19. Her owners realized that their hope for making money was gone. They grabbed Paul and Silas and dragged them before the officials in the city center.
20. When her owners approached the legal authorities, they said, "These people are causing an uproar in our city. They are Jews
21. who promote customs that we Romans can’t accept or practice."
22. The crowd joined in the attacks against Paul and Silas, so the authorities ordered that they be stripped of their clothes and beaten with a rod.
23. When Paul and Silas had been severely beaten, the authorities threw them into prison and ordered the jailer to secure them with great care.
24. When he received these instructions, he threw them into the innermost cell and secured their feet in stocks.
25. Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.
26. All at once there was such a violent earthquake that it shook the prison’s foundations. The doors flew open and everyone’s chains came loose.
27. When the jailer awoke and saw the open doors of the prison, he thought the prisoners had escaped, so he drew his sword and was about to kill himself.
28. But Paul shouted loudly, "Don’t harm yourself! We’re all here!"
29. The jailer called for some lights, rushed in, and fell trembling before Paul and Silas.
30. He led them outside and asked, "Honorable masters, what must I do to be rescued?"
31. They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your entire household."
32. They spoke the Lord’s word to him and everyone else in his house.