17Following Paul and Silas this girl kept calling out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to us the way of salvation!”
18She kept this up for many days! So Paul, becoming increasingly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!” And it came out that very hour.
19But when her owners saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the market place to the rulers,
20and bringing them before the magistrates they said, “These men, being Jews, are agitating our city,
21and are advocating customs that are not lawful for us, being Romans, to receive or do.”
22The crowd joined in the attack against them, and the magistrates tore the clothes off of them and ordered a beating with rods.
23When they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them securely;
24who, having received such a charge, threw them into the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.
25Well about midnight Paul and Silas were singing hymns to God in prayer; and the other prisoners were listening to them.
26Suddenly there was a great earthquake, enough to shake the foundations of the prison; immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's chains were loosed.
27But the jailer, awaking from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, drew sword, intending to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped.
28But Paul shouted out, “Don't harm yourself, because we are all here!”