Paul's Last Days

Paul's last imprisonment in Rome was very different from his first one. The first time, he rented a house and was basically under house arrest for five years. This allowed him more freedom and allowed his friends to visit him more easily. During this confinement, he wrote letters to the Galatians, Thessalonians, Corinthians, Romans, Colossians, and Ephesians, and then to Philemon.

Nero - By cjh1452000 - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://
commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6983878

In his second Roman imprisonment, Paul was chained in a dungeon in inhumane conditions. Nero was emperor, and the Great Fire had happened in 64 A.D. To dispell rumors that he had started the fire so he would be able to rebuild Rome, Nero blamed the Christians, and a renewed wave of torture and cruel executions began. No one came to speak for Paul at his first hearing, but he had little defense to the charges anyway. He had certainly refused to agree to the emperor's deity and bow down to worship him.

Paul was shackled in heavy chains. His cell was likely filthy, wet, cold, and rat-infested. Luke remained with him and wrote for him. His last letter from here is the epistle we know as 2 Timothy. Tradition tells that in 67 A.D., two soldiers led him to his death. Because Paul was a Roman citizen, he couldn't be executed in a shameful way, so he was beheaded with a swift sword blow to the neck. His suffering was over. He was home with Christ.

For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain (Philippians 1:21).

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