The beloved physician Luke wrote how Paul and Silas were beaten and put in prison for delivering a “damsel” from an “evil spirit” that caused her to divine for her “masters” who now were without their profits. “And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed. And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do yourself no harm: for we are all here. Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved, and your house. And they spoke unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway. And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house. And when it was day, the magistrates sent the sergeants, saying, Let those men go”, and in chapter sixteen and verse thirty-six of the book of Acts Luke shared how the jailer told Paul and Silas, “depart, and go in peace” where we read:
And the keeper of the prison told this saying to Paul, The magistrates have sent to let you go:
now therefore depart, and go in peace.
The verse begins, “And the keeper of the prison told this saying to Paul, The magistrates have sent to let you go:” Luke began with the words, “and the keeper of the prison” which means “and the jailer, warden or guard of the place where captives are held” “told this saying to Paul” or “proclaimed and brought tidings and word to Paul whose name means small or little that”, “the magistrates” which means “the chief leaders, commanders and captains” “have sent to let you go” or “have ordered, appointed and set forth to allow and permit you, Paul and Silas, to be set free and released”. Luke shared how the “jailer” brought news to “Paul” concerning the “commanders and leader's order” to allow him and “Silas” to be released from “prison”.
The verse goes on to say, “now therefore depart, and go in peace.” Luke continued with the words, “now therefore depart” or “at this present time then, wherefore, consequently and on this account emanate, escape and be dismissed ”, “and go in peace” which means “and carry on, depart and traverse in a state of tranquility, calm, security, safety, prosperity and felicity”. Luke shared how the “jailer” instructed “Paul” to depart from the “prison” in a state of tranquility and calm.
When we consider Luke's words in this verse, we learn how the “jailer” relayed the message of the “magistrates” to “Paul”. The “jailer” told “Paul” he could leave the “prison” in “tranquility and calm”, however, we shall see how “Paul” responds to his direction. God has a plan to reach every person with His good news of “salvation” through His Son Jesus, and even when people go through adversities and challenges, He is able to show them His abundant “mercy and grace”. Those who are wise will carefully consider the circumstances of “Paul, Silas and the jailer” and understand how far God will go to release people from the prison of sin and death in their lives.
Next time Luke shares how Paul says, “They have beaten us openly uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast us into prison; and now do they thrust us out secretly?”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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