New Testament · Acts 16:16–34
Paul and Silas in Prison — Bible Story for Kids
Paul and Silas were put in prison, but at midnight they prayed and sang to God. An earthquake opened the doors, and the jailer and his family believed.
This is a retelling for children, written by BibleKenya from the Bible passages shown on each picture. It is not a Bible translation.
and were telling people about Jesus in the city of Philippi. Some men had them beaten and thrown into prison.
In Philippi, some men seized and and dragged them to the rulers. The crowd rose up against them, and they were beaten with rods and thrown into prison. The jailer put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.
At midnight, and were praying and singing songs to God. The other prisoners were listening.
About midnight and were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.
Suddenly there was a great earthquake! All the prison doors opened, and everyone's chains came loose.
Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. Immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's bonds were loosened.
The jailer was very afraid. shouted, "Don't hurt yourself! We are all here!" The jailer asked, "What must I do to be ?" They said, " in the Lord Jesus."
The jailer woke up, saw the prison doors open and thought the prisoners had escaped. cried out, "Don't harm yourself, for we are all here!" The jailer called for lights, ran in trembling and fell down before Paul and . He asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be ?" They said, " in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household."
Bible explorer Acts 16:27 says the jailer was about to harm himself, thinking the prisoners had fled.
The jailer washed their wounds. He and his whole family believed and were . They were all very happy!
They spoke the word of the Lord to him and to everyone in his house. That same hour of the night he washed their wounds and was , he and all his household. He brought them into his house, set food before them and rejoiced greatly, with all his household, having believed in God.
The end of the story
Read it in the Bible
This is the Bible text itself, from the version shown. Scripture in WEBWorld English Bible — Protestant Edition
Acts 16:16–34 WEB
16As we were going to prayer, a certain girl having a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much gain by fortune telling. 17Following Paul and us, she cried out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us a way of salvation!” 18She 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. 19But 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. 20When they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, “These men, being Jews, are agitating our city 21and advocate customs which it is not lawful for us to accept or to observe, being Romans.” 22The multitude rose up together against them and the magistrates tore their clothes from them, then commanded them to be beaten with rods. 23When they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely. 24Having received such a command, he threw them into the inner prison and secured their feet in the stocks. 25But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. 26Suddenly 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. 27The 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. 28But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, “Don’t harm yourself, for we are all here!” 29He called for lights, sprang in, fell down trembling before Paul and Silas, 30brought them out, and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” 32They spoke the word of the Lord to him, and to all who were in his house. 33He took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes, and was immediately baptized, he and all his household. 34He brought them up into his house and set food before them, and rejoiced greatly with all his household, having believed in God.
Who is in the story?
Words to learn
- Baptism
- Baptism means being washed in water as a sign of following God. John baptized Jesus in the Jordan River.
- Faith
- Faith means trusting God. Abraham trusted God and left his home to go where God would show him.
- Prayer
- Prayer is talking to God. Jesus taught his friends a prayer that begins, "Our Father in heaven".
- Salvation
- Salvation means being rescued. God rescued Israel at the sea, and Jesus came to rescue people from sin.
What can we learn from this passage?
Even in prison, Paul and Silas prayed and sang. When the doors opened they stayed, cared for the frightened jailer and told him about Jesus, and his whole household rejoiced. Acts 16:25Acts 16:28–34