Acts 16:25–34 (ESV)
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening 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 bonds were unfastened. When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God.
Notice that the other prisoners don’t leave either. That’s just one of the many miracles in this passage.
Luke makes it clear that there are other prisoners with the words, “Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.” He’s also unambiguous when he says, “all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened.” And “all” means “all” when Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.”
The other prisoners have a golden opportunity to escape, yet they stay put. Why?
Obviously, the jailer isn’t the only one impressed with Paul and Silas. As they were praying and singing hymns to God, the other prisoners were listening to them. That’s the first miracle. Just as God opened Lydia’s heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul, so He opened the hearts of the prisoners.
When someone starts singing in a jail, other prisoners are more likely to scream, “Shut up!” than to pay attention. Prisoners aren’t exactly in their happy place.
But these guys listen—and are so impacted by what they hear that when the jail falls apart, they stick around.
Luke doesn’t follow up with them, but their future looks bright. They’ve already shown more faith than many Christians display in a lifetime. Their sticking around is the third miracle (the earthquake was the second). Add in the conversion of the jailer and we have four miracles in the span of a few hours.
Paul’s music ministry is off to a great start.
This is God’s doing, but Paul and Silas’ steadfast faith in the presence of outrageously trying circumstances is the catalyst for all these miracles. Great faith leads to great things.
That’s the kind of faith we seek, the kind God wants us to have.
I believe; help my unbelief! — Mark 9:24b (ESV)
