Acts 16:16-40

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

19But when her masters saw that their hope of 6profit was suddenly gone, they seized 7Paul and Silas and 8dragged them into the marketplace before the authorities, 20and when they had brought them to the chief magistrates, they said, “These men, Jews as they are, are causing our city trouble, 21and they 9are proclaiming customs that are not lawful for us to accept or to practice, since we are 10Romans.” 22The crowd joined in an attack against them, and the chief magistrates tore their 11robes off them and proceeded to order 12them to be 13beaten with rods. 23When they had struck them with many blows, they threw them into prison, commanding 14the jailer to guard them securely; 2415and he, having received such a command, threw them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in 16the 17stocks.

25Now about midnight 18Paul and Silas were praying and 19singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them; 26and suddenly 20there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately 21all the doors were opened, and everyone’s 22chains were unfastened. 27When 23the jailer awoke and saw the prison doors opened, he drew his sword and was about 24to kill himself, thinking that the prisoners had escaped. 28But Paul called out with a loud voice, saying, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here!” 29And the jailer asked for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear, he fell down before 25Paul and Silas; 30and after he brought them out, he said, “Sirs, 26what must I do to be saved?” 31They said, “27Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and 28your household.” 32And they spoke the word of God to him together with all who were in his house. 33And he took them 29that 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 30food before them, and was 31overjoyed, since he had become a believer in God together with 32his whole household.

35Now when day came, the chief magistrates sent their officers, saying, “Release those men.” 36And 33the jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, “The chief magistrates have sent word that you be released. So come out now and go 34in peace.” 37But Paul said to them, “After beating us in public without due process--35men who are Romans--they threw us into prison; and now they are releasing us secretly? No indeed! On the contrary, let them come 36in person and lead us out.” 38The officers reported these words to the chief magistrates. 37And they became fearful when they heard that they were Romans, 39and they came and pleaded with them, and when they had led them out, they repeatedly asked them 38to leave the city. 40They left the prison and entered the house of 39Lydia, and when they saw 40the brothers and sisters, they 41encouraged them and departed.