Paul and Silas freed.

Act 16:35  And when it was day, the magistrates sent the serjeants, saying, Let those men go. 

Act 16:36  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. 

Act 16:37  But Paul said unto them, They have beaten us openly uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast us into prison; and now do they thrust us out privily? nay verily; but let them come themselves and fetch us out. 

Act 16:38  And the serjeants told these words unto the magistrates: and they feared, when they heard that they were Romans. 

Act 16:39  And they came and besought them, and brought them out, and desired them to depart out of the city. 

Act 16:40  And they went out of the prison, and entered into the house of Lydia: and when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them, and departed. 

The day dawned after such an exciting night. The horror of being whipped and imprisoned didn't keep Paul and Silas from praying and singing praises to God. Then a powerful earthquake shook the jail so that the doors and chains both broke so that the prisoners were capable of escape. Having believed the prisoners gone the jail keeper was about to end his own life but Paul stopped him letting the despondent man know they were still there, they hadn't ran off. The man was so amazed and grateful he couldn't help but believe in the truth of what the disciples stood for. The man took Paul and Silas to his home and after talking to the family all of them believed in the gospel of Jesus Christ and longed to be saved. Taking them to be baptized that very hour the disciples were then invited back to the jail keeper's home where they were fed well and kept safe.

When the DAY came the magistrates sent the sergeants to the jail wanting the men freed. The jail keeper told Paul and Silas this but Paul didn't want to be sent off in secrecy. Paul told them they were beaten in public, condemned, and they were Romans, and they were imprisoned. If the magistrates wanted them to leave they had to come and get them out themselves.

Now the sergeants were afraid because those they'd beaten and imprisoned were Romans.

Obviously the Magistrates were afraid too because they quickly came and removed them from the prison and asked them to leave the city.

Paul and Silas weren't there to make trouble, on the contrary they wanted the gospel to reach all that it was possible to reach and the gospel did not advocate violence at all.  They left the prison and went to another Christ follower's house and visited with their friends and were comforted and then they left the city.

Paul and Silas wanted to share Christ with everyone as God led them to do so. It didn't matter to them what hardships, what sufferings they had to endure. They would DIE for their beliefs.  They would suffer severely for their faith.  WE have to comprehend the reality of this and not just believe we aren't to suffer for our beliefs. If God doesn't call you to suffer for your faith that's wonderful, I’m not saying everyone is called to suffer the same. But we KNOW if we are going to follow Christ we are called to live for Him and if we are living for Him and NOT for the world - there will be sufferings. If we are speaking truth to others as God directs us then we will suffer because the majority of people will not believe in truth. Spiritual suffering, physically suffering, we will suffer and may GOD help us to endure and count any and all suffering as joy, just as Paul did.

Please, Lord, please we would be YOURS! All through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior! Now and Forever!