Paul and Silas in Prison

Paul and Silas travelled from town to town telling people about Jesus. In the markets and by the river they shared the good news that everyone, anyone at all, can know and follow God.

Not everybody was happy about it. In one town some men made trouble for them, and Paul and Silas were beaten and put in prison, in the deepest room, with their feet locked into heavy wooden blocks.

It was dark. It was cold. They could not move and they could not leave.

And at about midnight, Paul and Silas began to pray, and then they began to sing. Songs of praise to God, right there in the dark, with their feet still in chains. All the other prisoners lay in their cells and listened, because nobody had ever heard anything like it in that place.

“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.”

Acts 16:25

Then the ground began to shake. A great earthquake rattled the whole prison, the doors flew open, and every chain came loose.

The jailer woke up terrified. He was sure the prisoners had all escaped. But Paul called out into the dark, “Don’t be afraid. We are all here.”

The jailer brought them into his house, washed their wounds and listened to everything they had to say about Jesus. That same night he and his whole family believed, and the house that had been full of fear was full of joy instead.