16:25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying 3 and singing hymns to God, 4 and the rest of 5 the prisoners were listening to them. 16:26 Suddenly a great earthquake occurred, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. Immediately all the doors flew open, and the bonds 6 of all the prisoners came loose. 16:27 When the jailer woke up 7 and saw the doors of the prison standing open, 8 he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, 9 because he assumed 10 the prisoners had escaped. 16:28 But Paul called out loudly, 11 “Do not harm yourself, 12 for we are all here!” 16:29 Calling for lights, the jailer 13 rushed in and fell down 14 trembling at the feet of Paul and Silas. 16:30 Then he brought them outside 15 and asked, “Sirs, what must 16 I do to be saved?” 16:31 They replied, 17 “Believe 18 in the Lord Jesus 19 and you will be saved, you and your household.” 16:32 Then 20 they spoke the word of the Lord 21 to him, along with all those who were in his house. 16:33 At 22 that hour of the night he took them 23 and washed their wounds; 24 then 25 he and all his family 26 were baptized right away. 27 16:34 The jailer 28 brought them into his house and set food 29 before them, and he rejoiced greatly 30 that he had come to believe 31 in God, together with his entire household. 32 16:35 At daybreak 33 the magistrates 34 sent their police officers, 35 saying, “Release those men.” 16:36 The jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, 36 “The magistrates have sent orders 37 to release you. So come out now and go in peace.” 38 16:37 But Paul said to the police officers, 39 “They had us beaten in public 40 without a proper trial 41 – even though we are Roman citizens 42 – and they threw us 43 in prison. And now they want to send us away 44 secretly? Absolutely not! They 45 themselves must come and escort us out!” 46 16:38 The police officers reported these words to the magistrates. They were frightened when they heard Paul and Silas 47 were Roman citizens 48 16:39 and came 49 and apologized to them. After 50 they brought them out, they asked them repeatedly 51 to leave the city. 16:40 When they came out of the prison, they entered Lydia’s house, and when they saw the brothers, they encouraged them and then 52 departed.