In the Regions Beyond
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claiming the gospel message. The words of recommendation uttered
by this woman were an injury to the cause of truth, distracting the
minds of the people from the teachings of the apostles and bringing
disrepute upon the gospel, and by them many were led to believe that
the men who spoke with the Spirit and power of God were actuated by
the same spirit as this emissary of Satan.
For some time the apostles endured this opposition; then under the
inspiration of the Holy Ghost Paul commanded the evil spirit to leave
the woman. Her immediate silence testified that the apostles were the
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servants of God and that the demon had acknowledged them to be such
and had obeyed their command.
Dispossessed of the evil spirit and restored to her right mind, the
woman chose to become a follower of Christ. Then her masters were
alarmed for their craft. They saw that all hope of receiving money
from her divinations and soothsayings was at an end and that their
source of income would soon be entirely cut off if the apostles were
allowed to continue the work of the gospel.
Many others in the city were interested in gaining money through
satanic delusions, and these, fearing the influence of a power that
could so effectually stop their work, raised a mighty cry against the
servants of God. They brought the apostles before the magistrates with
the charge: “These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city,
and teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to
observe, being Romans.”
Stirred by a frenzy of excitement, the multitude rose against the
disciples. A mob spirit prevailed and was sanctioned by the authorities,
who tore the outer garments from the apostles and commanded that
they should be scourged. “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.”
The apostles suffered extreme torture because of the painful po-
sition in which they were left, but they did not murmur. Instead, in
the utter darkness and desolation of the dungeon, they encouraged
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each other by words of prayer and sang praises to God because they
were found worthy to suffer shame for His sake. Their hearts were
cheered by a deep and earnest love for the cause of their Redeemer.
Paul thought of the persecution he had been instrumental in bringing