The Sounds of Silas

Even in the deepest hallways of biblical scholarship, it is still little known that, first, the Apostle Paul did actually write a short letter about his brief time in prison with Silas and Philippi, an additional source on the events to Luke’s account in Acts 16. Secondly, one of the first minstrel groups of the early Church, known as Simon & Barthumkel, wrote a song about it called “The Sounds of Silas.” We actually have the lyrics below, translated from Koine Greek.

Stanza 1

Hello prison, my old friend

I've come to be with you again

Because I’d rather be free, preaching

But I suppose another way, outreaching, 

Is writing letters to the churches across the plains

But still remains are the sounds of Silas

Stanza 2

In restless dreams he tends to snore

Restful nights I have no more

Inside this jail down here in Philippi

I turn and toss, and my throat is dry

When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of angelic light

That split the night

And stopped the sounds of Silas

Stanza 3

And in the shaking jail I saw

All the chains and all the doors

Chains unlocking without creaking

Cell doors clearing without squeaking

We’d be fleeing, but our jailer would take his life

He had much strife

But for my shout with Silas

Stanza 4

“Do not give yourself such pain,”

Said I, “for in our cell we’ve stayed.”

The jailer called the cell, “Illuminate!”

And then before us, fell the man prostrate

Asking, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

He was depraved

Down on the ground near Silas

Stanza 5

“Believe in Jesus,” we relayed 

And at the jailer’s home we stayed 

And our wounds were washed before morning

And more relationships with God forming

And the household was also baptized in the holy name

That we proclaim

The God of Paul and Silas