Introduction

The sequence of events so far is as follows: (1) Lydia and her household believed the gospel and were baptized. (2) The young slave woman possessed by a spirit of divination was set free. (c)As a result, Paul and Silas were imprisoned.

A great earthquake

“Now about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them,” (1) Paul and Silas were awake around midnight, which is understandable. (a) Blood was running down their backs, and intense pain ran through their bodies. (b) Their movement was restricted by the stocks on their feet. (2) “Praying and singing hymns of praise to God” – in the darkness, the voices of Paul and Silas could be heard, reciting prayers and singing Hebrew hymns. Likely, these were prayers and songs to help them endure the pain. Their spirits were not crushed, and their faith was not suppressed by their circumstances. (3) “And the prisoners were listening to them.” It was not only God who heard their prayers and praises. (a) The Greek verb “epakroaomai” is used here, meaning to listen to a reading or music with enjoyment. (b) The other prisoners were taking pleasure in hearing the Hebrew prayers and praises, something entirely new to them. “And 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 chains were unfastened.” (1) While Paul and Silas were praying and praising, a sudden earthquake occurred. Earthquakes were not uncommon in this region in ancient times, but this was a miracle of timing. (2) This was a powerful earthquake. (a) The prison’s foundations shook. (b) All the doors were opened. (c) The chains of all the prisoners were unfastened. (d) Remarkably, however, the building itself was not destroyed. “When the jailer awoke and saw the prison doors opened, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, thinking that the prisoners had escaped.” (1) The jailer, awakened by the earthquake, was shocked. Seeing the prison doors open, he assumed the prisoners had escaped. (2) The jailer drew his sword to take his own life. According to custom, if a prisoner escaped, the jailer would face the same punishment that the prisoner was meant to receive. No excuses were permitted under any circumstances. The jailer knew that he would face a death sentence. To avoid public execution, he drew his sword to drive it into his chest. God intervened in the imprisonment through an earthquake. Nothing is impossible for God. Let us seek God’s intervention in our lives as well.