Singing in Prison — How God Set the Captives Free (Acts 16:16–40)
Sometimes, following Jesus leads to unexpected places—like a prison cell. But Acts 16 shows us that even in the darkest places, God is at work, and nothing can stop His love from reaching people.
This part of the story shows how Paul and Silas were unfairly arrested—but instead of being angry, they prayed and sang! And through a miracle, a jailer and his whole family came to believe in Jesus.
Let’s take a closer look.
A Girl Set Free
While Paul and his team were in Philippi, they met a slave girl who had a spirit that allowed her to tell people’s fortunes. She was being used by her owners to make money.
She followed Paul and the others around, shouting:
“These men are servants of the Most High God! They’re telling you how to be saved!”
What she said was true, but it was coming from an evil spirit, not from a heart that loved God. After many days, Paul turned and said to the spirit:
“In the name of Jesus Christ, I command you to come out of her!”
And the spirit left her right away. She was set free!
But her owners were angry—they couldn’t make money from her anymore. So they dragged Paul and Silas to the authorities.
Beaten and Thrown into Prison
The crowd joined in the attack, and without a fair trial, Paul and Silas were stripped, beaten with rods, and thrown into prison. The jailer was told to guard them carefully, so he put them in the inner cell and locked their feet in stocks.
This was a dark, painful moment.
But Paul and Silas didn’t complain. They didn’t give up.
Instead…
Singing in the Darkness
Around midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God. The other prisoners were listening. Suddenly, a violent earthquake shook the prison!
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All the doors flew open.
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Everyone’s chains came loose.
The jailer woke up and saw the doors open. He thought the prisoners had escaped, and he was about to take his own life (because he thought he had failed in his duty).
But Paul shouted:
“Don’t harm yourself! We’re all here!”
The jailer rushed in, shaking with fear. He fell before Paul and Silas and asked:
“What must I do to be saved?”
A Life Changed Forever
Paul and Silas answered:
“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”
That night, the jailer took them to his home. He washed their wounds. Then he and his whole family were baptized!
They had been afraid, but now they were filled with joy—because they had come to believe in Jesus.
Released the Next Day
The next day, the city officials sent word to release Paul and Silas quietly. But Paul said, “Wait—we’re Roman citizens, and you beat us and jailed us without a trial. That’s not right.”
The leaders were alarmed. They came and apologized, then asked Paul and Silas to leave the city. Before leaving, the missionaries visited Lydia’s house, encouraged the believers, and moved on to continue their mission.
What We Can Learn from Acts 16:16–40
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God cares about everyone
He cared about the slave girl, the prisoners, and even the jailer. No one is too far from God’s love. -
We can worship even in hard times
Paul and Silas sang in prison. Their joy didn’t come from comfort—it came from trusting Jesus. -
God uses our pain for His purpose
The jailer became a believer because of the earthquake and Paul’s kindness. God turned a bad situation into a life-changing moment. -
Jesus sets people free
The girl was freed from an evil spirit. The prisoners were freed from chains. The jailer and his family were freed from fear and sin. Jesus brings true freedom.
Final Thought:
This powerful story reminds us that God is bigger than our pain, our prisons, and our fears. Whether we’re singing in chains or facing injustice, He’s with us—and He’s always working to set people free.
Acts 16:16-40 (WEB)
16:16 As we were going to prayer, a certain girl having a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much gain by fortune telling. 17 Following Paul and us, she cried out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us a way of salvation!” 18 She was doing this for many days.But Paul, becoming greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!” It came out that very hour. 19 But when her masters saw that the hope of their gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers. 20 When they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, “These men, being Jews, are agitating our city 21 and advocate customs which it is not lawful for us to accept or to observe, being Romans.”22 The multitude rose up together against them and the magistrates tore their clothes from them, then commanded them to be beaten with rods. 23 When they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely. 24 Having received such a command, he threw them into the inner prison and secured their feet in the stocks.25 But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were loosened. 27 The jailer, being roused out of sleep and seeing the prison doors open, drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, “Don’t harm yourself, for we are all here!”29 He called for lights, sprang in, fell down trembling before Paul and Silas, 30 brought them out, and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”31 They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” 32 They spoke the word of the Lord to him, and to all who were in his house.33 He took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes, and was immediately baptized, he and all his household. 34 He brought them up into his house and set food before them, and rejoiced greatly with all his household, having believed in God.35 But when it was day, the magistrates sent the sergeants, saying, “Let those men go.”36 The jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, “The magistrates have sent to let you go; now therefore come out and go in peace.”37 But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us publicly without a trial, men who are Romans, and have cast us into prison! Do they now release us secretly? No, most certainly, but let them come themselves and bring us out!”38 The sergeants reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Romans, 39 and they came and begged them. When they had brought them out, they asked them to depart from the city. 40 They went out of the prison and entered into Lydia’s house. When they had seen the brothers, they encouraged them, then departed.