Acts 16:27

‘And the jailor, being roused out of sleep and seeing the prison doors open, drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped.'

The jailer, aroused by the earthquake, came from his room (his family living quarters would be a part of the prison), and no doubt carrying a small lamp, went down into the prison, and taking one look at the conditions caused by the earthquake, and fearing the worst, decided that there was only one thing to do. It appeared to him that he must have lost all his prisoners, and that he would be publicly disgraced and probably himself be put to death in a most painful way. A jailer who allowed prisoners to escape was subjected to the penalty that they were due to receive. He did not stop to consider the niceties of the law, or whther he would be held responsible for an ‘act of God'. Suicide was better than the future that he saw ahead of him. He drew his short sword and prepared to plunge it into himself.