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Acts 16:25–30
“The jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and said, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’” (vv. 29–30).
Beaten with rods and then carried off to a Philippian prison, Paul and Silas were placed in stocks, their feet fastened so that they could not escape. The two men found themselves under the supervision of a jailer, and they were likely suffering much physical pain and the additional discomfort of being unable to move their legs (Acts 16:23–24). This was no time, humanly speaking, for Paul and Silas to experience joy.
Yet as we read in today’s passage, the two men were filled with the joy that comes with possessing the hope of salvation through faith in Christ alone. At midnight, only a few hours after being imprisoned, Paul and Silas “were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them” (v. 25). Their confidence and rejoicing bore witness to the truth of the gospel message, and we should remember that this is true for us as well. Our demeanor and actions can say much about our faith and about God (see 1 Peter 2:12).
In any case, while Paul and Silas were singing and praying, an earthquake shook the foundations of the prison, opening the doors and releasing the prisoners from their chains. The jailer, who was probably a former soldier, had been sleeping, but the earthquake woke him up, and he rushed to the prison. Seeing the door opened, he drew his sword to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped (Acts 16:26–27). Under Roman law, prison guards could be killed if their captives got away, and the soldier did not want to face the authorities or suffer the shame associated with not fulfilling his duties (see 12:1–19).
The jailer had no reason to worry for his physical life, for Paul cried out that all the prisoners were still there. None had left the prison, possibly because they were in awe of Paul and Silas, with whom the earthquake was clearly associated (16:28). A different kind of fear overcame the jailer, for he recognized that something supernatural had just happened. He understood that he needed to fear not what men could do but what the God of Paul and Silas had for him if he remained as he was. The jailer fell down and asked what he had to do to be saved (vv. 29–30). Note that he did not offer anything to Paul, Silas, or their Lord. His question shows that he was willing to accept whatever terms of salvation might be offered to him. The jailer showed himself prepared to receive and rest on Christ alone for salvation once he heard the gospel.
Coram Deo Living before the face of God
Matthew Henry comments, “Those who are thoroughly convinced of sin, and truly concerned about their salvation, will surrender at discretion to Jesus Christ, will give him a blank to write what he pleases, will be glad to have Christ upon his own terms, Christ upon any terms.” Saving faith manifests itself in a willingness to receive Christ according to how He offers Himself, and such faith is evident at conversion and through the whole of the Christian life.
For further study
- Psalm 6:4
- Isaiah 37:14–20
- Luke 23:39–43
- Acts 2:37
The bible in a year
- Psalms 39–41
- Acts 23:12–35