Acts 16:25-36

25About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody's chains came loose. 27The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. 28But Paul shouted, "Don't harm yourself! We are all here!"

29The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30He then brought them out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"

31They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household."

32Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. 33At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his family were baptized. 34The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole family.

35When it was daylight, the magistrates sent their officers to the jailer with the order: "Release those men." 36The jailer told Paul, "The magistrates have ordered that you and Silas be released. Now you can leave. Go in peace."

The Conversion of the Jailers Household

Think about it. . . after being humiliated, stripped & beaten, then severely flogged & thrown into an inner cell with their feet shackeled, they were SINGING!!!

Reread what happened just about midnight, I would have loved to have seen this passage with my own eyes!!! The POWER of the Holy Spirit prevailed.

My heart went out to the jailer who thought that if he killed himself it would be easier than being killed by the magistrates after finding out that Paul & Silas had escaped. But in fact Paul & Silas changed his life by sharing the Good News and he & his household were baptized & filled with joy!

If you have never trusted in Jesus to save you, do so quickly. Your life can be filled with joy, just as the jailer's was. The Christian Good News of salvation is simple; Believe in the Lord Jesus, & be Baptized for the remission of your sins, just as the jailer and his family did.