The answer is: Paul commanded the spirit of divination to leave her

Acts 16:16-19 - and removed the source of income for the masters.

In Acts 16, we get a peek into the vibrant and often turbulent world of early Christianity and its clashes with other beliefs. Paul and Silas, out preaching the good news, encounter a young slave girl possessed by a spirit of divination. This girl fortune-tells for a string of masters who profit handsomely from her abilities. It's like having a first-century version of a daily horoscopes subscription, and she’s their star employee!

When Paul exorcises the spirit from her, it's a miraculous event, but it has serious consequences. Her newfound freedom strips the masters of their income and - spoiler alert - no one likes to lose money! They’re not worried about her well-being or newfound hope; rather, they’re incensed about their bottom line. This highlights a recurring theme in the scriptures: the clash between spiritual liberation and earthly interests. The masters whip up the crowd against Paul and Silas for good measure, demonstrating how quickly sensational stories can turn public opinion.

Interestingly, this isn’t just about a loss of profit; it’s also a reflection of how society often prioritizes material gain over people’s lives. The divine encounter here doesn’t happen inside the walls of a church; it takes place in the gritty streets of Philippi—perhaps a reminder that sacred moments often sprout where the most pressure exists. And let’s not overlook how this reads like a prequel to much of our modern struggles for social justice—where challenging the status quo leads to tangible rebuke. Paul and Silas didn’t just heal a girl; they unveiled deeper injustices that echoed for years to come.