Paul in Philippi
(from Acts 16:16-36 and 2 Corinthians 7:4-7 )
Paul was a missionary who told people about Jesus and started churches of new believers. Paul loved seeing people become Christians, but not everyone believed his message and Paul was often punished. More than once he was badly injured by people throwing stones at him, and he spent a lot of time in prison for his beliefs. When Paul was in prison it gave him a chance to write to people in the churches that he had started.
God sent Paul to a city called Philippi. Some people there became Christians, but others were angry at Paul's message and they tried to cause trouble for Paul. Paul was worried because he was waiting for his friend Titus to arrive. When Titus finally arrived it was good to catch up. Titus had come from Corinth and had brought news from the church there: they were doing well and had sent messages to Paul to say how much they were praying for him, and how much they were looking forward to seeing him.
Paul healed a girl who had an evil spirit, and the people who had used her to make money for them were angry with him. They lied about Paul to the lawyers, and Paul was whipped and thrown into prison with his friend Silas. Paul and Silas spent their time in jail praising God and giving thanks to Him for everything He had done. At midnight, there was an earthquake, and the prison was broken open. Every prisoner’s chains were broken. The jailer was horrified, and was going to kill himself, but Paul called to him to stop. “We are all here!” he cried.
The jailer realised that Paul was a man who knew God, because only a man who knew God could be joyful in prison, and he wanted to feel the same joy and peace that Paul had. He asked Paul how he could be saved, and Paul explained that he had to believe in Jesus. The jailer invited Paul into his house, and after listening to Paul, the whole family became Christians and were baptised. Then the jailer washed Paul's wounds and gave him a good meal.
People could see that Paul had joy even when things were going badly for him, and seeing the joy and peace that Paul's faith gave him made people interested in what Paul had to say about Jesus. Paul left behind a new church in Philippi.
