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Paul and Silas sing in prison

Acts 16:22-40

In Philippi, Paul and Silas were beaten and locked up. At midnight they were praying and singing to God. An earthquake opened the doors, but they did not run away, and that night the jailer was baptized with his whole household. Acts 16:22-40

Paul and Silas sing in prison: an artistic recreation

The story, in plain words

In Philippi, a slave girl told fortunes through a spirit. Paul, in the name of Jesus Christ, ordered the spirit to come out of her. Acts 16:16, 18

Her owners saw that their source of profit was gone. So they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them before the city authorities. Acts 16:19

The crowd turned against them. The magistrates ordered them to be beaten and thrown into prison, with their feet secured to a stake. Acts 16:22-24

At midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God. The other prisoners were listening to them. Acts 16:25 Suddenly there was a great earthquake. All the doors…

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What the Bible says

Acts 16:22-40

22And the people ran together against them; and the magistrates rending off their clothes, commanded them to be beaten with rods. 23And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the gaoler to keep them diligently. 24Who having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks. 25And at midnight, Paul and Silas praying, praised God. And they that were in prison, heard them. 26And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and the bands of all were loosed. 27And the keeper of the prison, awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the doors of the prison open, drawing his sword, would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. 28But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying: Do thyself no harm, for we all are here. 29Then calling for a light, he went in, and trembling, fell down at the feet of Paul and Silas. 30And bringing them out, he said: Masters, what must I do, that I may be saved? 31But they said: Believe in the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. 32And they preached the word of the Lord to him and to all that were in his house. 33And he, taking them the same hour of the night, washed their stripes, and himself was baptized, and all his house immediately. 34And when he had brought them into his own house, he laid the table for them, and rejoiced with all his house, believing God. 35And when the day was come, the magistrates sent the serjeants, saying, Let those men go. 36And the keeper of the prison told these words to Paul: The magistrates have sent to let you go; now therefore depart, and go in peace. 37But Paul said to them: They have beaten us publicly, uncondemned, men that are Romans, and have cast us into prison: and now do they thrust us out privately? Not so; but let them come, 38And let us out themselves. And the serjeants told these words to the magistrates. And they were afraid, hearing that they were Romans. 39And coming, they besought them; and bringing them out, they desired them to depart out of the city. 40And they went out of the prison, and entered into the house of Lydia; and having seen the brethren, they comforted them, and departed.

Douay-Rheims Bible (Challoner revision), public domain.

To talk about together

  1. Paul and Silas were in prison, and they sang to God. What do you think gave them that strength?
  2. They could have escaped, but they stayed, and that saved the jailer. Why do you think they did not run away?
  3. For the child: what song would you sing to God when you are afraid?

Who is in it?

Paul, Silas, Lydia, Jesus.

And what happened next?

Paul in Athens

Read the whole story in God's Map