Lexham English Bible

Acts 16:19-34 Lexham English Bible (LEB)

19. 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 rulers.

20. And when they had brought them to the chief magistrates, they said, “These men are throwing our city into confusion, being Jews,

21. and are proclaiming customs that are not permitted for us to accept or to practice, because we are Romans!”

22. And the crowd joined in attacking them, and the chief magistrates tore off their clothing and gave orders to beat them with rods.

23. And after they had inflicted many blows on them, they threw them into prison, giving orders to the jailer to guard them securely.

24. Having received such an order, he put them in the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.

25. Now about midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to 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 all the bonds were unfastened.

27. And after the jailer was awake and saw the doors of the prison open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, because he thought the prisoners had escaped.

28. But Paul called out with a loud voice, saying, “Do no harm to yourself, for we are all here!”

29. And demanding lights, he rushed in and, beginning to tremble, fell down at the feet of Paul and Silas.

30. And he brought them outside and said, “Sirs, what must I do so that I can be saved?”

31. And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, you and your household!”

32. And they spoke the message of the Lord to him, together with all those in his house.

33. And he took them at that very hour of the night and washed their wounds, and he himself was baptized at once, and all those of his household.

34. And he brought them up into his house and set a meal before them, and rejoiced greatly that he had believed in God with his whole household.