St. Paul's Prison Cell

When I read about people in the Bible being imprisoned, I think of dungeons like in the movies.  Jail cells with rock walls, iron doors, and barred windows.  I can imagine Paul and Silas in a damp prison like that as they pray, sing and worship God.

When Paul went to Rome and was imprisoned the first time he was chained to a guard and lived under house arrest.  Visitors would come and go and Paul was able to do almost anything he pleased as long as he remained in the house.

The second imprisonment in Rome was not as friendly.  In the book 2 Timothy, Paul tells how he is abandoned by others.  The second letter to Timothy is the last epistle by Paul in the New Testament.  Soon after writing to Timothy Paul was beheaded.

Back in the early 80s, I was in Rome and was able to visit the cell in which Paul was imprisoned as he awaited execution.  I don't know how long he was there but I hope it was only a few days and not months.

The cell now has stairs going down into it but back then the only entrance or exit was a hole in the floor where the prisoner was lowered down into the cell.   The cell was carved into the rock below the prison.  The cell's stone walls were cold.  The hole above would be where food was lowered to the prisoner and when it was covered over, there would be no light.  It would be absolutely dark.

I remember standing in that room thinking of how dreadful it would be for Paul, isolated from everyone.  No sounds could reach you. No light to see by. Being swallowed by the earth and left in darkness until they come to kill you.

What was Paul thinking during that time?

"For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.  I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:  Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only but unto all them that love his appearing."  2 Timothy 4:6-8

Paul was at peace.  Being in a dark cell didn't matter because he knew God was there with him and Paul had accomplished the will of God for his life.  Being in a lightless cell did not change the fact that he trusted God and would praise and glorify Him until his last breath.

Whether we are living in times of comfort, or in times of distress, can  we say with Paul, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek."  Romans 1:16