使徒言行録16:25-34 Acts 16:25-34

In the city of Philippi in Macedonia, Paul and Silas were preaching Jesus. They was being troubled by a slave girl who practised fortune-telling. So, he drove out the spirit that was causing her to practise fortune-telling, and she could no longer do so. This angered her owners, who had been making money by enslaving her, and they accused Paul and Silas of being troublemakers. The city magistrates, without conducting a proper investigation, tore the garments off Paul and Silas, beat them with rods, and threw them into prison. They even fastened their feet in the stocks, causing them great suffering. How terrible!

If ordinary persons had suffered such cruel treatment, they would have been filled with anger and cursed the people and the magistrates. But Paul and Silas were different. In the prison, they offered prayers and sang hymns praising God in the midnight. The other prisoners in the prison listened to them. Suddenly, a great earthquake struck. The shock of the earthquake broke the bolts holding the prison doors shut and the metal chains binding the prisoners. The doors swung open, and the prisoners could have escaped at any moment.

There was a jailer in the prison whose job was to watch over the prisoners. This jailer had fallen asleep in the midnight. When the earthquake woke him up, he was shocked to find the prison doors open. The jailer assumed that the prisoners had escaped. Believing he had failed in his duty and would face severe punishment, he decided that death was preferable to facing the consequences. He drew his sword and was about to kill himself. It was likely that the earthquake had left him in a state of panic, unable to think clearly.

At that moment, Paul shouted, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” He stopped the jailer from committing suicide. Hearing this, the jailer called for lights, rushed in, and fell down before Paul and Silas. He asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” By attempting suicide, he must have realised that he had been a wretched sinner. Paul and Silas said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” By believing in Jesus, one receives forgiveness of sins and eternal life, and becomes a child of God. This is more certain than any position or status in this world.

Upon hearing this, the jailer called all his family and heard from Paul about Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. After hearing the words of salvation about the cross and resurrection, the jailer believed, washed the wounds of Paul and Silas that had been beaten with rods, and immediately had himself and all his family baptised. After that, he took Paul and Silas to their home, provided them with food, and rejoiced with their family over becoming believers in God. Paul and Silas, who were prisoners in the jail, led the jailer, who was watching over the prisoners, to salvation. How wonderful!

We have been sent into this world by Jesus to testify about his salvation. Therefore, we should always be prepared to testify about Jesus. One day, someone might unexpectedly ask, “What must I do to be saved?” At that time, we want to be able to clearly say, “Believe in the Lord Jesus. Then you and your family will be saved.”