Acts 16:16–24

Paul and Silas in Prison

¹⁶Once, as we were on our way to prayer, a slave girl met us who had a spirit of prediction. ^abShe made a large profit for her owners by fortune-telling. ¹⁷As she followed Paul and us she cried out, “These men, who are proclaiming to you ^cthe way of salvation, are the slaves of the Most High God.” ¹⁸And she did this for many days.

But Paul was greatly aggravated and turning to the spirit, said, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!” And it came out right away. ^de

¹⁹When her owners saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas ^fand dragged them into the marketplace to the authorities. ²⁰Bringing them before the chief magistrates, they said, “These men are seriously disturbing our city. They are Jews ²¹and are promoting customs that are not legal for us as Romans to adopt or practice.” ^g

²²Then the mob joined in the attack against them, and the chief magistrates stripped off their clothes and ordered them to be beaten with rods. ^h23After they had inflicted many blows on them, they threw them in jail, ordering the jailer to keep them securely guarded. ²⁴Receiving such an order, he put them into the inner prison and secured their feet in the stocks. ⁱ