Why was Paul in prison?

Response

Paul was imprisoned multiple times during his ministry, and in nearly every place he visited, there were individuals who sought his imprisonment. It all began when Jesus confronted Saul the Pharisee on the road to Damascus, completely altering the course of Saul’s life (Acts 9:1-20). God had selected Saul, more commonly known as Paul, for a unique mission: to serve as the apostle to the Gentiles (Acts 9:15;Romans 11:13;Galatians 2:8). Fulfilling this calling would entail enduring significant suffering “for I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.” (Acts 9:16), including beatings, shipwrecks, stonings, and arrests for simply preaching the gospel (2 Corinthians 11:24-27). We are aware of three instances when Paul was imprisoned. Considering that Paul was actively engaged in ministry for thirty-five years, it is possible that he may have been arrested and imprisoned on other occasions as well. Paul’s arrests were a consequence of his faithfulness to God’s calling on his life, not due to wrongdoing.

Paul’s initial documented arrest occurred in Philippi in Macedonia during his second missionary journey, around AD 51. A slave girl possessed by a demon kept following Paul and Silas, proclaiming, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation” “The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which show unto us the way of salvation.” (Acts 16:17). The girl was disruptive and bothersome, and eventually Paul addressed her.

Commanded the demon to leave her. The girl’s owners were furious that their source of income through soothsaying was gone, so they dragged Paul and Silas before the authorities and accused them of causing public riots. The magistrate, going against Roman law, had them beaten and thrown into prison without a trial (Acts 16:23-24).

But during this imprisonment, the Lord caused an earthquake. Paul’s and Silas’s chains came loose, and the prison doors swung open. When the jailer saw the doors open, he assumed the prisoners had escaped and, knowing he would be held responsible, drew out his sword to kill himself. But Paul called out to him, assuring him that all of the prisoners were still there. The jailer was so overcome with gratitude that he took Paul and Silas into his home and tended their wounds. Paul spoke to him about Jesus, and the jailer and his entire household received Jesus as Lord and were baptized (Acts 16:31-34). Paul’s first imprisonment resulted in glory for God and the salvation of many.

Paul’s second recorded arrest, which took place in Jerusalem, was prophesied beforehand «And when he was come unto us, he took Paul’s girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles. », (Acts 21:11); even with the warning, Paul chose to continue toward the capital. James and the elders of the church in Jerusalem greeted him warmly. They also informed him of Jewish believers who thought Paul was teaching other Jews to reject their Jewish heritage. Hoping to demonstrate this was not true, and at the advice of the elders, Paul joined four men in their purification rites. This required a visit to the temple. But someNon-believing Jews from Asia recognized Paul in the temple and stirred up the crowds against him, shouting, “Fellow Israelites, help us! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against our people, our law, and this place. Besides, he has brought Greeks into the temple and defiled this holy place” «crying out, Men of Israel, help: This is the man, that teacheth all men every where against the people, and the law, and this place: and further brought Greeks also into the temple, and hath polluted this holy place. », (Acts 21:28). None of this was true; however, the people rioted and tried to kill Paul. Paul was quickly arrested by the Romans and put in jail. This occurred sometime around AD 57.

The commander of the regiment in charge of Paul allowed him to speak to the crowd. Acts 22 records Paul’s sermon, which included his own personal testimony of encountering Jesus on the road to Damascus. The crowd shouted for Paul’s death «And they gave him audience unto this word, and then lifted up their voices, and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth: for it is not fit that he should live. », (Acts 22:22). The Roman commander sent Paul to the barracks with orders that he be flogged and interrogated «the chief captain commanded him to be brought into the castle, and bade that he should be examined by scourging; that he might know wherefore they cried so against him. », (Acts 22:24). Unbeknownst to the commander, Paul was a Roman citizen, and therefore, it was illegal for him to be flogged without having been found guilty. On this occasion, Paul spared himself a beating by bringing the fact of his Roman citizenship to the attention of a centurion. Alarmed and still unsure why the Jews were accusing Paul, the commander decidedPaul was sent to the Sanhedrin, the Jewish governing body, “On the morrow, because he would have known the certainty wherefore he was accused of the Jews, he loosed him from his bands, and commanded the chief priests and all their council to appear, and brought Paul down, and set him before them.” (Acts 22:30).

The following day, Paul defended himself before the Sanhedrin, stating that he was on trial for his belief in the resurrection of the dead. The Pharisees believed in resurrection, unlike the Sadducees. Paul used this disagreement within the Sanhedrin to support his faith in the gospel (Acts 23:6-8). Some Pharisees supported Paul, leading to a heated debate within the Sanhedrin. The Roman commander intervened and ordered Paul to be taken back to the barracks for his safety. “The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, ‘Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome’.” “And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.” (Acts 23:11).

While Paul was imprisoned in Jerusalem, some Jews plotted to kill him. However, Paul’s nephew uncovered the scheme and alerted the Roman commander. Paul was then secretly escorted to Caesarea under heavy guard, where he remained imprisoned. Subsequently, Paul faced trial before Governor Felix. Although Felix was moved by the gospel message, he reacted with fear rather than repentance. “And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.”(Acts 24:25). Felix detained Paul in prison for an additional two years, hoping for Paul to offer a bribe “He hoped also that money should have been given him by Paul, that he might release him: therefore he sent for him more frequently and conversed with him.”, (Acts 24:26). As a gesture to the Jews, Felix left Paul imprisoned when he was succeeded by Porcius Festus around AD 59 “But after two years Porcius Festus succeeded Felix; and Felix, wanting to do the Jews a favor, left Paul bound.”, (Acts 24:27).

In Jerusalem, the chief priests and Jewish leaders, who still harbored animosity towards Paul, presented their case against him before Festus and requested Paul’s transfer to Jerusalem. In response, Festus invited some of the Jewish leaders to come to Caesarea where Paul was detained. Another trial ensued, but none of the accusations could be substantiated. Festus sought to appease the Jews, so he inquired if Paul would agree to go to Jerusalem for trial. Paul declined, opting to appeal to Caesar instead. Before Paul could be dispatched to Rome, King Agrippa arrived in Caesarea. Festus sought Agrippa’s counsel, and Paul appeared before Agrippa—another opportunity to proclaim the gospel (Acts 26). Due to Paul’s appeal to Caesar, he was subsequently sent to Rome around AD 60 (Acts 27).

Despite being a captive in Rome, Paul was permitted to reside in a house and receive support and provisions from acquaintances and relatives (Acts 28:30-31). He remained under house arrest for two years. Paul “welcomed all who came to visit him. He preached about the kingdom of God and instructed about the Lord Jesus Christ—with great boldness and without hindrance!” “preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ,With all confidence, no one stopping him.” (Acts 28:31). It was during this period of house arrest that Paul wrote the books of Ephesians, Philemon, Colossians, and Philippians. Once again, God did not waste His servant’s suffering but inspired Paul to write a portion of what would later become our New Testament. Paul was released from this imprisonment around AD 62.

Paul’s final arrest, which is not elaborated on in Acts, took place around AD 66. Once more, he was under Roman guard, but this time he was confined to a jail cell. From there, Paul wrote his second letter to Timothy (2 Timothy 2:8-9). In the last of Paul’s “prison epistles,” his tone is weary, and he acknowledges that the end of his earthly ministry is approaching soon (2 Timothy 4:6-8). He urges Timothy to maintain the faith (2 Timothy 1:13; 2 Timothy 2:2; 2 Timothy 4:2) and to visit him if possible, “Do your best to come to me soon” (2 Timothy 4:9,13) “The cloak that I left at Troas with Carpus, when you come, bring with you, and the books, but especially the parchments.” (2 Timothy 4:9,13). Paul was feeling lonely as many of his co-workers had moved on to other ministries; at least one had even abandoned Paul (2 Timothy 4:10-12, 16-18).

In prison, Paul wrote with hopeful confidence, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness,which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day— and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing” (2 Timothy 4:7-8). He claimed, “The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory forever and ever. Amen” «And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. », (2 Timothy 4:18). At the end of his third imprisonment, Paul was martyred by the Roman Empire. He was, indeed, brought safely to be with the Lord (Philippians 1:21-23;2 Corinthians 5:8). No more would evil men attack him. He would never see a prison again.

Paul’s life after conversion is a picture of total devotion to the purposes and plans of God. His words in Galatians 2:20 explain how Paul viewed his life: “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Paul could endure imprisonment as an innocent man because he counted his life as nothing (Acts 20:24;Philippians 3:7-10). Even though treated unjustly by the nation and people he loved, Paul continued to preach the gospel and used every opportunity to share the truth of Jesus, even with prison guards «All the saints salute you, chiefly they that are of Cæsar’s household. », (Philippians 4:22).

Paul was in prison because people “loved darkness instead of light” «And this is the condemnation, that liLight has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their actions were evil.” (John 3:19) and they “suppress the truth by their wickedness” “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness;” (Romans 1:18). Paul’s accusers did not want to hear the message of salvation, so they imprisoned and eventually killed the messenger. Jesus warned us that we should not be surprised when the world hates Christians because it hated Him first (John 15:18; 1 John 3:13). May we all embrace suffering for Christ with the grace and humility that the apostle Paul showed.