Acts 16:22-40

Easy-to-Read Version

²² The whole crowd turned against Paul and Silas. The officials tore the clothes off both men and ordered that they be beaten with rods. ²³ They were beaten severely and thrown into jail. The officials told the jailer, “Guard them very carefully!” ²⁴ When the jailer heard this special order, he put Paul and Silas far inside the jail and bound their feet between large blocks of wood.

²⁵ About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing songs to God. The other prisoners were listening to them. ²⁶ Suddenly there was an earthquake so strong that it shook the foundation of the jail. All the doors of the jail opened, and the chains on all the prisoners fell off. ²⁷ The jailer woke up and saw that the jail doors were open. He thought that the prisoners had already escaped, so he got his sword and was ready to kill himself.^{[a] 28} But Paul shouted, “Don’t hurt yourself! We are all here!”

²⁹ The jailer told someone to bring a light. Then he ran inside and, shaking with fear, fell down in front of Paul and Silas. ³⁰ Then he brought them outside and said, “Men, what must I do to be saved?”

³¹ They said to him, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved—you and all who live in your house.” ³² So Paul and Silas told the message of the Lord to the jailer and all the people who lived in his house. ³³ It was late at night, but the jailer took Paul and Silas and washed their wounds. Then the jailer and all his people were baptized. ³⁴ After this the jailer took Paul and Silas home and gave them some food. All the people were very happy because they now believed in God.

³⁵ The next morning the Roman officials sent some soldiers to tell the jailer, “Let these men go free.”

³⁶ The jailer said to Paul, “The officials have sent these soldiers to let you go free. You can leave now. Go in peace.”

³⁷ But Paul said to the soldiers, “Those officials did not prove that we did anything wrong, but they beat us in public and put us in jail. And we are Roman citizens.^[b] Now they want us to go away quietly. No, they must come here themselves and lead us out!”

³⁸ The soldiers told the officials what Paul said. When they heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, they were afraid. ³⁹ So they came and told them they were sorry. They led them out of the jail and asked them to leave the city. ⁴⁰ But when Paul and Silas came out of the jail, they went to Lydia’s house. They saw some of the believers there and encouraged them. Then they left.