Saturday, May 18, 2024

Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.

 16:16-40

Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.”

They brought them before the magistrates and said, “These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice."

The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household.

 When it was daylight, the magistrates sent their officers to the jailer with the order: “Release those men.” The jailer told Paul, “The magistrates have ordered that you and Silas be released. Now you can leave. Go in peace.” But Paul said to the officers: “They beat us publicly without a trial, even though we are Roman citizens, and threw us into prison. And now do they want to get rid of us quietly? No! Let them come themselves and escort us out.”

The officers reported this to the magistrates, and when they heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, they were alarmed. They came to appease them and escorted them from the prison, requesting them to leave the city. After Paul and Silas came out of the prison, they went to Lydia’s house, where they met with the brothers and sisters and encouraged them. Then they left.

Why?

There were differences in the identity of Jews and Roman citizens. Because of the Jews and the spirit left the woman, she lost the spirit to earn money. So she stirred up the crowd there and let the magistrates arrest Paul and Silas.

Even the spirit knows that by believing in the Lord Jesus, you will be saved.

Paul and Silas were not against the law of Rome so they were not afraid. Even though the door of the jail was open, they stayed there and comforted the officers. So the jailer and his household were baptized.

Paul and Silas left jail with honor, this is the honor of the Lord either.

The Jailer knew it was Paul and Silas who were praying and singing so the doors of jail opened. And they get in to ask them "Sir, what must I do to be saved? If they get away from Jail the jailers will be killed, so they originally asked for this, but Paul told them the real salvation of their life.

How?

Work for the Lord is an honor and welcomed by men and the Lord.





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