The third conversion in Philippi was of a most unlikely character. It was the Roman prison officer who had been charged with guarding Paul and Silas. They were beaten and put in the inner prison with their feet in stocks. How would you react if that was you? I think I wouldn't have been too happy but Paul and Silas were heard to be praying and singing praises to God.
When the earthquake came the Prison Guard thought that all the prisoners had escaped. If that had been the case then he would have lost his life which is why he had his sword out ready to commit suicide rather than be put to death by his superiors.
Paul saves the say and cries out 'don't do yourself any harm'. Things only get better from then on! The man springs in and asks how he can have what they have i.e. peace with God and joy in the midst of sorrow!
That's what God has on offer through His Son, Jesus Christ. I am praying that you will come to know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour,
Stephen
Acts 16. 25-40
25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. 26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed. 27 And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.29 Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, 30 and brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? 31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. 32 And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. 33 And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway. 34 And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.
35 And when it was day, the magistrates sent the serjeants, saying, Let those men go. 36 And the keeper of the prison told this saying to Paul, The magistrates have sent to let you go: now therefore depart, and go in peace. 37 But Paul said unto them, They have beaten us openly uncondemned, being Romans, and have castus into prison; and now do they thrust us out privily? nay verily; but let them come themselves and fetch us out. 38 And the serjeants told these words unto the magistrates: and they feared, when they heard that they were Romans. 39 And they came and besought them, and brought them out, and desired them to depart out of the city. 40 And they went out of the prison, and entered into the house of Lydia: and when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them, and departed.
Authorized (King James) Version (AKJV)
KJV reproduced by permission of Cambridge University Press, the Crown’s patentee in the UK.
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