Conversion of Lydia and the Jailer�䏭 Family

Philippi is the chief city of that district of Macedonia, a Roman colony located on the Egnatian Way, the junction of Europe and Asia. Paul and Silas went there to preach, testifying that the gospel had reached Europe.

On the Sabbath day, Paul went out of the city to the riverside, where they expected to find a place of prayer. At this place he gained a woman named Lydia, a seller of purple cloth from the city of Thyatira. Lydia was a god-fearing woman. After she accepted the gospel, her family also believed and they were baptized. Lydia was fervent for the Lord. She loved the apostle and invited Paul and his company to her home.

Paul and Silas continued to preach at the riverside. They met a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination. The slave girl brought her owners much profit by fortune telling. She followed Paul and cried out, saying, �嚹hese men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.�� She did this for many days. But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and ordered the spirit to come out of her in the name of Jesus Christ. And it came out at that very moment. The slave girl returned to normal. But when her owners saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the authorities, accusing them of preaching heresy. The magistrates ordered Paul and Silas to be beaten with rods, and threw them into prison.

At midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God. Suddenly there was a great earthquake and all the prison doors flew open and everyone�䏭 chains became loose. The jailer thought that the prisoners had escaped, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself. But Paul stopped him, saying, �𡤜o yourself no harm, for we are all here.�� He fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. The jailer and his whole family believed in God after Paul and Silas preached to him and his family. He took them to his house, washed their wounds, and set a meal before them. He rejoiced greatly with his family because they had come to believe in God.

The next day, the magistrates sent the officers to release Paul and Silas. But Paul said, �嚹hey have beaten us publicly without a trial, even though we are Roman citizens, and threw us into prison. And now do they want to get rid of us secretly? No! Let them come themselves and escort us out.�� The magistrates were afraid when they heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens who could not be condemned without trial. Then the officers came to appease them and escorted them from the prison, requesting them to leave the city.

After Paul and Silas came out of the prison, they went to Lydia�䏭 house, where they met with the brothers and sisters and encouraged them. (Acts 16:11��40).