The Slave Girl

The Slave Girl

Q: Before Paul cast the demon out of the slave girl, how did she earn money for her masters?

• a. fortune-telling
• b. begging
• c. wrestling

When Paul and Silas were in Philippi, they met a servant girl with an evil spirit in her that allowed her to tell the future. The girl’s masters used her to make money. People paid to have the girl interpret signs and predict the future.

Every day the girl followed Paul and Silas and called, “These men are servants of the Most High God, and they have come to tell you how to be saved.” What the girl said was true, but Paul didn’t like that a demon caused the girl to yell.

Paul turned to the girl and spoke to the demon: “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” The evil spirit immediately left. The girl’s masters were furious. How would they make money when she couldn’t predict the future or read signs? To cause trouble the men said the missionaries were teaching customs that were illegal for the Romans to practice. Paul and Silas were beaten and thrown in prison.

Paul and Silas could have been upset, but instead they prayed and sang praises to God while in prison, which you will read more about in tomorrow’s devotion.

For You

Paul and Silas were beaten and imprisoned, yet they praised God because they knew God would take care of them. It’s hard to remember that God is with us during the hard times, but we can trust him to take care of us, just as the early missionaries trusted in him.

Answer: a

One day as we were going down to the place of prayer, we met a slave girl who had a spirit that enabled her to tell the future. She earned a lot of money for her masters by telling fortunes. . . . Paul got so exasperated that he turned and said to the demon within her, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And instantly it left her.   Acts 16:16, 18

(The Whole Story: Acts 16:16-25)