Acts 16:31 - Salvation for the Family.

Acts 16:31; Salvation for the Family.

Acts 16:31 (KJV)  Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou
shalt be saved, and thy house.

Only once in the N.T. is the question asked categorically, "What
must I do to be saved?" (v. 30). The response, "believe," involved
turning to Christ. A necessary action for true belief in Christ is
repentance, for Jesus said, "no; but, unless you repent, you will all
likewise perish" (Luke 13:3). Repentance and belief are, therefore, two
sides of the same coin. [Believer's SB]

And Your Household: These words must be connected with "believe"
as well as "be saved." Each member of the household must believe in
order to be saved. [Ryrie SB]

If the jailer needed to believe to be saved, so did each member
of his family and each slave in the household. The master's example
made it easier for them, but they, too, needed to believe to be saved
and then be baptized. [Disciple SB]

The words and your household mean those members of his house who
were of sufficient age to believe would be saved (cf. v. 34) as they
trusted Christ. Each member had to believe to be saved. [Bible Knowledge
Commentary]

In New Testament times the "house" or "household" of a person
extended beyond spouse and children. Slaves, clients, and close friends
were all part of one's household. We need to understand Paul's
promise of salvation to "you and your household" not as blanket
assurance that one's children will someday be saved, but as assurance that
they, like us, can find salvation through faith in the LORD. [The
365-Day Devotional Commentary]

The promise that Paul made to the jailer is a promise that is
made to every member of the jailer's household: each and every
individual who believes will be saved. The Gospel makes one great promise
to all humankind, and each individual must choose whether or not to
respond to that invitation. Those who do respond, and do believe, will
surely be saved. . . . The whole household of humanity is included in
the promise God makes us in Jesus. And yet each of us must, as an
individual, make a personal choice of faith. [Victor Bible Background
Commentary]

Paul and Silas took the family unit seriously. So the offer of
salvation was made to the jailer's entire household--family and servants.
Yet it was not the jailer's faith that saved them; they all needed
to come to Jesus in faith and believe in him in the same way the
jailer had. Yet his entire family did believe and all were saved. Pray
that God will use you to introduce Jesus to your family and that they
will come to believe in him. [Life Application SB]

The faith of the believing parents covers the children, as when
God sent His judgments upon the first-born of the Egyptians. The
word of God came to the Israelites in bondage to gather their
children into their houses and to mark the doorposts of their houses with
blood from a lamb, slain. This prefigured the slaying of the Son of
God and the efficacy of His blood, which was shed for the salvation
of the sinner. It was a sign that the household accepted Christ as
the promised Redeemer. It was shielded from the destroyer's power.
The parents evidenced their faith in implicitly obeying the
directions given them, and the faith of the parents covered themselves and
their children. They showed their faith in Jesus, the great Sacrifice,
whose blood was prefigured in the slain lamb. The destroying angel
passed over every house that had this mark upon it. This is a symbol to
show that the faith of the parents extends to their children and
covers them from the destroying angel. 3SM313-315

Those of thy house that are infants shall be admitted into the
visible church with thee, and thereby put into a fair way for salvation;
those that are grown up shall have the means of salvation brought to
them, and, be they ever so many, let them believe in Jesus Christ and
they shall be saved; they are all welcome to Christ upon the same
terms." (Matthew Henry's Commentary)

Acts 16:31 (EAV)  And they answered, Believe in the Lord Jesus
Christ [give yourself up to Him, take yourself out of your own keeping
and entrust yourself into His keeping] and you will be saved, [and
this applies both to] you and your household as well.

"Have faith in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved!  This is
also true for everyone who lives in your home." Acts 16:31 (CEV)

"Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved and so
will those in your household who believe. Acts 16:31 (CWB)

The story of the conversion of the Philippian jailer gives a
beautiful insight into the family. One of the striking characteristics
brought out is the place of the father in the family. As head of his
family he led all the members of the family into Christian faith.
When the new faith came to the father, that faith was shared by
the family. Because he believed, they believed. Because he was
baptized, they were baptized. Peace, pardon, and rejoicing were produced
in one night as Christ be came a part of the household. It is sad
when the head of the household does not assume the position of leader
in spiritual matters. The difficulties for mother and children are
awesome when the father does not assume his proper role as spiritual
leader. But when the father performs his appointed duty in leading the
family in spiritual activities, then the family has stability that can
be enjoyed by no other means. [Daily Devotional Bible]