Bible Verses About Silas

Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to select men from among them to send to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas called Barsabbas and Silas, two leaders among the brothers,

and sent them with this letter: The apostles and the elders, your brothers, To the brothers among the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: Greetings.

It has come to our attention that some went out from us without our authorization and unsettled you, troubling your minds by what they said.

So we all agreed to choose men to send to you along with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,

men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas to tell you in person the same things we are writing.

It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond these essential requirements:

You must abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things. Farewell.

So the men were sent off and went down to Antioch, where they assembled the congregation and delivered the letter.

When the people read it, they rejoiced at its encouraging message.

Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the brothers.

After spending some time there, they were sent off by the brothers in peace to return to those who had sent them.

Notwithstanding it pleased Silas to abide there still.

but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord.

And he traveled through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

When the girl’s owners saw that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them before the authorities in the marketplace.

They brought them to the magistrates and said, “These men are Jews and are throwing our city into turmoil

by promoting customs that are unlawful for us Romans to adopt or practice.”

The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered that they be stripped and beaten with rods.

And after striking them with many blows, they threw them into prison and ordered the jailer to guard them securely.

On receiving this order, he placed them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.

About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.

Suddenly a strong earthquake shook the foundations of the prison. At once all the doors flew open and everyone’s chains came loose.

When the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, presuming that the prisoners had escaped.

But Paul called out in a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself! We are all here!”