Daily Reading for Tuesday, May 27th, 2014

Reading 1, Acts 16:22-34

²² The crowd joined in and showed its hostility to them, so the magistrates had them stripped and ordered them to be flogged.

²³ They were given many lashes and then thrown into prison, and the gaoler was told to keep a close watch on them.

²⁴ So, following such instructions, he threw them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.

²⁵ In the middle of the night Paul and Silas were praying and singing God's praises, while the other prisoners listened.

²⁶ Suddenly there was an earthquake that shook the prison to its foundations. All the doors flew open and the chains fell from all the prisoners.

²⁷ When the gaoler woke and saw the doors wide open he drew his sword and was about to commit suicide, presuming that the prisoners had escaped.

²⁸ But Paul shouted at the top of his voice, 'Do yourself no harm; we are all here.'

²⁹ He called for lights, then rushed in, threw himself trembling at the feet of Paul and Silas,

³⁰ and escorted them out, saying, 'Sirs, what must I do to be saved?'

³¹ They told him, 'Become a believer in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, and your household too.'

³² Then they preached the word of the Lord to him and to all his household.

³³ Late as it was, he took them to wash their wounds, and was baptised then and there with all his household.

³⁴ Afterwards he took them into his house and gave them a meal, and the whole household celebrated their conversion to belief in God.