to them, and when they had brought them out, they kept begging them ^ahto leave the city. 40 They went out of the prison and entered the house of ^aiLydia, and when they saw ^ajthe brethren, they ^{▼▼ Or exhorted}encouraged them and departed.