Acts 16:19-40
New Catholic Bible
19 When her owners realized that their hope of making money from her was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the authorities. 20 They brought them before the magistrates and said, “These men are causing a disturbance in our city. They are Jews, 21 and they are advocating practices that it is illegal for us as Romans to adopt or follow.”
22 The crowd joined in the attack against them, and the magistrates had them stripped and ordered them to be beaten. 23 After they had inflicted a severe beating on them, they threw them into prison and instructed the jailer to guard them closely. 24 Following these instructions, he put them in the innermost cell and locked their feet in the stocks.
25 Paul Set Free. About midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly, there was such a huge earthquake that the very foundations of the prison were shaken. At once, all the doors flew open, and everyone’s chains were loosened.
27 When the jailer awakened and saw all the doors of the prison wide open, he drew his sword, intending to kill himself, since he assumed that the prisoners had escaped. 28 However, Paul shouted in a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.”
29 The jailer called for lights and, rushing in, he threw himself before Paul and Silas, trembling with fear. 30 Then he brought them outside and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 They answered, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, and so too will your household.” 32 After this, they preached the word of the Lord to him and to everyone in his house.
33 At that late hour of the night, the jailer took them and bathed their wounds. Then he and his entire family were baptized without delay. 34 Afterward, he brought them into his house and set a meal before them, and he and his entire household rejoiced over their belief in God.
35 When it was daylight, the magistrates sent police officers with the order, “Let those men go.” 36 The jailer reported the message to Paul, saying, “The magistrates sent word to let you go. Now you can come out and depart in peace.” 37 But Paul said to the officers, “We are Roman citizens. They gave us a public beating and threw us into prison without a trial. And now they are going to release us secretly. Absolutely not! Let them come in person and escort us out themselves.”
38 The officers reported Paul’s words, and the magistrates became alarmed when they learned that those men were Roman citizens. 39 So they came and apologized to them, then escorted them out and begged them to leave the city. 40 After emerging from the prison, they went to Lydia’s home, where they met the brethren and spoke words of encouragement to them. Then they departed.
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