Acts 16:29,30 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Then he called for a light,— As φωτα, lights, is plural, it seems to imply, that, on this alarm, several of his attendants came with torches, and were present at the inquiry which immediately followed; nor did he in the least scruple to throw himself down before his domestics at the feet of these his holy prisoners, who had been so evidently honoured by the God of nature. Grotius thinks, that in his inquiry what he should do to be saved, the gaoler went upon the natural principles of the immortality of the soul. Whitby, with much greater propriety, supposes that he spoke thus, as referring to the testimony of the Pythoness, which had been so often and so publicly repeated: (Acts 16:17-18.) but the sense of what he utters seems to be more extensive. Probably, a vast multitude of ideas rushed into his mind at once. He saw, by the earthquake, the power and displeasure of God; and, together with this, the sweetness and joy of Paul and Silas in their bonds:—their willing continuance in prison, when they might so easily have escaped; their generous solicitude for the life of one who had used them so ill, were also circumstances fitted to strike powerfully on a mind so passionate as his seems to have been; and might concur towards convincing him, that these men were indeed divine messengers, and that the divine displeasure was falling on the city, and particularly on himself, for persecuting them. Perhaps some kind and pious words, which Paul and Silas, who took all opportunities of doing good, may have uttered while he was fastening their feet in the stocks, might throw farther light on his mind, when recollected amid such extremity of danger: and no doubt the Spirit of God added conviction and energy to all.