47. The Apostle Paul in Athens

While in Athens, Paul was greatly grieved in spirit, looking at this city, full of idolatry, and therefore he began to preach the Gospel there both in the synagogues of the Jews, and in the squares to all who met him. Then some of the philosophers there entered into a dispute with him and, taking him, took him to the Areopagus, where they began to ask him about his teaching. Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, began thus: "Athenians! In all things I see that you are very pious, for in going around and surveying your temples, I found such an altar, on which was written: To an unknown God. This is the one whom you worship without knowing it, I preach to you. God, Who created the world and all that is in it, being the Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples created by hands and does not require the service of human hands for any need, but Himself gives to everyone life, and breath, and everything. He is not far from each of us, for in Him we live, move, and have our being. This God, having allowed the times of ignorance to be, now preaches repentance to all men everywhere, for He has appointed a day in which He will righteously judge the world through the Man Whom He has ordained for this purpose, and in Whom He has made it possible for all to believe, having raised Him from the dead."

Hearing of the resurrection of the dead, some began to laugh, and others said: "We will hear you about this at another time." However, some of those who were present believed, among them were Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, and a woman named Damarus.

48. The Apostle Paul in Caesarea

After some time, Paul was taken into custody in Jerusalem and sent to Caesarea to be tried by the Roman governor Felix. Felix received Paul favorably and was reluctant to heed the complaints of the Jews against him. He gave Paul more freedom than the rest of the prisoners, and was even ready to release him altogether if Paul wanted to buy himself off with money. Once he summoned Paul to him and, together with his wife Drusilla, the daughter of King Herod Agrippa, listened to his discourse on faith in Christ. When the Apostle began to speak about righteousness, abstinence, and the future judgment, Felix, feeling a pang of conscience, became frightened and answered him: "Now go, and when I have time, I will call you again." But since sinners are always afraid to hear the truth, Felix did not find time to listen to Paul's sermon to the end.

Two years later, Festus took Felix's place. This governor was even less fond of truth, and therefore Paul, fearing that he would deliver him into the hands of the Jews, demanded a trial before the Roman emperor himself. Then Festus, having reasoned with his counsel, announced to Paul that he would be sent to Caesar for trial.

A few days after this, King Agrippa and Veronica arrived at Festus in Caesarea. This gave Paul the opportunity to once more solemnly preach about Christ and the grace given to him as an apostle. "With the help of God," Paul concluded his speech before Agrippa, "to this day I live, and bear witness to the small and the great, of which Moses and the prophets spoke, that is, that Christ was to suffer and, rising from the dead, to proclaim light to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles." At these words, Festus cried out in a loud voice: "You are mad, Paul! Great learning drives you to madness." But he answered him: "No, venerable Festus, I am not mad, but I speak words of common sense and truth. For the king, before whom I speak so freely, knows this. Do you believe the prophets, King Agrippa? I know that you believe!" Agrippa answered: "You have not in the least persuaded me to become a Christian." Paul replied: "I pray to God, that sooner or later not only you, but all who hear me now, may become like me, except for these bonds."

49. The Apostle Paul's Journey to Rome

Soon after this, Paul, together with other prisoners, was handed over to the centurion of the Augustan regiment and, accompanied by Aristarchus and Luke, was sent to Rome. Having sailed to the island of Crete, Paul advised them to stay there for the winter. However, the centurion had more confidence in the captain of the ship and the helmsman, who expected to go further. But as soon as their ship went out to sea, a strong wind arose with a whirlwind, and the ship was in great danger. They had already begun to throw overboard, first the cargo, and then the food supplies. Death was inevitable. But one night an angel of God appeared to Paul and said: "Do not be afraid, Paul, you must stand before Caesar, therefore God will grant you all those who sail with you." At last, after fourteen days of stormy sailing, the sailors noticed that they were approaching some land. But when they headed for the shore, their ship ran aground. Then those who knew how to swim threw themselves into the water and thus reached the shore; the rest escaped on the planks and other wrecks of the ship, and thus of the two hundred and seventy-six souls who were on board, none were killed, but all went ashore.

The island they landed on was Melita, now Malta. They were warmly welcomed. The inhabitants of this island immediately lit a fire, around which all those who had escaped the shipwreck gathered. Paul was also with them and put wood on the fire. But while he was gathering firewood, suddenly an echidna crawled out and hung on his hand. And when they saw this, they all said among themselves, "Surely this man is a murderer, when the judgment of God does not let him live, even after he has escaped from the sea." Then people changed their minds about him and said that he was God.

They spent the whole winter on this island, and Paul had many occasions to preach the word of God and heal the sick. Three months later, they set out on another ship and arrived safely in Rome. Here Paul began to preach the gospel to the Jews, and some of them believed. He stayed in Rome for two years, living in a certain house, where he rented an apartment for himself and received all who wished to see him, preached the Gospel of the Kingdom of God to everyone, and taught about the Lord Jesus without hindrance and with all boldness.

50. The Apostles' Propagation of the Gospel

The Apostle Paul ended his life in Rome, was beheaded with a sword. The Apostle Peter also suffered a martyr's death there. In general, all the apostles sealed the preaching of the Gospel with their blood. Only the Evangelist John, having endured torture, ended his life in extreme old age in prison. The Apostles, preaching and teaching orally, left behind them, although not all, written monuments both of the life and teachings of Jesus Christ and of their own preaching. Thus, the Apostle and Evangelist Matthew, soon after the Ascension of the Lord, wrote the Gospel for the Palestinian Jews. Almost at the same time, the Apostle Mark, while in Rome, set forth for the Christians there the life and teaching of Jesus Christ in a short Gospel. Then the Gospel was written by the Apostle Luke for a certain noble Roman Theophilus, at whose request the book of the Acts of the Apostles was compiled by the same Luke. The Gospel of John the Theologian appeared later than anyone else. In addition to these apostolic writings, the 14 Epistles of the Apostle Paul, the 7 Conciliar Epistles of the Apostles James, Peter, John and Jude, and, finally, the Apocalypse, or the Revelation of John the Theologian, in which the future fate of the Church of Christ on earth is prophetically set forth. Thus, even during the lifetime of the Apostles, the Christian Church already had all the books of Holy Scripture, and their oral preaching supplemented the rest. And God blessed their efforts in spreading the Gospel with success, so that they clearly saw how the words of the Saviour, spoken by Him before His ascension to heaven, were already fulfilled before them: