And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.
After the jailer asked what he must do to be saved and was told to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, Paul and Silas spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all in his house gathered in the Philippian prison after the earthquake opened the doors. The whole household heard the message of salvation with hearts opened to receive its truths, and that same night the jailer and his household were converted, baptized straightway, and rejoiced believing in God. Their conversion shows that labor amid opposition, imprisonment, and suffering was fruitful and more than repaid the suffering, proving that work that looked like failure in prison had succeeded. It is an example of bearing the message wherever placed and letting light shine in darkness, continuing to witness though threatened and opposed in obedience to God rather than men. The word spoken lifted up Christ to convicted sinners as the bearer of human sins with authority to impart His righteousness, leading the jailer to welcome the Spirit into heart and home in repentance and pardon.
Historical Setting and Meaning
The speaking belongs to the time when the gospel was to go beyond Asia Minor into Europe, when the way was being prepared at Troas on the borders of the Mediterranean Sea through the night vision of the man of Macedonia calling for help. It belongs to the answering of that call to preach in Macedonia, with Paul and his companions arriving at Philippi to carry out the mission.
The speaking took place in the Philippian prison, in the Macedonian dungeon, after the earthquake opened the prison doors. The apostles were in jail with feet in stocks for obeying God. Paul and Silas taught the word of the Lord to the Philippian jailer and to all in his house there inside the prison walls.
After the jailer asked what he must do to be saved and was told to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, Paul and Silas spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all that were in his house. The jailer gathered his household to hear, and the whole household heard the message of salvation before baptism that night. Paul and Silas taught him and everyone in his household, explaining the Lord's word not only to the jailer but also to everyone in his house.
The household heard the gospel and its message of salvation, and their hearts were opened to receive its truths. They were convinced that the living God served by the apostles had miraculously freed them. The jailer with humility learned the way of life and of salvation.
The teaching resulted that same night in the conversion of the jailer and his whole household. They were baptized straightway, the jailer and his household and all his family. They rejoiced believing in God and joined the disciples of Christ.
Lessons for Witness and Ministry
The speaking to the jailer and to all in his house bore fruit in the conversion of the whole household at Philippi, proving that work that looked like failure when the apostles sat in jail with feet in stocks had succeeded. Their conversion made labor amid opposition, imprisonment, and suffering fruitful, and more than repaid the suffering endured. Conviction led the jailer to confess his sins and find pardon, and he welcomed the Spirit of God into his heart and home. With humility he learned the way of life, repented and walked in the way of salvation with his household, becoming a child of God and heir of heaven. This joyful response stands in contrast to Felix, who trembled under conviction but refused to repent.
Having recognized God's power and sought salvation, the jailer cared for the apostles' wounds and made them more comfortable. Their speaking inside the prison happened because God in providence allowed them to be imprisoned so that light could reach within those walls, bearing the message wherever placed and letting light shine in darkness. It is an example of obeying God rather than men when human law forbids preaching, of continuing to witness though threatened, imprisoned and opposed, and of being brought into strait places with reproach and persecution for obedience while the world as a whole remains out of harmony with God's law. Imprisonment and opposition in the Macedonian dungeon did not turn Paul from his purpose of serving Christ.
The Philippian prisoners belong among those to whom holy angels ministered in mercy. The word spoken lifted up Christ to convicted sinners and presented the atonement to touch hearts. That message was that Christ hates sin and loves the sinner, bore human sins, and has authority to impart His righteousness. Christ's church is present even enclosed in prison walls, for where two or three love and obey God's commandments Jesus presides, and the presence of the High and Holy One alone constitutes a church. The glory of God penetrates prison walls to flood the darkest dungeon with heavenly light, so that the suffering of saints in prison spreads faith, wins souls to Christ, and glorifies God's holy name.
The conversion of the jailer, the prisoners, and the household connected with this speaking was afterward told by Paul and Silas to the believers in Lydia's house, along with God's dealings with them in prison that night.
After the jailer asked what he must do to be saved and was told to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, Paul and Silas spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all in his house gathered in the Philippian prison after the earthquake opened the doors. The whole household heard the message of salvation with hearts opened to receive its truths, and that same night the jailer and his household were converted, baptized straightway, and rejoiced believing in God. Their conversion shows that labor amid opposition, imprisonment, and suffering was fruitful and more than repaid the suffering, proving that work that looked like failure in prison had succeeded. It is an example of bearing the message wherever placed and letting light shine in darkness, continuing to witness though threatened and opposed in obedience to God rather than men. The word spoken lifted up Christ to convicted sinners as the bearer of human sins with authority to impart His righteousness, leading the jailer to welcome the Spirit into heart and home in repentance and pardon.
Historical Setting and Meaning
The speaking belongs to the time when the gospel was to go beyond Asia Minor into Europe, when the way was being prepared at Troas on the borders of the Mediterranean Sea through the night vision of the man of Macedonia calling for help. It belongs to the answering of that call to preach in Macedonia, with Paul and his companions arriving at Philippi to carry out the mission.
The speaking took place in the Philippian prison, in the Macedonian dungeon, after the earthquake opened the prison doors. The apostles were in jail with feet in stocks for obeying God. Paul and Silas taught the word of the Lord to the Philippian jailer and to all in his house there inside the prison walls.
After the jailer asked what he must do to be saved and was told to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, Paul and Silas spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all that were in his house. The jailer gathered his household to hear, and the whole household heard the message of salvation before baptism that night. Paul and Silas taught him and everyone in his household, explaining the Lord's word not only to the jailer but also to everyone in his house.
The household heard the gospel and its message of salvation, and their hearts were opened to receive its truths. They were convinced that the living God served by the apostles had miraculously freed them. The jailer with humility learned the way of life and of salvation.
The teaching resulted that same night in the conversion of the jailer and his whole household. They were baptized straightway, the jailer and his household and all his family. They rejoiced believing in God and joined the disciples of Christ.
Lessons for Witness and Ministry
The speaking to the jailer and to all in his house bore fruit in the conversion of the whole household at Philippi, proving that work that looked like failure when the apostles sat in jail with feet in stocks had succeeded. Their conversion made labor amid opposition, imprisonment, and suffering fruitful, and more than repaid the suffering endured. Conviction led the jailer to confess his sins and find pardon, and he welcomed the Spirit of God into his heart and home. With humility he learned the way of life, repented and walked in the way of salvation with his household, becoming a child of God and heir of heaven. This joyful response stands in contrast to Felix, who trembled under conviction but refused to repent.
Having recognized God's power and sought salvation, the jailer cared for the apostles' wounds and made them more comfortable. Their speaking inside the prison happened because God in providence allowed them to be imprisoned so that light could reach within those walls, bearing the message wherever placed and letting light shine in darkness. It is an example of obeying God rather than men when human law forbids preaching, of continuing to witness though threatened, imprisoned and opposed, and of being brought into strait places with reproach and persecution for obedience while the world as a whole remains out of harmony with God's law. Imprisonment and opposition in the Macedonian dungeon did not turn Paul from his purpose of serving Christ.
The Philippian prisoners belong among those to whom holy angels ministered in mercy. The word spoken lifted up Christ to convicted sinners and presented the atonement to touch hearts. That message was that Christ hates sin and loves the sinner, bore human sins, and has authority to impart His righteousness. Christ's church is present even enclosed in prison walls, for where two or three love and obey God's commandments Jesus presides, and the presence of the High and Holy One alone constitutes a church. The glory of God penetrates prison walls to flood the darkest dungeon with heavenly light, so that the suffering of saints in prison spreads faith, wins souls to Christ, and glorifies God's holy name.
The conversion of the jailer, the prisoners, and the household connected with this speaking was afterward told by Paul and Silas to the believers in Lydia's house, along with God's dealings with them in prison that night.