Acts 16:16-40

16It happened that as we were going to 1the place of prayer, a slave-girl having 2a spirit of divination met us, who was bringing her masters much profit by fortune-telling. 17Following after Paul and us, she kept crying out, saying, “These men are bond-servants of 3the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you 4the way of salvation.” 18She continued doing this for many days. But Paul was greatly annoyed, and turned and said to the spirit, “I command you 5in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!” And it came out at that very 6moment.

19But when her masters saw that their hope of 7profit was 8gone, they seized 9Paul and Silas and 10dragged them into the market place before the authorities, 20and when they had brought them to the chief magistrates, they said, “These men are throwing our city into confusion, being Jews, 21and 11are proclaiming customs which it is not lawful for us to accept or to observe, being 12Romans.” 22The crowd rose up together against them, and the chief magistrates tore their 13robes off them and proceeded to order 14them to be 15beaten with rods. 23When they had struck them with many blows, they threw them into prison, commanding 16the jailer to guard them securely; 2417and he, having received such a command, threw them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in 18the 19stocks.

25But about midnight 20Paul and Silas were praying and 21singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them; 26and suddenly 22there came a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison house were shaken; and immediately 23all the doors were opened and everyone’s 24chains were unfastened. 27When 25the jailer awoke and saw the prison doors opened, he drew his sword and was about 26to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. 28But Paul cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here!” 29And he called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before 27Paul and Silas, 30and after he brought them out, he said, “Sirs, 28what must I do to be saved?” 31They said, “29Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and 30your household.” 32And they spoke the word of 31the Lord to him together with all who were in his house. 33And he took them 32that very hour of the night and washed their wounds, and immediately he was baptized, he and all his household. 34And he brought them into his house and set 33food before them, and rejoiced 34greatly, having believed in God with 35his whole household.

35Now when day came, the chief magistrates sent their policemen, saying, “Release those men.” 36And 36the jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, “The chief magistrates have sent to release you. Therefore come out now and go 37in peace.” 37But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us in public without trial, 38men 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.” 38The policemen reported these words to the chief magistrates. 39They were afraid when they heard that they were Romans, 39and they came and appealed to them, and when they had brought them out, they kept begging them 40to leave the city. 40They went out of the prison and entered the house of 41Lydia, and when they saw 42the brethren, they 43encouraged them and departed.