Daily Devotional for Saturday, March 11th

Paul and Silas Set Free

“And they went out of the prison, and entered into the house of Lydia: and when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them, and departed,” Acts 16:40.

This one verse has five parts with five different actions. Let’s look at each one.
“And they went out of the prison” may seem ordinary and empty. However, in light of verses 35-39, these words are full of grace and God’s providence. Paul boldly called out the Philippian magistrates for beating, humiliating and incarcerating Roman citizens and then quietly releasing them. By law, a trial was needed, but a trial would have shown the officers’ breach of the law. No wonder they feared! Yet Paul and Silas leave the prison without further ado.
Leaving the prison, the two “entered into the house of Lydia.” In Acts 16:15, Lydia persuaded Paul and Silas to be guests at her house. Her example of hospitality became the persona of the Philippian church (Philippians 4:15-20). Other believers were gathered at Lydia’s as well, and Paul and Silas were able to see and visit with them before departing the city.
“They comforted them” is quite profound. They (Paul and Silas) comforted the brethren. After being severely beaten, humiliated and imprisoned in the inner dungeon, they needed comfort, yet they extend parekalesan (comfort, encouragement) to the new believers, Paul as the preacher and teacher and Silas as the prophet (Acts 15:32). They had a story to tell. They had new brothers and sisters in Christ! (Acts 16:33, 34). In addition, the magistrates’ mishap may have provided a bit of temporary security for the new believers in Philippi. They did not want the Roman authorities to find out their blunder. This could have also been part of Paul’s encouraging words.
Nonetheless, followers of the Way were facing persecution, and the Jewish leaders put a target on Paul. For his and Silas’s safety and the safety of those gathered at Lydia’s, Paul and Silas bid their friends and fellow believers farewell.

THOUGHT: We can comfort and encourage others by telling God’s wonderful works in our own lives.

Kelli Reynolds