22. And the crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas.Then the officials tore the clothes off Paul and Silas and ordered them to be whipped.
23. After a severe beating, they were thrown into jail, and the jailer was ordered to lock them up tight.
24. Upon receiving this order, the jailer threw them into the inner cell and fastened their feet between heavy blocks of wood.
25. About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.
26. Suddenly there was a violent earthquake, which shook the prison to its foundations. At once all the doors opened, and the chains fell off all the prisoners.
27. The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he thought that the prisoners had escaped; so he pulled out his sword and was about to kill himself.
28. But Paul shouted at the top of his voice, “Don't harm yourself! We are all here!”
29. The jailer called for a light, rushed in, and fell trembling at the feet of Paul and Silas.
30. Then he led them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
31. They answered, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved — you and your family.”
32. Then they preached the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house.
33. At that very hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; and he and all his family were baptized at once.
34. Then he took Paul and Silas up into his house and gave them some food to eat. He and his family were filled with joy, because they now believed in God.
35. The next morning the Roman authorities sent police officers with the order, “Let those men go.”
36. So the jailer told Paul, “The officials have sent an order for you and Silas to be released. You may leave, then, and go in peace.”
37. But Paul said to the police officers, “We were not found guilty of any crime, yet they whipped us in public — and we are Roman citizens! Then they threw us in prison. And now they want to send us away secretly. Not likely! The Roman officials themselves must come here and let us out.”