Topical Bible: Faith: Faith in Christ: The Philippian Jailor

◄ Faith: Faith in Christ: The Philippian Jailor ►

Jump to: Nave's • Library • Subtopics • Terms

Topical Encyclopedia

The account of the Philippian jailor's conversion is a profound illustration of faith in Christ, as recorded in the Book of Acts. This narrative highlights the transformative power of the Gospel and the immediate response of faith that leads to salvation.

Context and Background

The account unfolds in Acts 16:16-40, during the Apostle Paul's second missionary journey. Paul and Silas, his companion, were in Philippi, a Roman colony in Macedonia. After casting out a spirit of divination from a slave girl, they were seized by her owners, who were angered by the loss of their income. Consequently, Paul and Silas were dragged before the magistrates, beaten, and imprisoned.

The Midnight Miracle

While in the inner prison, with their feet fastened in stocks, Paul and Silas exemplified unwavering faith by praying and singing hymns to God. Acts 16:25 states, "About midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them." Their faith amidst suffering set the stage for a divine intervention.

Suddenly, a great earthquake shook the foundations of the prison, opening the doors and unfastening everyone's chains. The jailor, awakened and fearing the escape of the prisoners, was about to take his own life. However, Paul intervened, assuring him that all the prisoners were present.

The Jailor's Question and Response

Overwhelmed by the miraculous events and the integrity of Paul and Silas, the jailor brought them out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" (Acts 16:30). This question reflects a heart ready to receive the truth of the Gospel, prompted by the evident power of God and the testimony of His servants.

Paul and Silas responded with the core message of Christian faith: "Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, you and your household" (Acts 16:31). This declaration underscores the simplicity and sufficiency of faith in Christ for salvation. It is not through works or adherence to the law but through belief in Jesus as Lord and Savior.

The Immediate Transformation

The jailor's response was immediate and wholehearted. He took Paul and Silas to his home, washed their wounds, and was baptized along with his entire household. Acts 16:34 records, "Then he brought them into his home and set a meal before them. So he and all his household rejoiced that they had come to believe in God."

This transformation illustrates the power of faith in Christ to bring about a radical change in one's life. The jailor, once a keeper of prisoners, became a host to the apostles and a brother in Christ. His faith led to tangible acts of kindness and hospitality, reflecting the inward change that had taken place.

Significance in the Early Church

The conversion of the Philippian jailor is significant for several reasons. It demonstrates the reach of the Gospel beyond cultural and social barriers, as a Roman official and his household came to faith. It also highlights the role of personal testimony and the witness of believers in leading others to Christ.

Moreover, this account serves as an encouragement to believers facing persecution. Paul and Silas's faith and joy in suffering became a powerful testimony that God used to bring salvation to an entire household. The account of the Philippian jailor remains a testament to the transformative power of faith in Christ and the hope of salvation available to all who believe.

Nave's Topical Index

Acts 16:31-34
And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved, and your house.
Nave's Topical Index

Library

Confession and Penance.
... confessions of sin were connected with a confession of faith in Christ, and were ...
received into the bosom of the Church; and the Philippian jailor, "the same ...
/.../killen/the ancient church/chapter iv confession and penance.htm

Baptism.
... The Ethiopian eunuch and the Philippian jailor [475:3] were ... any attempt to improve
upon the institutions of Christ. ... It was intended to confirm faith: but it ...
//christianbookshelf.org/killen/the ancient church/chapter ii baptism.htm

Introductory
... nature) at all estimate the calibre of Philippian Christianity by ... recent arrival
as a prisoner for Christ's sake, but ... which is of God by faith," is evidently ...
//christianbookshelf.org/moule/philippian studies/chapter i introductory.htm

John 7:37-38. "Let any Man Come. "
... This is the thirst which the Philippian jailor felt, when he awoke to ... But, speaking
generally, when he has once come to Christ by faith he shall find in his ...
/.../chapter vii john 7 37-38 let.htm

Household Salvation
... may receive the blessing which so largely rested upon the Philippian jailer ... to refuse
to baptise any person who professes faith in Jesus Christ, unless there ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 17 1871/household salvation.htm

Perseverance Proved.
... of a good man, that the Philippian saints would be ... speak of evangelical faith, or
the faith of the ... are spoken of as believing under Christ's instruction, or in ...
/.../finney/systematic theology/lecture xlix perseverance proved.htm

Joy, a Duty
... you all for your furtherance and joy of faith; that your ... She, the first convert of
the Philippian church, thought of Paul ... to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 41 1895/joy a duty.htm