"They replied, 'Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.'"
— Acts 16:31 (NIV)
Acts 16:31 is Paul and Silas's answer to the Philippian jailer's question, "What must I do to be saved?" This page gives the verse, what the key words mean, the story around it, and a plain reading. For more on the theme, see Bible verses about salvation, Bible verses about faith, and Bible verses about grace.
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The verse
The King James reads: "And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house."
"Believe" is pisteuo (G4100), to trust or put faith in. "Saved" is sozo (G4982), to rescue or make whole. "Household" (KJV "house") is oikos (G3624), a house or the people who live in it.
The story in Acts 16
Paul and Silas had been beaten and locked in the inner cell of the jail in Philippi. "About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them" (Acts 16:25). An earthquake opened the doors, and the jailer, thinking the prisoners had escaped, was about to kill himself until Paul shouted, "Don't harm yourself! We are all here!" (Acts 16:28).
The jailer fell before them and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" (Acts 16:30). Verse 31 is their answer. Then "they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house" (Acts 16:32), the household was baptized, and the jailer "was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household" (Acts 16:34).
What the verse is saying
The answer is simple on purpose. The jailer is not given a list of tasks. He is told to put his trust in the Lord Jesus. That matches Romans 10:9 and Ephesians 2:8-9: salvation is a gift received through faith.
"You and your household" does not mean family members are saved without believing. The text says Paul and Silas spoke the word to everyone in the house, and that the whole household came to believe. The same offer was made to each of them.
Questions people ask
What does Acts 16:31 say?
In the NIV it says, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household." The KJV reads, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house."
Who said "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved"?
Paul and Silas said it to the jailer in Philippi, after an earthquake opened the prison doors and he asked them, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" (Acts 16:30).
Does Acts 16:31 mean my whole family will be saved?
The verse offers the same salvation to the jailer's household, and the next verses say Paul and Silas preached to all of them and the whole household believed (Acts 16:32-34). Each person in the house heard the message and believed for themselves.
What does "believe on the Lord Jesus" mean?
"Believe" is the Greek pisteuo, to trust or rely on. It means putting your trust in Jesus as Lord, not only agreeing that facts about him are true. See Romans 10:9.
What other verses are like Acts 16:31?
John 3:16 (whoever believes in him shall not perish), Romans 10:9 (declare "Jesus is Lord" and believe), and Ephesians 2:8-9 (saved by grace through faith) are close companions.
