Paul's patience and cheerfulness during his long and unjust imprisonment, his courage and faith, were a continual sermon. His spirit, so unlike the spirit of the world, bore witness that a power higher than that of earth was abiding with him. And by his example, Christians were impelled to greater energy as advocates of the cause from the public labors of which Paul had been withdrawn. In these ways were the apostle's bonds influential, so that when his power and usefulness seemed cut off, and to all appearance he could do the least, then it was that he gathered sheaves for Christ in fields from which he seemed wholly excluded.

Paulus tålmodighed og frejdighed under det fange og uforskyldte fængselsophold, hans mod og hans tro var en bestandig prædiken. Hans ånd, der var så vidt forskellig fra verdens ånd, vidnede om, at en højere magt end denne verdens var hos ham. Og ved hans eksempel blev kristne ansporet til at udvise større energi som talsmænd for den sag, som Paulus ikke kunne tjene offentligt mere. På denne måde gjorde apostlens lænker deres virkning og mens hans kraft og brugbarhed syntes lammet og han efter alt at dømme kun kunne udrette lidt, samlede han netop neg for Kristus på marker, hvorfra han tilsyneladende var helt udelukket.