Early Writings
by Ellen G. White
The Jews Decide to Kill Paul
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The imprisonment and witness of Paul and Silas
brought about the salvation of the jailer and his family.
Illustration ©
Review and Herald Publ. Assoc. |
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As the chief priests and rulers witnessed the effect of the
relation of Paul's experience, they were moved with hatred against him. They
saw that he boldly preached Jesus and wrought miracles in His name, that
multitudes listened to him and turned from their traditions and looked upon the
Jewish leaders as the murderers of the Son of God. Their anger was kindled, and
they assembled to consult as to what was best to be done to put down the
excitement. They agreed that the only safe course was to put Paul to death. But
God knew of their intention, and angels were commissioned to guard him, that he
might live to fulfill his mission. {EW 202.1}
Led by Satan, the unbelieving Jews watched the gates of
Damascus day and night, that as Paul should pass out, they might immediately
kill him. But Paul had been informed that the Jews were seeking his life, and
the disciples let him down over the wall in a basket by night. At this failure
to carry out their purposes, the Jews were ashamed and indignant, and Satan's
object was defeated. {EW
202.2}
After this, Paul went to Jerusalem to join himself to the
disciples; but they were all afraid of him. They could not believe that he was
a disciple. His life had been hunted by the Jews in Damascus, and his own
brethren would not receive him; but Barnabas took him and brought him to the
apostles, and declared [203] unto them how he had seen the
Lord in the way and that he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of
Jesus. {EW 202.3}
But Satan was stirring up the Jews to destroy Paul, and
Jesus bade him leave Jerusalem. In company with Barnabas, he went into other
cities, preaching Jesus and working miracles, and many were converted. As one
man was healed who had always been lame, the people who worshiped idols were
about to sacrifice to the disciples. Paul was grieved, and told them that he
and his fellow laborer were only men and that the God who made heaven and
earth, the sea, and all things that are therein, must alone be worshiped. Thus
Paul exalted God before the people; but he could scarcely restrain them. The
first conception of faith in the true God, and of the worship and honor due to
Him, was being formed in their minds; and as they were listening to Paul, Satan
was urging on the unbelieving Jews of other cities to follow after Paul to
destroy the good work wrought through him. These Jews stirred up the minds of
those idolaters by false reports against Paul. The wonder and admiration of the
people now changed to hate, and they who a short time before were ready to
worship the disciples, stoned Paul and drew him out of the city, supposing that
he was dead. But as the disciples were standing about Paul and mourning over
him, to their joy he rose up and went with them into the city. {EW 203.1}
Again, as Paul and Silas preached Jesus, a certain woman
possessed with a spirit of divination followed them, crying, "These men
are the servants of the most high God, which show unto us the way of
salvation." Thus she followed the disciples many days. But Paul was
grieved; for this crying after them diverted the minds of the people from the
truth. Satan's object in leading her to do this was to disgust the people [204]
and destroy the influence of the disciples. Paul's spirit was stirred within
him, and he turned and said to the spirit, "I command thee in the name of
Jesus Christ to come out of her"; and the evil spirit was rebuked, and
left her. {EW 203.2}
Her masters were pleased that she cried after the disciples;
but when the evil spirit left her, and they saw her a meek disciple of Christ,
they were enraged. They had gathered much money by her fortunetelling, and now
the hope of their gain was gone. Satan's object was defeated; but his servants
caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the market place, unto the rulers,
and to the magistrates, saying, "These men, being Jews, do exceedingly
trouble our city." And the multitude rose up together against them, and
the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them. And when
they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the
jailer to keep them safely, who, having received such a charge, thrust them
into the inner prison and made their feet fast in the stocks. But the angels of
the Lord accompanied them within the prison walls, and caused their
imprisonment to tell to the glory of God, and show to the people that God was
in the work, and with His chosen servants. {EW 204.1}
At midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto
God, and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the
prison were shaken; and I saw that immediately the angel of God loosed
everyone's bands. The keeper of the prison, upon awaking and seeing the prison
doors open, was affrighted. He thought that the prisoners had escaped, and that
he must be punished with death. But as he was about to kill himself, Paul cried
with a loud voice, saying, "Do thyself no harm: for we are all here."
[205]
{EW 204.2}
The power of God there convicted the jailer. He called for a
light, and springing in, 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 thou shalt be saved,
and thy house." The keeper of the prison then assembled his whole
household, and Paul preached unto them Jesus. Thus the jailer's heart was
united to those of his brethren, and he washed their stripes, and he and all
his house were baptized that night. He then set food before them, and rejoiced,
believing in God with all his house. {EW 205.1}
The wonderful news of the manifestation of the power of God
in opening the prison doors, and in the conversion of the keeper and his
family, was soon spread abroad. The rulers heard of these things, and were
afraid, and sent to the jailer, requesting him to let Paul and Silas go. But
Paul would not leave the prison in a private manner; he was not willing that
the manifestation of the power of God should be concealed. He 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." When these words were told to the
magistrates, and it was known that the apostles were Roman citizens, the rulers
were alarmed for fear they would make complaint to the emperor of their
unlawful treatment. And they came and besought them, and brought them out, and
desired them to depart out of the city. {EW 205.2}
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