The Story of the Bible

The centurion found at anchor by the island a ship from Alexandria on its way to Italy, which had been waiting there through the winter. The name of this ship was "The Twin Brothers." After three months in the isle, the centurion sent on board this ship his soldiers and prisoners, with Paul's friends; and they sailed away from Melita. After stopping at a few places on their voyage, they left the ship at Puteoli, in the south of Italy, and from that place they were led toward Rome. The church at Rome, to which Paul had written a letter in other days, heard that he was coming, and some of the brethren went out to meet him a few miles from the city. When Paul saw them, and knew that they were glad to meet him, even though he was in chains, he thanked God, and took heart once more. He had long wished to go to Rome, and now came into the city at last, but as a prisoner, chained to a Roman soldier.

When they came to Rome, the good centurion Julius gave his prisoners to the captain of the guard in the city; but from the kind words spoken by Julius, Paul was allowed to go to a house by himself, though with the soldier who guarded him always at his side. After three days in Rome, Paul sent for the chief men among the Jews of the city to meet in his house, because he could not go to the synagogue to meet with them. When they came, he said to them:

"Brethren, though I have done no harm to our people, or against our law, yet I was made a prisoner in Jerusalem, and given into the hands of the Romans. When the Romans had given me a trial they found no cause for putting me to death, and wished to set me free. But the Jews spoke against me, and I had to ask for a trial before Caesar, though I have no charge to bring against my own people. I have asked to see you and to speak with you, because for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain."

They said to Paul, "No letters have come to us from Judea, nor have any of the brethren brought to us any evil report of you. But we would like to hear from you about this people who follow Jesus of Nazareth, for they are a people everywhere spoke against."

So Paul named a day, and on the day they came in great number to Paul's room. He talked with them, explaining the teaching of the Old Testament about Christ, from morning until evening. Some believed the words of Paul, and others refused to believe. And when they would not agree, Paul said to them as they were leaving, "Truly indeed did the Holy Spirit say of this people, in the words of Isaiah the prophet, 'Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand, and seeing ye shall see, and yet not see. For this people's heart is become hard, and their ears are dull, and their eyes they have shut; for they are not willing to see, nor to hear, nor to understand, nor to turn from their sins to God.' But know this, that the salvation of Christ is sent to the Gentiles; and they will listen to it, even though you do not."

And after this Paul lived two years in the house which he had hired. Every day a soldier was brought from the camp, and Paul was chained to him for all that day. And the next day another soldier came; each day a new soldier was chained to Paul. And to each one Paul spoke the gospel, until after a time many of the soldiers in the camp were believers in Christ; and when these soldiers were sent away they often carried the gospel with them to other lands. So Paul, though a prisoner, was still doing good and working for Christ.

Then, too, some of Paul's friends were with him in Rome. The young Timothy, whom Paul loved to call his son in the gospel, and Luke the doctor, of whom he wrote as "the beloved physician," were there, perhaps in the same house. Aristarchus of Thessalonica, who had been with him in the ship and in the storm, was still with Paul. Mark, the young man who years before went with Paul and Barnabas on their first journey from Antioch, visited Paul in Rome.

At one time, when Paul had been a prisoner nearly two years, a friend came to see him from Philippi in Macedonia. His name was Epaphroditus, and he brought to Paul a loving message from that church, and also gifts to help Paul in his need. In return, Paul wrote to the church at Philippi a letter, "The Epistle to the Philippians," full of tender and gentle words. It was taken to the church by Epaphroditus and by Timothy, whom Paul sent with him, perhaps because in Rome Epaphroditus was very ill, and Paul may have thought it better not to have him go home alone.