Luke the beloved physician shared 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 were now 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 in chapter sixteen and verse thirty-five of the book of Acts Luke shared how, “the magistrates sent the sergeants, saying, let those men go” where we read:
And when it was day, the magistrates sent the sergeants, saying, Let those men go.
The verse begins, “And when it was day, the magistrates sent the sergeants, saying, ...” Luke began with the words, “and when it was day” which means “and at the time and moment the daytime came”, “the magistrates” or “the chief leaders, commanders and captains” “sent the sergeants” which means “set and put forth to the ones who carry the rods or fasces”, “saying” or “uttering, declaring and proclaiming” the following words. Luke shared how the “leaders or commanders” of the people in Philippi sent the following message to the “rod carrying enforcers”.
The verse continues, “... Let those men go.” Luke added the words, “let those men” or “allow, permit Paul and Silas” “go” which means “ to be set free and dismissed”. Luke shared how the “leaders” of the people in Philippi told the “enforcers” to allow “Paul and Silas” to be released from prison.
When we think through Luke's words in this verse, we discover how the “leaders or rulers” of the people in Philippi who ordered “Paul and Silas” to be beaten and thrown into prison decided to set them free. We shall see how “Paul” responds to their efforts in our next verse, but for now let us understand God was working with the “captors and the captives”. God desires to reach every person with His gospel, and anyone who yields themselves to His Son Jesus will be forgiven of their sins and granted everlasting life with Him. Let all who read these words surrender to Jesus and allow Him to free them from the “prison of sin” in which every person without Him dwells.
Next time Luke shares how the jailer says to Paul and Silas, “the magistrates have sent to let you go”, 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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