Paul and Silas Are Imprisoned

In Philippi. In our last lesson, God called Paul to Macedonia in a vision. Now Paul, Silas and their friends were in Philippi, a leading city there. “As we went to prayer,” a slave girl met them (16:16). A spirit of divination. She was “possessed with a spirit of divination” (16:16). Divination means trying to learn secret things or the future through powers that are not from God. God’s Word tells His people never to do this. Used for money. She “brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling” (16:16). To them, she was a way to make money. True words, wrong source. She cried out, “These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation” (16:17). Her words were true. But the good news about Jesus does not need a fortune-telling spirit to announce it. Greatly annoyed. “And this she did for many days” (16:18). Paul was deeply troubled. In the name of Jesus. Paul said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And it “came out that very hour” (16:18). The power was not Paul’s. It belongs to Jesus, whose name has all authority. What we learn. Jesus is stronger than every power. If you belong to Him, you do not need to fear, and you never need fortune-tellers. You can trust Him with your future.

Philippi (16:16). After the call to Macedonia in our last lesson, the team reached Philippi, a Roman colony (16:12). “Now it happened, as we went to prayer, that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us.” Luke writes we here, so he was most likely with them. Divination. A spirit of divination claimed to reveal hidden things and the future. God’s law forbade fortune-telling to His people (Deuteronomy 18:10-12). Valued for profit. She “brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling.” To them she was a source of income, not a person to be cared for. A true message from the wrong source (16:17). “These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.” Every word was true. Yet the gospel does not need the help of a spirit that is not from God. Most likely Paul did not want anyone to link the message of Jesus with fortune-telling. Diaponeomai (16:18). “But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned.” Greatly annoyed is diaponeomai (say: dee-ah-poh-NEH-oh-my), to be deeply troubled or worn down. Day after day the cries grieved him. The name (16:18). “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” “And he came out that very hour.” There was no ritual and no long struggle. The authority was Christ’s alone. Application. Christ rules over every spiritual power. Believers do not need to fear, to dabble in fortune-telling, or to chase secret knowledge. The future belongs to the Lord, and He can be trusted.

In our last lesson, God called Paul to Macedonia. Now they were in Philippi, a city there. A servant girl had a spirit that told fortunes. Telling fortunes means trying to know secret things without God. God’s Word says His people must never do that. For many days the girl followed Paul and shouted about him. Her words were true, but they did not come from God. Paul was very troubled. He spoke to the spirit in the name of Jesus Christ. The spirit had to leave right away. Jesus has power over every spirit. With Jesus, you do not need to be afraid.

A girl had a spirit that told fortunes. Paul spoke to it in Jesus’ name. The spirit came out right away!

Profit gone. “But when her masters saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas” (16:19). The masters cared more about money than about a girl set free. Before the magistrates. They dragged them into the marketplace to the authorities. The magistrates were the Roman rulers of the city (16:20). The charge. The masters said, “These men, being Jews, exceedingly trouble our city; and they teach customs which are not lawful for us, being Romans, to receive or observe” (16:20-21). They did not mention their lost money. They pointed to who Paul and Silas were, not to anything wrong they had done, to stir up the crowd. No fair hearing. “Then the multitude rose up together against them” (16:22). The magistrates had them beaten with rods and thrown into prison without a trial. The inner prison. The jailer “put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks” (16:24). Stocks were heavy wooden blocks that held a prisoner’s feet. Trouble for doing good. Paul and Silas had done a good thing, and they suffered for it. Jesus told His followers, “In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Paul remembered. Later Paul wrote that they had been “spitefully treated at Philippi,” yet they “were bold in our God” to keep telling the gospel (1 Thessalonians 2:2). What we learn. Never treat people as if they are worth only what you can get from them. And when doing right brings trouble, Jesus is with you.

Profit (16:19). “But when her masters saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas.” The girl’s freedom meant lost income, and that was all her masters could see. Greed treats people as property. A different charge (16:20-21). In court they said nothing about money: “These men, being Jews, exceedingly trouble our city; and they teach customs which are not lawful for us, being Romans, to receive or observe.” They set Romans against Jews to turn the crowd. The charge covered their greed and blamed two men for who they were. Mob and magistrates (16:22). “Then the multitude rose up together against them; and the magistrates tore off their clothes and commanded them to be beaten with rods.” There was no trial and no defense. Securely (16:23-24). The jailer was commanded “to keep them securely,” so “he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.” Every human means was used to hold them. Suffering for doing good. Jesus warned, “In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Paul and Silas were not suffering for wrongdoing but for setting someone free in His name. Remembered later. Writing to Thessalonica soon after, Paul recalled that they “were spitefully treated at Philippi,” yet “we were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God in much conflict” (1 Thessalonians 2:2). Philippi did not stop them. Application. When obeying Christ costs you something, it does not mean God has left you. Value people above profit, and trust Him with the cost.

The girl’s owners saw that their money was gone. They cared more about money than about the girl. So they dragged Paul and Silas to the city rulers. The owners said that Paul and Silas were making trouble. But Paul and Silas had helped a girl, not hurt the city. The crowd joined in, and the rulers had them beaten. Doing what is right can sometimes bring trouble. Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble. But be brave! I have defeated the world!” Jesus is with you when doing right is hard.

The girl’s owners were angry about money. They had Paul and Silas put in jail. God was still with them.

Midnight. “But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them” (16:25). They were hurt, their feet were in the stocks, and it was the middle of the night. Yet they prayed and sang. Others were listening. The other prisoners heard them. Other people see the way followers of Jesus act when life is hard. The earthquake. “Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed” (16:26). God did it all at once. A picture. Many Christians see the opened doors and loosed chains as a picture of how Jesus sets people free from sin. The jailer. The jailer woke up and saw the prison doors open. He thought the prisoners had escaped. He was afraid and thought he would be punished. Paul called out, “Do yourself no harm, for we are all here” (16:28). Nobody ran. The prisoners stayed. Paul cared about the man who had locked his feet in the stocks. The big question. The jailer called for a light, ran in and “fell down trembling.” Then he asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” (16:29-30). What we learn. On your hardest days, pray and praise God. Others may be watching, and God may use it to bring them to Himself.

Midnight (16:25). “But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.” Beaten, fastened in the stocks and in the dark, they turned to God. Their praise did not depend on how they felt. Heard by others. “The prisoners were listening.” Faith in suffering is seen and heard. The inner prison became a place where God was honored. All at once (16:26). “Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed.” Foundations, doors and chains moved together. Only God could do this. A picture. Many Christians see the opened doors and loosed chains as a picture of the freedom Christ gives to people bound by sin. The keeper (16:27-28). The jailer woke and thought the prisoners had fled. A guard answered for his prisoners, so he was afraid and thought he would be punished. Paul called out, “Do yourself no harm, for we are all here.” Care in the dark. Paul could have escaped. Instead he cared for the man responsible for his chains. Trembling (16:29-30). “Then he called for a light, ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas.” Then he asked the most important question anyone can ask: “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” Application. Your response to suffering can point others to Christ. Pray in the dark, and care for the people around you, even those who have treated you badly.

Paul and Silas were hurt and locked in jail. But at midnight they prayed and sang songs to God. The other prisoners were listening. People see the way we act on hard days. Then God sent a big earthquake. The jail doors opened, and everyone’s chains came loose. God is stronger than any lock or chain. Many Christians see this as a picture of Jesus setting people free. Jesus frees us from sin. The jailer woke up and saw the open doors. He thought the prisoners had run away. But Paul shouted, “We are all here!” Then the jailer asked, “Men, what must I do to be saved?”

At midnight Paul and Silas prayed and sang to God. God sent a big earthquake. The doors opened, and the chains came off!

The answer. Paul and Silas said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household” (16:31). Salvation is not earned by being good. It is God’s gift to everyone who trusts Jesus. Your household. This did not mean the family would be saved because of the jailer’s faith. “They spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house” (16:32). Each one heard the message and believed. Kindness. That same hour the jailer washed their stripes (16:33). The man who had locked them up now cared for them. Baptized. “Immediately he and all his family were baptized” (16:33). Baptism does not save. It is a picture of a new life with Jesus, and it follows believing. Uncondemned Romans. In the morning the magistrates said, “Let those men go” (16:35). Paul answered, “They have beaten us openly, uncondemned Romans, and have thrown us into prison” (16:37). Roman citizens should never have been beaten without a trial. Most likely Paul wanted the city to see that the believers had done nothing wrong. Afraid. The magistrates “were afraid when they heard that they were Romans” (16:38). They came, pleaded with them, and asked them to leave. Encouraged. Paul and Silas went to the house of Lydia, “and when they had seen the brethren, they encouraged them and departed” (16:40). What we learn. Anyone can be saved by believing on Jesus, even a jailer in the middle of the night. Trust Him today, and tell your family about Him.

The answer (16:31). “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” Salvation is received by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, not earned by effort. The jailer had nothing to offer but trust. The household. The promise did not mean that one man’s faith saves his family. “Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house” (16:32). Each one heard, and each one believed (16:34). Washed (16:33). The same hour of the night he washed their stripes. Faith changed him at once: the guard became a host. Baptized. “And immediately he and all his family were baptized.” Baptism does not save. It is an outward picture of an inward change, and it follows faith. Akatakritos (16:37). At daybreak the magistrates sent word, “Let those men go.” Paul replied, “They have beaten us openly, uncondemned Romans, and have thrown us into prison. And now do they put us out secretly? No indeed!” Uncondemned is akatakritos (say: ah-kah-TAH-kree-tos), not tried and not found guilty. Beating a Roman citizen without a trial was against Roman law. Why insist? Most likely Paul spoke up now to protect the young church in Philippi, so that everyone would see the believers had done nothing wrong. Fear changes sides (16:38-39). The magistrates “were afraid when they heard that they were Romans,” and they came and pleaded with them. Encouragers (16:40). At Lydia’s house they saw the brethren and “encouraged them.” The men who had suffered comforted others. Application. No one is beyond the reach of the gospel. Believe on Christ, and use whatever you have, even your rights, to serve His people.

They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved.” Being saved is not about doing enough good things. It is about trusting Jesus. Paul and Silas told God’s message to everyone in the house. The jailer washed their wounds. Then he and his family were baptized. Baptism does not save us. It shows that we belong to Jesus. In the morning the rulers wanted them to leave quietly. But Paul and Silas were Roman citizens. The rulers had beaten them in public with no trial. So Paul asked the rulers to come themselves. Most likely Paul wanted everyone to know they had done no wrong. Last, they visited Lydia’s house and encouraged the believers.

Paul said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus.” The jailer and his family believed in Jesus. Then they were baptized. Baptism does not save us, but Jesus does!