Thematic Bible: The song that opened the jail doors


Thematic Bible



A young woman who had a spirit of divination met us as we were going to the place of prayer. She brought her masters much gain by soothsaying. She followed Paul and cried out: These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation. She did this for many days. This troubled Paul. So he turned and said to the spirit, I charge you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her! And it came out that very hour. read more.
When her masters saw that the hope of their gain was gone, they grabbed Paul and Silas, and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers. They took them to the magistrates and said: These men, being Jews, cause great trouble in our city. They offer customs that it is not lawful for us to receive, or to observe, being Romans. The crowd rose up against them. The magistrates ripped their garments off them, and commanded to beat them with rods. After they were severely beaten, they threw them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safe. Receiving this command he threw them into the inner prison, and fastened their feet in the stocks. Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God at midnight. The prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a massive earthquake. It was so great the foundations of the prison-house were shaken. All the doors were opened and everyone's bands came off. The jailor, who was roused out of sleep and saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. Paul cried with a loud voice: Do not harm yourself for we are all here.