When Paul and Silas came to Philippi, they came with a message — a message of hope and salvation through Jesus Christ. This preaching shares how that same message still changes hearts, brings freedom, and fills lives with joy today.
Bible Scriptures: Darby Translation
Acts 16:12-34 “12 and thence to Philippi, which is [the] first city of that part of Macedonia, a colony. And we were staying in that city certain days.13 And on the sabbath day we went outside the gate by the river, where it was the custom for prayer to be, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had assembled.
14 And a certain woman, by name Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, who worshipped God, heard; whose heart the Lord opened to attend to the things spoken by Paul.15 And when she had been baptised and her house, she besought [us], saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and abide [there]. And she constrained us.16 And it came to pass as we were going to prayer that a certain female slave, having a spirit of Python, met us, who brought much profit to her masters by prophesying.
17 She, having followed Paul and us, cried saying, These men are bondmen of the Most High God, who announce to you [the] way of salvation.
18 And this she did many days. And Paul, being distressed, turned, and said to the spirit, I enjoin thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And it came out the same hour.19 And her masters, seeing that the hope of their gains was gone, having seized Paul and Silas, dragged [them] into the market before the magistrates;20 and having brought them up to the praetors, said, These men utterly trouble our city, being Jews,
21 and announce customs which it is not lawful for us to receive nor practise, being Romans.22 And the crowd rose up too against them; and the praetors, having torn off their clothes, commanded to scourge [them].23 And having laid many stripes upon them they cast [them] into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely;
24 who, having received such a charge, cast them into the inner prison, and secured their feet to the stocks.25 And at midnight Paul and Silas, in praying, were praising God with singing, and the prisoners listened to them.26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison shook, and all the doors were immediately opened, and the bonds of all loosed.
27 And the jailor being awakened out of his sleep, and seeing the doors of the prison opened, having drawn a sword was going to kill himself, thinking the prisoners had fled.28 But Paul called out with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm, for we are all here.29 And having asked for lights, he rushed in, and, trembling, fell down before Paul and Silas.
30 And leading them out said, Sirs, what must I do that I may be saved?31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved, thou and thy house.
32 And they spoke to him the word of the Lord, with all that were in his house.33 And he took them the same hour of the night and washed [them] from their stripes; and was baptised, he and all his straightway.
34 And having brought them into his house he laid the table [for them], and rejoiced with all his house, having believed in God.”h