Paul and Silas in Prison

Paul was arrested many times. One time, he was thrown into prison with his friend Silas for helping a young woman. Instead of complaining, they sang hymns and prayed. Read the story in Acts 16.

Key Points:

• People might not like it when we do the right thing.
• God can use bad things for good.
• God is always with His children.

Lesson Guide – Paul and Silas in Prison

Just like Paul and Silas, we should not worry if people don’t like us for doing the right thing. 

Play a game where you allow the child to identify whether someone is being disliked for doing the right thing or the wrong thing. For example, a little boy slaps someone and they don’t like him. Is he being disliked for doing the right thing? No. A little boy tells his friend he won’t steal a cookie for him. The friend dislikes him for not stealing. Is the little boy disliked for doing the right thing or the wrong thing? Continue giving examples and discussing the difference between being hated for doing the right thing or the wrong thing.

Talk about things your child might complain about. Explain that Paul and Silas had a lot of reasons to whine. They were being punished for helping a girl. They were in pain. They were locked in a jail. Instead of complaining, Paul and Silas prayed and sang hymns to God. 

Challenge your child to try praying or singing the next time they are tempted to complain or whine. 

God can use bad things for good. Get out some pieces of colored paper. Talk about how perfect they are. How smooth and unwrinkled. Begin to tear up the papers. They are no longer smooth and perfect. We might see tearing up the papers as bad, but with the smaller pieces, we can create a beautiful mosaic. Glue the small pieces onto paper to create a mosaic.

Sometimes, we see things that happen to us as destroying something that we think is perfect, but God is really preparing the pieces to make a beautiful mosaic. 

God is always with His children. He promised He would never leave them or forsake them. Place the child in a room where their shadow is visible and point the shadow out to them. Have them walk back and forth in the room. Their shadow stays with them all the time. Depending on where the light is, the shadow will change and sometimes even disappear. We might not always be able to see our shadow, but it is always right there ready to appear again when the light is right. Take a walk around the house or neighborhood and find shadows. God is always with us, just like our shadows. Sometimes, during dark and scary times, we might not see Him, but He is still there with us. We don’t have to be afraid.

Video Bible story for children – Paul and Silas in Prison

Free Printable Bible Story – Paul and Silas in Prison

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Games and activities

Sing out loud

Most younger children love to sing. Pick some of your child’s favorite worship songs and have a praise time together.

Try to sing in a different place. Outside in the garden or park. In your living room, kitchen or at night before they sleep.

Share how we can sing praises to God wherever we are.

What is the song?

Play some 5 – 10 second clips of well-known songs or nursery rhymes.

Ask your children if they know what song it is? You can give bonus points if they can sing part of the song.

Split children into teams to make it into a game.

Jelly towers

Prepare a bowl of Jell-O ready for this activity. Show how the Jell-O wobbles.

Give children mini marshmallows and toothpicks to create a structure that can withstand gentle shaking. When they are finished, give the Jell-O a small shake and see if it falls. Explain how God used an earthquake to break the prison cell for Paul and Silas.  Enjoy the Jell-O and marshmallows as a reward.

Worksheets

Free Bible Coloring Pages – Paul and Silas in Prison

Craft – Paul and Silas in Prison

What you need:

• Template pages,
• Colored pencils,
• Scissors,
• Glue,
• (Optional) Craft knife.

What to do:

1. Color both template pages.
2. Cut around template. Adult: Cut out grey section in window with craft knife.
3. Fold front section and glue flaps to back of Paul and Silas image.

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Translations