The Philippian Jailer The Philippian JailerThis is a setting of the passage from Acts. Script by Alexandra Finley.
Paul and Silas are thrown into prison following their healing of a girl with a spirit. When an earthquake destroys the prison, they do not take the opportunity to escape, and the jailer is converted as a result.
(Enter Narrator, Paul, Silas, and others all walking in a group.)
Narrator: This is Philippi. (Walking) Meet Paul and Silas (they acknowledge the audience). We are all going to a place of prayer.
(Enter slave girl jumping around and stretching out her hands to people as if not knowing which way to turn, she continues to run after Paul and Silas as they walk.)
Paul: This slave girl has been following us for days.
Silas: It's a terrible situation. She seems so distressed. Yet she makes a great deal of money for her owners by predicting the future and fortune telling.
Slave Girl: These men are the servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved!
(She repeats this over and over, running up and down aisles and grabbing members of the audience one after another to address a few of the words to each.)
Paul: (To Silas) I must do something, this can't go on.
(To the slave girl) In the name of Jesus Christ, I command you to come out of her!
(Slave girl collapses, crowd gathers around behind her as to an accident victim. Slowly she gets up, composed and calm. Enter owners.)
Owner: Look at that. The spirit is gone out of her. How can she make money for us now? Seize them and take them to the authorities.
(General throng grab Paul and Silas and drag them across the stage to the magistrate.)
(To the magistrate) These men are Jews. They are creating an uproar in the city with unlawful customs.
Magistrate: We can't have that. Strip them and beat them.
(Throng grabs Paul and Silas, throw them to the floor and administer a noisy beating, all with backs to the audience.)
Narrator: Then Paul and Silas were thrown into prison.
(They are dragged across the stage again by the jailer who has been in the throng until now and others, and sat on the floor facing the audience with actions for fixing their feet in stocks.)
Owner: (to jailer) Now guard them carefully.
(Exit all but Paul, Silas, and the jailer who stands a little apart from them as if in another room. Paul and Silas sing a chorus quietly. Then there is a drum roll and everybody trembles.
The drum roll ends, and Paul and Silas dust themselves off and stand. The jailer meanwhile rushes across the stage, looks around as if at the walls but not directly at Paul and Silas, and in dismay makes the action of drawing a sword to kill himself.)
Paul: Don't harm yourself, we are all here!
Jailer: (Running over to where they are) Bring lights, quickly! (Enter members of his family, as if bearing torches. The jailer falls to his knees before Paul and Silas.) Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
Silas: Believe in the Lord Jesus and you and your household will be saved. Come sit with us and talk.
Narrator: Then the jailer and his family heard the word of the Lord and were baptised. And so through sharing God at all times Paul and Silas were freed from prison and the jailer and his family were saved.
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