CHILDREN’S STORY:
Paul and Silas traveled from city to city telling people about God and Jesus.
One day, they traveled to the Roman colony of Philippi in Macedonia, in what is now the north of Greece. There they encountered a slave girl who was possessed with an oracular spirit. The spirit made it so she could tell fortunes, and her fortunetelling made a lot of money for her masters.
She followed Paul and Silas for several days, shouting, “These people are slaves of the Most High God, who proclaim to you a way of salvation.”
Paul finally became annoyed and cast out the spirit in Jesus’ name.
When the girl’s masters saw that their moneymaking opportunity was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them to the public square before the local authorities.
“These people are Jews and are disturbing our city and are advocating customs that are not lawful for us Romans to adopt or practice,” they said.
The authorities had Paul and Silas stripped, beaten with rods and thrown into prison. The jailer was ordered to guard them securely, so he put them in the innermost cell and secured their feet to a stake.
About midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God as the other prisoners listened.
Suddenly, there was an earthquake so severe that the jail’s foundation shook. All the doors flew open, and all the prisoners’ chains were pulled loose.
The jailer awoke and saw the open doors. He became distraught and was going to kill himself, thinking that all the prisoners had escaped.
“Do no harm to yourself; we are all here,” Paul shouted.
The jailer rushed to where Paul and Silas were and fell down before them, trembling in fear.
“Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” he asked.
“Believe in the Lord Jesus and you and your household will be saved,” they said.
Paul and Silas told the jailer and his family about God and Jesus, and all were baptized. The jailer brought Paul and Silas into his house, provided a meal and rejoiced at having come to faith in God and Jesus.
READ MORE ABOUT IT:
Acts 16
Q&A
1. Where did Paul and Silas travel?
2. Why were Paul and Silas put in jail?
ESSAY: What things would you teach people about God and Jesus?
BIBLE ACCENT:
In Acts 12, we can read about another time that an apostle was put in prison.
Beginning in verse 1, we read that King Herod was persecuting the apostles. He had James killed, and he had Peter arrested and put in prison.
Herod put Peter under the guard of four squads of four soldiers each and intended to bring Peter before the people after Passover.
On the very night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was secured by double chains. He was sleeping between two soldiers, and outside the door, guards kept watch on the prison.
Suddenly, the angel of the Lord stood by Peter, and a light shone in the cell. The angel tapped Peter on the side and awakened him.
“Get up quickly,” he said as the chains fell from Peter’s wrists.
The angel told Peter to put on his belt and sandals and follow him. Peter complied, not realizing that what was happening was real. He thought he was seeing a vision.
Peter followed the angel past the first and second guards. They came to an iron gate, which opened for them by itself.
They exited the gate and made their way down an alley. As suddenly as he came, the angel disappeared.
“Now I know for certain that (the) Lord sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people had been expecting,” Peter said.
SPOTLIGHT ON THE SAINTS:
St. Isidore the Farmer
St. Isidore was born near Madrid, Spain, in 1070. He married and worked the same fields all his life.
Isidore was very devout, visiting church on his way to work, praying while plowing and making local pilgrimages.
According to legend, he was associated with the miraculous feedings of birds and a crowd of poor men.
Isidore died in 1130, and we remember him on May 15.
PUZZLE:
Using the hints provided from the Acts of the Apostles, draw a line between the quotation and person who said it.
1. “Do you understand what you are reading?” (8:30)
2. “In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean, (rise and) walk.” (3:6)
3. “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” (7:59)
4. “Stand up straight on your feet.” (14:10)
Stephen
Paul
Philip
Peter
Answers:
1. Philip
2. Peter
3. Stephen
4. Paul