(Paul and Silas Are Imprisoned

Acts 16:16-34

This passage follows the baptism of Lydia and her household after they heard Paul speak at their Sabbath gathering; Lydia subsequently invited Paul and company to stay at her home.

Luke describes how Paul and Silas encounter a Pythian slave girl, who she is, and what she does: Returning to Lydia’s riverside gathering one day, the apostles meet the girl. Pythian priestesses were connected with the Greek god Apollo! They prophesied, divined, and presented oracles inspired by the god Apollo. She is also enslaved by her owners. Her oracles are effective in that they result in huge profits for her masters. Luke reports the interaction between the slave girl and Paul and Silas. The girl identifies Paul and his traveling companions (“us”) They are proclaiming to the Philippians the way of salvation, which is not a false oracle. She shouts that oracle repeatedly while following the apostles. By the way, this is the end portion of the first “we” passage that begun in Acts 16:10—the narratives in which Luke the narrator indicates that he was present for the events he describes (there are others are also 20:5–15; 21:1–18; 27:1–28:16). The slave girl followed Paul and his companions while announcing loudly that they are “slaves of the Most High God” who preach salvation to the Philippians. Luke reports vaguely the length of time that the slave girl follows the apostles while prophesying repeatedly: many days. Scripture also reveals Paul’s feelings about and reaction to her behavior: a deeply annoyed Paul exorcises the evil spirit in the name of Jesus Christ; the name of Jesus overpowers the evil spirit. Luke describes the reaction of the owners of the slave girl after Paul performs the exorcism and the reason for their reaction: Paul has destroyed their revenue source; therefore, the owners seize Paul and Silas and drag them into the marketplace to accuse them before the civic authorities. This reveals the authorities to whom the slave owners appeal and the nature of their accusations: they drag Paul and Silas before the city magistrates and accuse them of disturbing the peace, identifying them as Jews, as if both are crimes. Another accusation is levied against the apostles. They are advocating that Philippians with Roman citizenship adopt customs that are contrary to Roman law and thus illegal. Luke reports the reaction of the crowds and the magistrates hearing the accusations: the crowd attacks Paul and Silas, and the magistrates command that they be stripped naked and flogged with rods. The magistrates’ order that Paul and Silas be stripped and flogged: the apostles are imprisoned, and the jailer is ordered to make sure the prisoners are securely restrained and guarded. Luke reports how the jailer obeys the magistrates’ instructions: Paul and Silas are placed in the most interior cell of the prison, and their feet are put in stocks (huge wooden or metal restraining blocks with holes for feet). Paul and Silas’ prison restraints are loosened and the prison doors opened after a violent earthquake. Seeing the prisoners unrestrained and the prison doors opened, the jailer starts to commit suicide until Paul stops him. Paul, by the power of the Spirit, converts the jailer and his household. The next day, the jailer is ordered to release Paul and Silas, but Paul objects on the grounds that they have been treated unjustly, in violation of their Roman citizenship; the officials apologize to the apostles and ask them to leave the city. Paul and Silas leave Philippi after encouraging Lydia and her household Then we learn what Paul and Silas had done in the Philippian prison. Luke reports that in prison, the apostles worship God with songs and prayers while the other prisoners listen. Paul and Silas sang and prayed to God while imprisoned in a Philippian jail after being accused and jailed for disturbing the peace and other alleged violations. Luke describes what happens while Paul and Silas praise God in jail: without warning, a violent earthquake shakes the prison’s foundations, forces open all cell doors, and bursts open all chains and stocks restraining the prisoners. We see the reaction of the jailer who is responsible for securing the prisoners when he sees the cell doors open and prison restraints broken: the jailer presumes that all prisoners have escaped and his only option is to commit suicide, since it is his duty to secure the prisoners. Paul’s response when the jailer starts to commit suicide: Paul shouts at the jailer that all prisoners are all present; no one has escaped, so he (the jailer) should not harm himself. Then we see the relief and gratefulness the jailer expresses when he learns no one has escaped during his watch, although their restrains and cell doors are open. The jailer calls for a light to see his way through the destruction and then rushes into to see that what Paul and Silas have said is true. Consequently, trembling, he falls down before them. The jailer’s next action and the impact of the situation on him: after escorting Paul and Silas (and the other prisoners?) outside the crumbling prison, he asks them what he must do to be saved. Paul and Silas’ answer the question for the jailer. They respond that the jailer must believe in Jesus as Lord and then he and his household will be saved. Luke reports what the apostles do to provide the opportunity for the jailer to believe in Jesus and be saved: Paul and Silas preach God’s word to the jailer and his entire house. The jailer’s response to hearing God’s word: within the hour, the jailer and his family are baptized, but only after the jailer demonstrates compassion toward Paul and Silas by washing their wounds. What happens after the baptism of the jailer and his family? The apostles are fed in the jailer’s home—they are treated like guests and not prisoners. The jailer’s family is overjoyed that he has become a believer in God.