Acts 16:30

And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? AND BROUGHT THEM OUT, AND SAID. How graphic this rapid succession of minute details, evidently from the parties themselves-the prisoners and the jailor-who would talk over every feature of the scene once and again, in which the hand of the Lord had been so marvelously seen! SIRS, WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED? If this question should seem in advance of any light which the jailor could be supposed to possess, let it be considered, first, that the "trembling" which came over him could not have arisen from any fear for the safety of his prisoners, for they were all there; and if it had, he would rather have proceeded to secure them again, than leave them and fall down before Paul and Silas. For the same reason, it is plain that his trembling had nothing to do with any account he would have to render to the magis...

− 30._Sirs, what must I do? _He doth so ask counsel, that he showeth therewith that he will be obedient. By this we see that he was thoroughly − (219) touched, so that he was ready to do what they should command him, whom not many hours before he had bound uncourteously. The wicked oftentimes when they see wonders, though they tremble for a time, yet are they straightway made more obstinate, as it befell Pharaoh, ( Exodus 8:8;) at least they are not so tamed that they give over themselves to God. But in this place the keeper (acknowledging the power of God) was not only a little afraid, so that he returned straightway unto his former cruelty, but he showeth himself obedient to God, and desirous of sound and wholesome doctrine. He demandeth how he may obtain salvation; whereby it appeareth more plainly that he was not suddenly taken with some lig

25-34 The consolations of God to his suffering servants are neither few nor small. How much more happy are true Christians than their prosperous enemies! As in the dark, so out of the depths, we may cry unto God. No place, no time is amiss for prayer, if the heart be lifted up to God. No trouble, however grievous, should hinder us from praise. Christianity proves itself to be of God, in that it obliges us to be just to our own lives. Paul cried aloud to make the jailer hear, and to make him heed, saying, Do thyself no harm. All the cautions of the word of God against sin, and all appearances of it, and approaches to it, have this tendency. Man, woman, do not ruin thyself; hurt not thyself, and then none else can hurt thee; do not sin, for nothing but that can hurt thee. Even as to the body, we are cautioned against the sins which do harm to that. Converting grace changes people's langua...

Verse 30. _BROUGHT THEM OUT_] Of the dungeon in which they were confined. _WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?_] Whether this regard personal or eternal safety, it is a question the most interesting to man. But it is not likely that the jailor referred here to his personal safety. He had seen, notwithstanding the prison doors had been miraculously opened, and the bonds of the prisoners all loosed, that not one of them had escaped: hence he could not feel himself in danger of losing his life on _this_ account; and consequently it cannot be his _personal safety_ about which he inquires. He could not but have known that these apostles had been preaching among the people what they called the _doctrine of salvation_; and he knew that for expelling a demon they were delivered into his custody: the Spirit of God had now convinced his heart that _he_ was _lost_, and needed _salvation_; and therefore h...

AND BROUGHT THEM OUT - From the prison. SIRS - Greek: κύριοι kurioi, lords - an address of respect; a title usually given to masters or owners of slaves. WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED? - Never was a more important question asked than this. It is clear that by the question he did not refer to any danger to which he might be exposed from what had happened. For: (1) The apostles evidently understood him as referring to his eternal salvation, as is manifest from their answer, since to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ would have no effect in saving him from any danger of punishment to which he might be exposed from what had occurred. (2) He could scarcely now consider himself as exposed to punishment by the Romans. The prisoners were all sa

EXPOSITION ACTS 16:1 _And he came also _for _then came he, _A.V._ _and T.R.; _to Lystra _for _Lystra, _A.V._; Timothy _for _Timotheus, _A.V._; of a Jewess _for _of a certain woman which was a Jewess, _A.V. and T.R.; _which _for _and, _A.V. For DERBE and LYSTRA, see Acts 14:1. and notes. This time St. Paul visited Derbe first, whereas before he came from Lystra to Derbe (Acts 14:6, Acts 14:8, Acts 14:21). WAS THERE; viz

AND BROUGHT THEM OUT,.... Of the inner prison, to some part of the prison that was more free and open: AND SAID, SIRS, WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED? he treats them with great reverence now, and addresses them under a title and character of honour and respect; whom but a few hours ago he despised and abhorred, and perhaps knew no name bad enough for them; he now saw himself lost and perishing, and wanted their instructions, advice, and assistance; and as most persons under first awakenings are, so he was, upon the foot of works; thinking he must do something to procure his salvation, and desires to know what it was he must do, that he might set about it directly; and it may be he had heard what the damsel possessed with a spirit of divination had frequently said of Paul and Silas, that they were the servants of the most high God, and showed unto men the way of salvation, Acts 16:17

Acts 16:9. _And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us._ Our dreams often follow the leading thoughts of the day; or, if not of the day, yet the chief thoughts that are upon the mind. Paul dreams about mission work, for his heart is in it. I should not wonder if some before me, who are deeply engaged in earnest Christian work, have often dreamt about their Sunday-school, or their mission-station. Where the mind goes when we are awake, it often goes when we are asleep. This vision that appeared to Paul was supernatural; and was an indication of what God wanted him to do. Acts 16:10. And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavored to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord ha

SAVED (_ See Scofield) - (Romans 1:16). _...

ACTS 16:30 e;xw The Western text adds the detail that the jailer “secured the rest” of the prisoners before he addressed Paul and Silas (after e;xw D syrh with * read tou.j loipou.j avsfalisa,menoj). Despite Sir William Ramsay’s inclination to accept the addition as genuine, “suggestive of the orderly, well-disciplined character of the jailor,” 319 the great probability is that after an earthquake the average Near Eastern jailer was hardly likely to exhibit such a degree of discipline as either Ramsay or the Western glossator attributes to him! ------------------------- 319 _St. Paul the Traveller and the Roman Citizen_, p. 222....