Speaker 1: The cold floor of the cell was the only comfort
Speaker 1: he had left. Heavy chains clamped his aged wrists as
Speaker 1: darkness devoured his hopes. Paul, the man who had faced storms, stonings,
Speaker 1: and floggings, was now facing his greatest challenge, certain death,
Speaker 1: under the rule of the cruelest emperor Rome had ever known.
Speaker 1: This is the account of how one of the greatest
Speaker 1: apostles of the Christian faith met his final destiny. The
Speaker 1: story begins in Jerusalem, where a young pharisee named Saul
Speaker 1: ruthlessly persecuted the followers of the Way. With authorization from
Speaker 1: the chief priests, he burst into homes, dragged men and
Speaker 1: women to prison, and approved death sentences. The blood of Stephen,
Speaker 1: the first Christian martyr, had been spilled while Saul guarded
Speaker 1: the executioners cloaks. His zeal for the Law of Moses
Speaker 1: had made him a terror to the fledgling Church, forcing
Speaker 1: many believers to flee to other cities. On the road
Speaker 1: to Damascus, under the scorching mid day sun, everything changed.
Speaker 1: A light brighter than the sun surrounded him, knocking him
Speaker 1: to the ground. A heavenly voice asked Saul, Saul, why
Speaker 1: are you persecuting me? It was Jesus Christ, the very
Speaker 1: one he was fighting. For three days, he remained blind,
Speaker 1: without eating or drinking, until Anonius, following divine guidance, laid
Speaker 1: hands on him. Scales fell from his eyes. Saul the
Speaker 1: persecutor became Paul the persecuted. The transformation was complete and radical.
Speaker 1: For more than two decades, Paul traveled thousands of kilometers
Speaker 1: throughout the Roman world. On his first journey with Barnabas,
Speaker 1: he faced hostility in Posidian Antioch, was almost stoned in Iconium,
Speaker 1: and in Listra survived a stoning after being mistaken for
Speaker 1: the god Hermes. Even so, he established churches and strengthened
Speaker 1: new believers. On his second journey with Silas, he crossed
Speaker 1: Asia Minor, and, guided by a night vision of a
Speaker 1: Macedonian man, took the Gospel to Europe. In Philippi, he
Speaker 1: was beaten and imprisoned unjustly. In Athens, he debated philosophers
Speaker 1: at the Areopagus. In Corinth, he established a strong community
Speaker 1: over eighteen months of work. On the third journey, he
Speaker 1: taught for two years in Ephesus, center of the cult
Speaker 1: of the goddess Diana, causing an uproar among the artisans
Speaker 1: who profited from idols. He re visited churches in Macedonia
Speaker 1: and Greece, strengthening the believers and collecting offerings for those
Speaker 1: in need in Jerusalem. In each city, his message remained
Speaker 1: the same, Christ crucified and risen, offering salvation to all,
Speaker 1: regardless of ethnic background or social status. The Holy Spirit
Speaker 1: warned Paul in every city he passed through that prisons
Speaker 1: and afflictions awaited him in Jerusalem. In Miletus, saying farewell
Speaker 1: to the elders of Ephesus, he declared, with remarkable resolve,
Speaker 1: I consider my life worth nothing to me if only
Speaker 1: I may finish the race and complete the ministry I
Speaker 1: received from the Lord Jesus to testify to the gospel
Speaker 1: of God's grace. In Caesarea, the prophet Agabus took Paul's belt,
Speaker 1: and binding his own feet and hands, prophesied that the
Speaker 1: Jewish authorities in Jerusalem would capture him. His traveling companions,
Speaker 1: in tears, begged him not to go on. Paul replied,
Speaker 1: why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am
Speaker 1: ready not only to be bound, but also to die
Speaker 1: in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. His
Speaker 1: determination was unwavering. The divine call outweighed any concern for
Speaker 1: personal safety. Each step toward Jerusalem was a deliberate step
Speaker 1: toward the predicted suffering. In Jerusalem, Paul was warmly received
Speaker 1: by the Brothers, but rumors circulated that he taught against
Speaker 1: the law of Moses. To calm tempers, he participated in
Speaker 1: a purification ritual at the temple. On the last day,
Speaker 1: Jews from Asia recognized him in citing a furious crowd,
Speaker 1: this is the man who teaches against our people, our law,
Speaker 1: and this holy place. Dragged out of the temple, Paul
Speaker 1: would have been lynched if not for the intervention of
Speaker 1: the Roman garrison. The commander, thinking he was a dangerous
Speaker 1: Egyptian rebel, ordered him bound with two chains. As he
Speaker 1: was led to the Antonia Fortress, Paul asked for permission
Speaker 1: to speak to the enraged crowd. Surprisingly, the officer allowed it.
Speaker 1: From the fortress steps, Paul spoke in Aramaic, recounting his conversion.
Speaker 1: When he mentioned his mission to the Gentiles, the crowd erupted,
Speaker 1: rid the earth of this man. He does not deserve
Speaker 1: to live. The situation in Jerusalem was growing more perilous
Speaker 1: for the apostle to the Gentiles. Ordered to be flogged
Speaker 1: to extract a confession, Paul revealed his Roman citizenship, a
Speaker 1: right protecting him from such punishment without a prior trial.
Speaker 1: Alarmed having chained a Roman citizen, the commander convened the
Speaker 1: Sanhedrin the next day. Before the council, Paul noticed the
Speaker 1: division between Pharisees and Sadducees and declared, I stand on
Speaker 1: trial because of the hope of the resurrection of the dead.
Speaker 1: This statement caused such a violent commotion that soldiers had
Speaker 1: to rescue him. That night, the Lord appeared to Paul,
Speaker 1: take courage, as you have testified about me in Jerusalem,
Speaker 1: so you must also testify in Rome. Shortly after, the
Speaker 1: commander uncovered a plot by more than forty Jews, who
Speaker 1: had sworn not to eat or drink until they killed Paul.
Speaker 1: To protect him, he arranged for an escort of two
Speaker 1: hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen, transferring him
Speaker 1: to Caesarrea under Governor Felix's custody. The divine plan was unfolding,
Speaker 1: taking Paul away from Jerusalem toward his promised destination Rome.
Speaker 1: In Caesarea, Paul was held in Herod's pretorium while await
Speaker 1: his accusers. Five days later, the high priest Anonius arrived
Speaker 1: with elders and the attorney to Tullus, who presented the charges.
Speaker 1: This man is a plague who stirs up riots among
Speaker 1: all the Jews throughout the world. He is a ring
Speaker 1: leader of the Nazarene sect, and even tried to desecrate
Speaker 1: the temple. Paul eloquently defended himself. During the twelve days
Speaker 1: since I arrived to worship in Jerusalem, no one found
Speaker 1: me arguing in the temple, or stirring up crowds in
Speaker 1: the synagogues, or anywhere else. Felix, already acquainted with the way,
Speaker 1: postponed the case and ordered that Paul be kept under guard,
Speaker 1: though with a degree of freedom. From time to time.
Speaker 1: He summoned Paul to hear about faith in Christ. But
Speaker 1: when Paul spoke on righteousness self control in the coming judgment,
Speaker 1: Felix grew afraid and dismissed him. For now you may go.
Speaker 1: When it is convenient, I will send for you. He
Speaker 1: also hoped to receive a bribe. Thus two years went
Speaker 1: by with Paul remaining in prison. When Felix was succeeded
Speaker 1: by Portius Festus, the new governor. Festus was quickly approached
Speaker 1: by Jewish leaders demanding Paul's transfer to Jerusalem, intending to
Speaker 1: ambush him on the way. Festus refused and invited them
Speaker 1: to present their accusations in Caesarea. After hearing both sides.
Speaker 1: Seeking to please the Jews, Festus asked Paul, do you
Speaker 1: wish to go up to Jerusalem and be tried there
Speaker 1: before me? Sensing a trap, Paul exercised his citizen's right.
Speaker 1: I am standing before Caesar's tribunal where I ought to
Speaker 1: be tried. If I am guilty of something deserving death,
Speaker 1: I do not refuse to die, I appealed to Caesar.
Speaker 1: A few days later, King Agrippa and Bernice visited Caesarea.
Speaker 1: Festus explained Paul's situation, and Agrippa expressed interest in hearing him.
Speaker 1: The next day, in a solemn session with civil and
Speaker 1: military authorities present, Paul was given permission to speak. Agrippa,
Speaker 1: well versed in Jewish customs, would be an ideal listener
Speaker 1: for the apostles defense and testimony about Christ's resurrection. With
Speaker 1: an outstretched hand, Paul began his defense. I consider myself fortunate,
Speaker 1: King Agrippa, to stand before you today to answer all
Speaker 1: these accusations from the Jews, especially since you are well
Speaker 1: acquainted with all the Jewish customs and controversies. He recounted
Speaker 1: his life as a zealous Pharisee, his persecution of Christians,
Speaker 1: and his dramatic conversion on the road to Damascus. He
Speaker 1: described the heavenly light brighter than the sun, his fall
Speaker 1: to the ground, and the voice of Jesus speaking to
Speaker 1: him in Aramaic. He explained his divine commission to open
Speaker 1: the gentile's eyes, to turn them from darkness to light,
Speaker 1: from the power of Satan to God. That is why
Speaker 1: King Agrippa I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision.
Speaker 1: I have been preaching that all should repent, turn to God,
Speaker 1: and do works befitting repentance. Paul declared that Christ would suffer,
Speaker 1: rise from the dead and proclaim light to both Jews
Speaker 1: and Gentiles. Festus interrupted, you are out of your mind, Paul.
Speaker 1: Your great learning is driving you insane. Paul replied, I
Speaker 1: am not insane, Most excellent Festus, I speak words of
Speaker 1: truth and reason. The King is familiar with these matters,
Speaker 1: which is why I speak so freely to him. Appealing
Speaker 1: to Caesar meant a long sea journey. Paul, along with
Speaker 1: other prisoners, was handed over to Julius, a centurion of
Speaker 1: the Imperial Regiment. They boarded a ship from Adramytium bound
Speaker 1: for the coast of Asia. Luke and Aristachus were with
Speaker 1: him At Sidon. Julius kindly allowed Paul to visit friends
Speaker 1: and receive care. They sailed under the Lee of Cyprus
Speaker 1: due to contrary winds, crossing the open sea along Cilicia
Speaker 1: and Pamphylia until they reached Myra in Lycia. There they
Speaker 1: transferred to an Alexandrian ship bound for Italy. Progressing slowly,
Speaker 1: they arrived at a place called fair Havens near LEESEA
Speaker 1: sailing was becoming dangerous, for the fast had already passed.
Speaker 1: Paul warned men, I perceived that this voyage will be disastrous,
Speaker 1: causing great damage to the ship, the cargo, and our
Speaker 1: very lives. Yet the centurion placed more trust in the
Speaker 1: pilot and the owner. Because the harbour was unsuitable for wintering,
Speaker 1: most decided to press on, hoping to reach Phoenix. A
Speaker 1: harbour in crete facing southwest and northwest When a gentle
Speaker 1: south wind began to blow, they thought they had achieved
Speaker 1: their aim. They weighed anchor and sailed close to the
Speaker 1: coast of Crete, but soon a violent wind called the
Speaker 1: northeaster struck the ship. Unable to resist, they let themselves
Speaker 1: be carried along by the storm, passing to the lee
Speaker 1: of the small island of Cowder. With great difficulty, they
Speaker 1: hoisted the lifeboat and secure the hull with ropes. Fearing
Speaker 1: they would run aground on the sand banks of cirties,
Speaker 1: they lowered the sails and were driven along. The next day,
Speaker 1: battered by the storm, they began to throw the cargo overboard.
Speaker 1: On the third day, they threw the ship's tackle overboard.
Speaker 1: For many days, with neither sun nor stars visible, all
Speaker 1: hope was lost. After a long fast, Paul stood and said, men,
Speaker 1: you should have listened to me and not left Crete,
Speaker 1: avoiding this damage. But now I urge you to take courage,
Speaker 1: for there will be no loss of life among you,
Speaker 1: only of the ship. Last night, an angel of the
Speaker 1: God to whom I belonged stood beside me and said,
Speaker 1: do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand before Caesar,
Speaker 1: and God has granted you the lives of all who
Speaker 1: sail with you. On the fourteenth night adrift in the Adriatic,
Speaker 1: the sailors sensed land was near. Sounding showed one hundred
Speaker 1: twenty feet, then ninety feet. Fearing they would be dashed
Speaker 1: against the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern.
Speaker 1: Longing for daybreak, When they tried to escape in the lifeboat,
Speaker 1: Paul warned the centurion, unless these men remain in the ship,
Speaker 1: you cannot be saved. So the soldiers cut the ropes
Speaker 1: and let the boat fall away before dawn. Paul encouraged
Speaker 1: everyone to eat. Today marks fourteen days of continuous fasting.
Speaker 1: Eat for your survival. Not a hair from your heads
Speaker 1: will be lost. He took bread, gave thanks to God,
Speaker 1: broke it, and began to eat. Everyone was encouraged and
Speaker 1: ate as well. All together there were two hundred seventy
Speaker 1: six people on board. They then lightened the ship by
Speaker 1: throwing the grain into the sea. At daybreak, they saw
Speaker 1: a bay with a beach and decided to run the
Speaker 1: ship aground there if they could. Cutting loose the anchors,
Speaker 1: hoisting the foresail to the wind, they headed for the beach.
Speaker 1: The vessel struck a sand bar. The boughs stuck fast
Speaker 1: while the stern began to break upon under the pounding
Speaker 1: of the waves. Everyone reached land safely, discovering they were
Speaker 1: on the island of Malta. The inhabitants showed extraordinary kindness,
Speaker 1: lighting a fire amid the rain and cold. As Paul
Speaker 1: gathered sticks for the fire, a viper latched onto his hand.
Speaker 1: The islanders, seeing this, concluded, this man must be a murderer.
Speaker 1: Though he escaped the sea, justice will not let him live.
Speaker 1: But Paul shook the snake off into the fire without harm,
Speaker 1: so they changed their minds. He must be a god.
Speaker 1: Near By was an estate belonging to Publius, the Roman
Speaker 1: official of the island, who hosted them for three days.
Speaker 1: His father lay sick with fever and dysentery. Paul prayed,
Speaker 1: laid hands on him, and healed him. Soon others on
Speaker 1: the island with ailments came and were also healed. The
Speaker 1: Maltese showed great honor to the shipwrecked survivors, and when
Speaker 1: they left after three months, supplied them with everything needed.
Speaker 1: They set sail on an Alexandrian ship that had wintered
Speaker 1: on the island, whose figurehead bore the twin gods Castor
Speaker 1: and Pollux. They reached Syracuse, staying three days, then continued
Speaker 1: to Regium and Puteoli. They found brothers who invited them
Speaker 1: to stay a week before heading on to Rome. In Rome,
Speaker 1: Paul was permitted to live by himself, guarded by a soldier.
Speaker 1: After three days, he summoned the local Jewish leaders, explaining, Brothers,
Speaker 1: though I have done nothing against our people or the
Speaker 1: customs of our ancestors. I was arrested in Jerusalem and
Speaker 1: handed over to the Romans. After examining me, they wanted
Speaker 1: to release me because there was no crime deserving death,
Speaker 1: but when the Jews objected, I was forced to appeal
Speaker 1: to Caesar. Not that I had any charge against my nation.
Speaker 1: It is because of the hope of Israel that I
Speaker 1: am bound with these chains. They replied, we have received
Speaker 1: no letters from Judea about nor any unfavorable reports. We
Speaker 1: want to hear your views, for we know that this
Speaker 1: sect is opposed everywhere. They arranged a larger gathering where Paul,
Speaker 1: from morning and till evening, expounded on the Kingdom of
Speaker 1: God and sought to persuade them about Jesus. From the
Speaker 1: Law and the prophets. Some were convinced, others not. Paul
Speaker 1: spent two entire years in a rented house, welcoming all
Speaker 1: who came to see him. He preached the Kingdom of
Speaker 1: God and taught about Jesus Christ with full boldness and
Speaker 1: without hindrance. During this period he wrote several epistles that
Speaker 1: would become a fundamental part of the New Testament. In
Speaker 1: July of the year sixty four, while Paul remained under
Speaker 1: custody in Rome, a devastating fire broke out in the
Speaker 1: Circus Maximus area. For six days and seven nights, the
Speaker 1: flames consumed much of the imperial city. Ten out of
Speaker 1: the fourteen districts were affected, three of them completely destroyed.
Speaker 1: Who had been in Antium at the outset returned to
Speaker 1: organize relief efforts, opening his gardens to the homeless and
Speaker 1: constructing temporary shelters. However, persistent rumours claimed he had ordered
Speaker 1: the fire to clear space for his ambitious architectural project,
Speaker 1: the Domus Arria Golden House. To deflect suspicion, Nero needed
Speaker 1: scapegoats Christians, already viewed with mistrust due to their private
Speaker 1: gatherings and refusal to worship pagan gods became the perfect target,
Speaker 1: according to the historian Tacitus, to put an end to
Speaker 1: the rumour, Nero created culprits and inflicted the most exquisite
Speaker 1: punishments upon those hated for their abominations, called Christians by
Speaker 1: the populace. The ensuing persecution was brutal. Christians were arrested
Speaker 1: en mass, many turned in by neighbours. Some dressed in
Speaker 1: animal skins, were torn apart by dogs. Others were crucified.
Speaker 1: Many were smeared with pitch and burned human torches in
Speaker 1: the Imperial gardens. The relative freedom of house arrest ended
Speaker 1: with the persecution that followed the fire. As a prominent
Speaker 1: Christian figure, Paul was transferred to the Mammertine Prison, a
Speaker 1: notorious jail at the foot of the Capitoline Hill, reserved
Speaker 1: for enemies of the state awaiting execution. It consisted of
Speaker 1: two stacked cells carved out of rock. The lower one,
Speaker 1: likely where Paul stayed, was accessible only through a hole
Speaker 1: in the ceiling, no windows, no natural light, and inadequate ventilation.
Speaker 1: In this cold fowl environment, almost entirely cut off from contact,
Speaker 1: Paul wrote his second letter to Timothy his spiritual testament.
Speaker 1: I am already being poured out like a drink offering,
Speaker 1: and the time of my departure has come. I have
Speaker 1: fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I
Speaker 1: have kept the faith sorrowfully. He recounted his abandonment at
Speaker 1: my first defense. No one stood with me, every one
Speaker 1: deserted me. Only Luke remained faithful. Paul asked Timothy to
Speaker 1: come quickly before winter, bringing the cloak he had left
Speaker 1: in troas a poignant request, revealing his need for physical
Speaker 1: warmth in the freezing cell. In the autumn of the
Speaker 1: year sixty seven, Paul was brought to trial before imperial
Speaker 1: representatives in the Roman Forum. Chained the apostle, prematurely aged
Speaker 1: by his ordeals, traversed streets crowded with Roman citizens, merchants
Speaker 1: and slaves, some curious, others disdainful of this follower of
Speaker 1: the crucified one. Unlike the public trials in Judea, this
Speaker 1: one was held behind closed doors. The charges had evolved.
Speaker 1: It was no longer only about Jewish religious questions, but
Speaker 1: serious crimes against the Roman state, sedition disturbing the peace,
Speaker 1: and possible involvement in the arson conspiracy, Paul, faithful to
Speaker 1: his apostolic calling, turned his trial into one last opportunity
Speaker 1: to proclaim the Gospel to Rome's authorities. As he himself wrote,
Speaker 1: at my defense, the Lord stood by my side and
Speaker 1: gave me strength, so that the message might be fully
Speaker 1: proclaimed and all the gentiles might hear it. In an
Speaker 1: empire where worship of the emperor was increasingly central to
Speaker 1: political loyalty, the Christian declaration Jesus' Lord directly contradicted Nero's
Speaker 1: divine pretensions. Condemnation was all but certain. The verdict of
Speaker 1: the imperial tribunal was predictable. In times of systematic persecution
Speaker 1: of Christians officially blamed for the fire, Paul could not
Speaker 1: expect mercy. Nevertheless, as a Roman citizen, he would be
Speaker 1: spared the cruelest methods of execution reserved for non citizens.
Speaker 1: When the death sentence was pronounced, Paul received it with
Speaker 1: his characteristic dignity. There were no desperate pleas or denial
Speaker 1: of faith. His own words revealed his outlook for to me,
Speaker 1: to live is Christ and to die is gain back.
Speaker 1: In the mamotine prison, he awaited execution. Later. Christian tradition
Speaker 1: suggests that during this final period, Peter was also imprisoned
Speaker 1: in the same location. Although the New Testament does not
Speaker 1: confirm this meeting, it is significant to imagine these two
Speaker 1: great apostles, so different in personality and calling, yet united
Speaker 1: in purpose, spending their final days encouraging one another. Out
Speaker 1: of respect for his Roman citizenship. Paul was to be
Speaker 1: executed by the sword, a death considered more dignified than
Speaker 1: the crucifixion reserved for Peter. In his last moments, he
Speaker 1: might have recalled Jesus words to Annonius, I will show
Speaker 1: him how much he must suffer for my name. On
Speaker 1: the appointed morning, soldiers led Paul to the execution site
Speaker 1: outside the city walls, along the Ostian Way toward the
Speaker 1: Port of Ostia. He walked with steady steps, despite advanced
Speaker 1: age and weakened condition. Perhaps some Christians who survived the
Speaker 1: persecution mingled discreetly with the crowd to witness the apostle's
Speaker 1: final journey. They could not openly identify themselves without risking
Speaker 1: their own lives, but their silent presence testified to Paul's impact.
Speaker 1: The procession passed temples and monuments of Imperial Rome, symbols
Speaker 1: of the power that decreed his death. Ironically, that same
Speaker 1: empire would provide the roads, common language, and relative stability
Speaker 1: that allowed the Gospel message to reach the ends of
Speaker 1: the earth. Tradition indicates that Paul encountered a noble Roman
Speaker 1: matron named Plotilla, who offered him her veil to cover
Speaker 1: his eyes during the execution. Following Roman custom, Paul accepted,
Speaker 1: promising to return it later, a promise which, according to
Speaker 1: traditional accounts, he fulfilled by appearing to her after his death.
Speaker 1: Arriving at the Aquae Salvia, now the Abbey of the
Speaker 1: Three Fountains, the designated execution spot, final preparations were made,
Speaker 1: an execution block was set up. The executioner drew his
Speaker 1: gleaming Roman sword. Before kneeling, Paul requested a few moments
Speaker 1: to pray. According to early Christian traditions, he prayed not
Speaker 1: only for himself, but also for the believers in Rome,
Speaker 1: for the churches he had established across the Mediterranean, and
Speaker 1: even for Nero and Rome itself. With his eyes covered
Speaker 1: by Plotilla's veil, Paul offered his neck. The Christians present
Speaker 1: saw how he faced death with the same courage that
Speaker 1: marked his life. There was no fear on his face
Speaker 1: only peace and expectancy. One swift motion of the sword
Speaker 1: ended the apostle's earthly life. The man who had declared
Speaker 1: for me to live is Christ and to die is
Speaker 1: Gain now experienced that final reality. According to tradition, when
Speaker 1: his head touched the ground, it reportedly bounced three times,
Speaker 1: and at each spot a spring of water miraculously gushed forth,
Speaker 1: giving the site its name three fountains. The few Christians present,
Speaker 1: risking their own lives, collected his body and buried it
Speaker 1: on a plot of land along the Ostian Way. Paul's
Speaker 1: body was laid to rest simply, but his influence was
Speaker 1: only beginning. The place became a pilgrimage site for Christians.
Speaker 1: In the fourth century, when Constantine legalized Christianity, a basilica
Speaker 1: was built over his tomb, the first of several churches
Speaker 1: culminating in today's Basilica of Saint Paul outside the walls.
Speaker 1: It is important to clarify the Bible does not record
Speaker 1: how Paul died. The Book of Acts ends with Paul
Speaker 1: under house arrest in Rome for two years Acts twenty
Speaker 1: eight thirty to thirty one, without mentioning his ultimate fate.
Speaker 1: Early Christian tradition Eusebius, Tertullian and others states that Paul
Speaker 1: was behead in Rome during Nero's persecution, but these are
Speaker 1: extra biblical accounts. Many details in this narrative about his death,
Speaker 1: such as imprisonment in the mammotine prison, the encounter with
Speaker 1: the matron Ploutila, the miracle of the Three fountains, and
Speaker 1: the specific place of execution, come from later Christian traditions
Speaker 1: and lack direct biblical confirmation. Paul's true legacy, however, lies
Speaker 1: in his writings, which comprise nearly one third of the
Speaker 1: New Testament. His epistles address fundamental questions justification by faith,
Speaker 1: freedom in Christ, the Church as the body of Christ,
Speaker 1: and the hope of resurrection. Paul, who described himself as
Speaker 1: the least of the apostles and the chief of sinners,
Speaker 1: became the most influential interpreter of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection.
Speaker 1: His missionary journeys established Christian communities throughout the Mediterranean, transforming
Speaker 1: Christianity from a jewis Wish movement into a world wide faith.
Speaker 1: The zealous Pharisee, who left Jerusalem as a persecutor, died
Speaker 1: in Rome as the persecuted, the proud Roman citizen found
Speaker 1: his true citizenship in heaven. Nero, who ordered his execution,
Speaker 1: would commit suicide less than a year later. His empire
Speaker 1: would eventually fall, but Paul's spiritual legacy remains alive. I
Speaker 1: have fought the good fight. I have finished the race.
Speaker 1: I have kept the faith.