In Acts 16, the Apostle Paul was beaten and “thrown” into prison along with Silas shortly after the conversion of Lydia (Acts 16:23-24). The dark cell did not deter the faithful men as “about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God” while others listened (Acts 16:25).
Miraculously, a “great earthquake” shook the prison, opened the cell doors, and unfastened every prisoner’s chains (Acts 16:26). The Roman Jailor awoke and prepared to take his own life as that would be the punishment for allowing a single prisoner to escape (Acts 16:27). Paul “cried out…‘Do not harm yourself, for we are all here!’” (Acts 16:28). Then the Jailor asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” (Acts 16:30).
While Paul and Silas answered that critical question, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household” (Acts 16:31), God’s word makes it clear that “believe” was only the beginning of their answer.
The verses that follow tell us that “they spoke the word of the Lord to him,” that the jailor was repentant as “he washed their wounds” that very hour, and that “immediately he was
baptized” (Acts 16:32-33).
An incredible detail we learn from the account of the Philippian jailor is that when it comes to salvation, belief, repentance, and baptism are all necessary steps to take.
Matt Langfield