Not in their own power did the apostles accomplish their mission, but in the power of the living God. Their work was not easy. The opening labors of the Christian church were attended by hardship and bitter grief. In their work the disciples constantly encountered privation, calumny, and persecution; but they counted not their lives dear to unto themselves and rejoiced that they were called to suffer for Christ. Irresolution, indecision, weakness of purpose, found no place in their efforts. They were willing to spend and be spent. The consciousness of the responsibility resting on them purified and enriched their experience; and the grace of heaven was revealed in the conquests they achieved for Christ. With the might of omnipotence God worked through them to make the gospel triumphant.—The Acts of the Apostles, 593-595 (1911). {Ev 706.3}

Ikke ved egen kraft udrettede apostlene deres opgave, men ved den levende Guds kraft. Deres gerning var ikke let. Den kristne menigheds første virksomhed var præget af trængsel og stor smerte. Under deres arbejde mødte disciplene både nød, bagtalelse og forfølgelse; men de regnede ikke deres liv som dyrebart for sig selv og glædede sig over at være kaldede til at lide for Kristi skyld. Ubeslutsomhed og vankelmodighed fandtes ikke indenfor deres arbejde. De var villige til både at give og til selv at gives. Bevidstheden om det ansvar, der hvilede på dem, lutrede og berigede deres erfaringer og Himmelens nåde åbenbaredes ved de sejre, de vandt for Kristus. Med sin almagts kraft virkede Gud gennem dem til at føre evangeliet frem til sejr. — Mesterens efterfølgere, s. 311-213. (1911)