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Acts 16:16-40 (Basic)

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¹⁶ And when we were going to the place of prayer, we came across a girl with a spirit which gave knowledge of the future, whose masters made great profit from her power. ¹⁷ She came after Paul and us, crying out and saying, These men are the servants of the Most High God, who are giving you news of the way of salvation. ¹⁸ And this she did on a number of days. But Paul was greatly troubled and, turning, said to the spirit, I give you orders in the name of Jesus Christ, to come out of her. And it came out that very hour. ¹⁹ But when her masters saw that their hope of profit was gone, they took Paul and Silas, pulling them into the market-place before the rulers; ²⁰ And when they had taken them before the authorities, they said, These men, who are Jews, are greatly troubling our town; ²¹ Teaching rules of living which it is not right for us to have or to keep, being Romans. ²² And the people made an attack on them all together: and the authorities took their clothing off them, and gave orders for them to be whipped. ²³ And when they had given them a great number of blows, they put them in prison, giving orders to the keeper of the prison to keep them safely: ²⁴ And he, having such orders, put them into the inner prison with chains on their feet. ²⁵ But about the middle of the night, Paul and Silas were making prayers and songs to God in the hearing of the prisoners; ²⁶ And suddenly there was an earth-shock, so that the base of the prison was moved: and all the doors came open, and everyone's chains came off. ²⁷ And the keeper, coming out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, took his sword and was about to put himself to death, fearing that the prisoners had got away. ²⁸ But Paul said in a loud voice, Do yourself no damage, for we are all here. ²⁹ And he sent for lights and came rushing in and, shaking with fear, went down on his face before Paul and Silas, ³⁰ And took them out and said, Sirs, what have I to do to get salvation? ³¹ And they said, Have faith in the Lord Jesus, and you and your family will have salvation. ³² And they gave the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. ³³ And that same hour of the night, he took them, and when he had given attention to their wounds, he and all his family had baptism straight away. ³⁴ And he took them into his house and gave them food, and he was full of joy, having faith in God with all his family. ³⁵ But when it was day, the authorities sent the police, saying, Let these men go. ³⁶ And the keeper said to Paul, The authorities have given orders to let you go: come out now, and go in peace. ³⁷ But Paul said to them, They have given us who are Romans a public whipping without judging us, and have put us in prison. Will they now send us out secretly? no, truly, let them come themselves and take us out. ³⁸ And the police gave an account of these words to the authorities, and they were full of fear on hearing that they were Romans; ³⁹ Then they came and made prayers to them, requesting them, when they had taken them out, to go away from the town. ⁴⁰ And they came out of the prison and went to the house of Lydia: and when they had seen the brothers they gave them comfort and went away.


This passage relates to the following topic(s):
(v. 25) Singing - Singing to lift spirits
(v. 25) Joy / Rejoicing - Paul and Silas - in prison
(v. 30) Baptism / Conversions - Jailer - heard, believed, and asked "what must I do to be saved?" and he and his household were baptized
(v. 31) Baptism / Conversions - Jailer - heard, believed, and asked "what must I do to be saved?" and he and his household were baptized
(v. 32) Baptism / Conversions - Jailer - heard, believed, and asked "what must I do to be saved?" and he and his household were baptized
(v. 33) Baptism / Conversions - Jailer - heard, believed, and asked "what must I do to be saved?" and he and his household were baptized

This passage is referenced in the following quiet time(s):
(v. 16) Teach Us To Pray - Unity with Others (2008-09-11)
(v. 22) To Live is Christ - Partners in the Gospel (2010-03-02)

Definition(s):
Jesus (Jeez-us): savior; deliverer
Silas (Sigh-lass): three, or the third
Romans (Rohm-ans):