Acts 16:31
And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
Acts 16:31
In Acts 16:31, Paul and Silas respond to the jailer’s call by directing him to the sufficient object of faith: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” The wording is compact but profoundly confident. The phrase “believe on” (pisteuó epi) signals wholehearted trust, not mere intellectual assent. The context reveals a bridge from crisis to conversion: a Gentile jailer hearing the gospel, being urged to trust in Jesus as Savior and Lord. In Acts, salvation arrives through proclamation of the crucified and risen Christ, then reception by faith. Theological clarity is balanced with pastoral urgency: salvation hinges on the person and work of Jesus, not on ritual alone or moral improvement. The jailer’s response becomes a model for Gentile converts: belief in Jesus as the path to deliverance, with life unfolded in obedience and worship within a community.
This verse anchors Christian soteriology in Christ alone. Salvation is found through faith in Jesus’ person and work, not through human merit or lineage. The emphasis on “the Lord Jesus Christ” affirms Jesus’ lordship over all spheres—personal, social, and familial. The gospel calls for trust that transforms allegiance and life, not merely mental agreement. Acts consistently presents faith as the means by which individuals enter the people of God and receive the Spirit’s empowering for new life. The jailer’s household response, implied in the next verse, also testifies to the communal nature of salvation: faith, when genuine, becomes familial faith.
Apply: when facing fear or uncertainty, turn to Jesus in trust. Salvation begins personal faith, lived out in daily dependence on Jesus as Lord. Practically, share the gospel plainly with those around you, emphasizing who Jesus is and what He accomplished. Invite others to trust Him, and support them as they begin their journey—baptism, joining a faith community, and reading Scripture together. Encourage households and communities to grow in faith together; faith is meant to be experienced and expressed within relationships, not in isolation. If you’re a parent, model trust in Jesus for your children; if you’re a roommate or colleague, demonstrate the peace and integrity that come from following Christ.
Cross-References: Acts 2:21; Romans 10:9-11; Romans 4:5; Galatians 3:26; John 3:16