The Philippian Jailer
Gentile Of Philippi, a Roman colony (generally understood to be a Gentile) · Early Church · New Testament
- Also called
- jailor, keeper of the prison
- Role
- Prison keeper converted with his household
- When
- c. AD 50
What they did
He put Paul and Silas in the inner prison; after an earthquake opened the doors he was about to kill himself, but Paul stopped him, and he asked, 'What must I do to be saved?' He believed and was baptised that night with all his house.
Why it matters: the purpose of their role
His question and Paul's answer, 'Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved', state the gospel simply for Jew and Gentile alike.
And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. Acts 16:31 (KJV)
Bible references
And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely: Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks. Acts 16:23-24 (KJV)
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 thyself 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? Acts 16:27-30 (KJV)
And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. And they spake 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. Acts 16:31-34 (KJV)
Family
He and all his house believed and were baptised (Acts 16:33-34).