Acts 16:22-34
22The crowd rose up together against them, and the chief magistrates tore their robes off them and proceeded to order them to be beaten with rods.
23When they had struck them with many blows, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to guard them securely;
24and he, having received such a command, threw them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.
25But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them;
26and suddenly there came a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison house were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's chains were unfastened.
27When the jailer awoke and saw the prison doors opened, he drew his sword and was about to 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 Paul and Silas,
30and after he brought them out, he said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"
31They said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household."
32And they spoke the word of the Lord to him together with all who were in his house.
33And he took them that 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 food before them, and rejoiced greatly, having believed in God with his whole household.
Paul and Silas were freed from bondage to do what exactly? Simply escape? No, they were freed to witness to the jailer. It is interesting that Paul and Silas never left. I wonder why they didn’t. I would have thought an earthquake releasing me from prison would have been a sign from God to escape. However, they didn’t. Anyways, no matter the situation, we must always be aware of those around us and be willing to assist them in their moment of need. Paul and Silas were glorifying God while in prison. The earthquake came and released all the prisoners. The jailer was horrified at his circumstance. Paul and Silas reached out to him. The jailer, knowing their faith, asked how to be saved. Paul and Silas were able to explain it to him. The jailer, and his household, were saved and baptized. If our faith is evident to all, all the time, and we reach out to someone in their moment of need, how hard will it be to witness to them?
"Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®,
© Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Used by permission." (www.Lockman.org)
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