16
It happened that as we were going to 1the place of prayer, a slave-girlhaving2a spirit of divinationmet us, who was bringing her mastersmuchprofit by fortune-telling.
17
FollowingafterPaul and us, she kept crying out, saying, "Thesemen are bond-servants of 3the MostHighGod, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation."
18
She continued doingthis for manydays. But Paul was greatlyannoyed, and turned and said to the spirit, "I command you 4in the name of JesusChrist to come out of her!" And it came out at that verymoment.
19
But when her masterssaw that their hope of 5profit was gone, they seized6Paul and Silas and 7dragged them into the marketplacebefore the authorities,
20
and when they had brought them to the chiefmagistrates, they said, "Thesemen are throwing our city into confusion, beingJews,
21
and 8are proclaimingcustomswhich it is not lawful for us to acceptor to observe, being9Romans."
Paul and Silas Imprisoned
22 The crowdrose up togetheragainst them, and the chiefmagistratestore their robesoff them and proceeded to order them to be 10beaten with rods.
23
When they had struck them with manyblows, they threw them into prison, commanding11the jailer to guard them securely;
24
and he, having receivedsuch a command, threw them into the innerprison and fastened their feet in 12the stocks.
25
But aboutmidnight13Paul and Silas were praying and 14singinghymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them;
26
and suddenly15there came a greatearthquake, so that the foundations of the prisonhouse were shaken; and immediately16all the doors were opened and everyone's17chains were unfastened.