One night, Paul dreamed he saw a man saying. “Come. Cross over the sea and help us.” Paul awoke and knew this was from God. 

Once they sailed across the sea, they went to a city called Philippi. They spoke to a group of women who had gone to the river for prayer. One of them was Lydia, a woman who sold expensive purple cloth. She listened to Paul preach, and then she and her family put their trust in Christ. After they were baptized, they convinced Paul to use their house as the home base for his ministry. 

In that same city, there was a demon- possessed slave girl who made money for her owners by predicting the future. She started following Paul and Silas through the streets of Philippi. Suddenly she yelled out, “These men are here to tell us about salvation.” 

She did this for several days. Finally Paul turned and said to the spirit within her, “Leave that girl! By the name of Jesus Christ, come out of her.” Immediately the spirit left her. 

Her owners were furious! They knew the slave girl was no longer profitable to them. So they gathered a mob that took Paul and Silas to the city officials. They said, “These Jews came to Philippi and started teaching the citizens of Rome about their God. It’s not right!” 

The city officials agreed and had the two men beaten publicly. They were then taken to jail, where the jailer put them in chains. 

Around midnight, Paul and Silas started praying, singing, and giving praise to God. Suddenly an earthquake shook the foundations of the jail. The doors flew open and the chains fell off the prisoners. 

The jailer woke up and saw that the doors were open. He assumed the prisoners had escaped, so he pulled out his sword to kill himself. Paul shouted, “Wait! Don’t do that! We’re all here.” 

The jailer grabbed a torch and rushed into the cell. He fell down and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 

“Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you’ll be saved—you and your family.” The jailer took them to his home and Paul explained the message of Christ. The entire family believed and was baptized. The jailer then washed the wounds of the men and served them a meal. 

The next morning the city officials sent guards to the jailer. They said, “You may release those men and let them go their way.” 

Paul sent a message back to the city officials. “We’re not leaving! We’re Roman citizens, and you had us beaten publicly and thrown into jail without a trial. Now you want us to leave quietly. We’re not going. If you want us to leave, you’ll have to come and personally release us.” 

The city officials were shocked when they heard that these men were Roman citizens. They rushed to the jail and quickly apologized. They personally brought them out of the jail and asked them to please leave the city. 

Paul and Silas didn’t leave right away. They went back to the home of Lydia and encouraged the believers in Christ. Then they left.