Monday, 2 May 2016
Acts 16:16-34
Acts 16:16 Once, when we were going to the place where the minyan gathered, we were met by a slave girl who had in her a snake-spirit that enabled her to predict the future. She earned a lot of money for her owners by telling fortunes. 17 This girl followed behind Sha’ul and the rest of us and kept screaming, “These men are servants of God Ha‘Elyon! They’re telling you how to be saved!” 18 She kept this up day after day, until Sha’ul, greatly disturbed, turned and said to the spirit, “In the name of Yeshua the Messiah, I order you to come out of her!” And the spirit did come out, at that very moment.
19 But when her owners saw that what had come out was any further prospect of profit for them, they seized Sha’ul and Sila and dragged them to the market square to face the authorities. 20 Bringing them to the judges, they said, “These men are causing a lot of trouble in our city, since they are Jews. 21 What they are doing is advocating customs that are against the law for us to accept or practice, since we are Romans.” 22 The mob joined in the attack against them, and the judges tore their clothes off them and ordered that they be flogged. 23 After giving them a severe beating, they threw them in prison, charging the jailer to guard them securely. 24 Upon receiving such an order, he threw them into the inner cell and clamped their feet securely between heavy blocks of wood.
25 Around midnight, Sha’ul and Sila were praying and singing hymns to God, while the other prisoners listened attentively. 26 Suddenly there was a violent earthquake which shook the prison to its foundations. All the doors flew open and everyone’s chains came loose. 27 The jailer awoke, and when he saw the doors open he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, for he assumed that the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Sha’ul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We’re all here!”
29 Calling for lights, the jailer ran in, began to tremble and fell down in front of Sha’ul and Sila. 30 Then, leading them outside, he said, “Men, what must I do to be saved?” 31 They said, “Trust in the Lord Yeshua, and you will be saved — you and your household!” 32 Whereupon they told him and everyone in his household the message about the Lord.
33 Then, even at that late hour of the night, the jailer took them and washed off their wounds; and without delay, he and all his people were immersed. 34 After that, he brought them up to his house and set food in front of them; and he and his entire household celebrated their having come to trust in God.[Complete Jewish Bible]
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Paul and Silas have only recently established their base for mission in Phillipi in the home of Lydia when they encounter a slave girl who is making her owners rich by her powers of fortune-telling. She annoys Paul every day by shouting out that Paul and Silas are "slaves of the Most High God who proclaim a way of salvation." Paul becomes so irritated that he casts out the spirit or demon that possesses the slave girl. Her owners, angry over their lost lucrative business, have Paul and Silas flogged and imprisoned.
At midnight, when Paul and Silas are praying and singing hymns to God, an earthquake shatters the prison doors and all the prisoners are set free from their chains. The jailer, assuming the prisoners are gone, threatens to take his own life until Paul says, "Stop! We are all here." When the jailer asks, "What must I do to be saved," he is told, "Believe on the Lord Jesus." The jailer and his whole household were baptized and he washed the prisoners' wounds.
Lord God, as we struggle with the issue of reforming our criminal justice system, give us compassion and passion for justice for those who have been brutalized and killed because of their color, even as we pray for those who are called to enforce our laws with justice in our communities. Amen.
Glen Wheeler
Retired
Master of Divinity, 1966
Acts 16:16 One day, as we were going to the place of prayer, we met a slave-girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners a great deal of money by fortune-telling.
17 While she followed Paul and us, she would cry out, "These men are slaves of the Most High God, who proclaim to you a way of salvation."
18 She kept doing this for many days. But Paul, very much annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, "I order you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her." And it came out that very hour.
19 But when her owners saw that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the authorities.
20 When they had brought them before the magistrates, they said, "These men are disturbing our city; they are Jews
21 and are advocating customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to adopt or observe."
22 The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates had them stripped of their clothing and ordered them to be beaten with rods.
23 After they had given them a severe flogging, they threw them into prison and ordered the jailer to keep them securely.
24 Following these instructions, he put them in the innermost cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.
25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.
26 Suddenly there was an earthquake, so violent that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's chains were unfastened.
27 When the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors wide open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, since he supposed that the prisoners had escaped.
28 But Paul shouted in a loud voice, "Do not harm yourself, for we are all here."
29 The jailer called for lights, and rushing in, he fell down trembling before Paul and Silas.
30 Then he brought them outside and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"
31 They answered, "Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household."
32 They spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house.
33 At the same hour of the night he took them and washed their wounds; then he and his entire family were baptized without delay.
34 He brought them up into the house and set food before them; and he and his entire household rejoiced that he had become a believer in God.[New Revised Standard Version]
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Paul and Silas have only recently established their base for mission in Phillipi in the home of Lydia when they encounter a slave girl who is making her owners rich by her powers of fortune-telling. She annoys Paul every day by shouting out that Paul and Silas are "slaves of the Most High God who proclaim a way of salvation." Paul becomes so irritated that he casts out the spirit or demon that possesses the slave girl. Her owners, angry over their lost lucrative business, have Paul and Silas flogged and imprisoned.
At midnight, when Paul and Silas are praying and singing hymns to God, an earthquake shatters the prison doors and all the prisoners are set free from their chains. The jailer, assuming the prisoners are gone, threatens to take his own life until Paul says, "Stop! We are all here." When the jailer asks, "What must I do to be saved," he is told, "Believe on the Lord Jesus." The jailer and his whole household were baptized and he washed the prisoners' wounds.
Lord God, as we struggle with the issue of reforming our criminal justice system, give us compassion and passion for justice for those who have been brutalized and killed because of their color, even as we pray for those who are called to enforce our laws with justice in our communities. Amen.
Glen Wheeler
Retired
Master of Divinity, 1966
Acts 16:16 One day, as we were going to the place of prayer, we met a slave-girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners a great deal of money by fortune-telling.
17 While she followed Paul and us, she would cry out, "These men are slaves of the Most High God, who proclaim to you a way of salvation."
18 She kept doing this for many days. But Paul, very much annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, "I order you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her." And it came out that very hour.
19 But when her owners saw that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the authorities.
20 When they had brought them before the magistrates, they said, "These men are disturbing our city; they are Jews
21 and are advocating customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to adopt or observe."
22 The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates had them stripped of their clothing and ordered them to be beaten with rods.
23 After they had given them a severe flogging, they threw them into prison and ordered the jailer to keep them securely.
24 Following these instructions, he put them in the innermost cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.
25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.
26 Suddenly there was an earthquake, so violent that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's chains were unfastened.
27 When the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors wide open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, since he supposed that the prisoners had escaped.
28 But Paul shouted in a loud voice, "Do not harm yourself, for we are all here."
29 The jailer called for lights, and rushing in, he fell down trembling before Paul and Silas.
30 Then he brought them outside and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"
31 They answered, "Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household."
32 They spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house.
33 At the same hour of the night he took them and washed their wounds; then he and his entire family were baptized without delay.
34 He brought them up into the house and set food before them; and he and his entire household rejoiced that he had become a believer in God.[New Revised Standard Version]
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