No such opportunities were now granted the apostle, confined as he was to his own dwelling, and able to proclaim the truth to those only who sought him there. He had not, like Moses and Aaron, a divine command to go before the profligate king and in the name of the great I AM rebuke his cruelty and oppression. Yet it was at this very time, when its chief advocate was apparently cut off from public labor, that a great victory was won for the gospel; for from the very household of the king, members were added to the church.

Nu blev der ikke tilstået apostlen den slags muligheder, indespærret som han var i sin egen bolig, hvor han kun kunne forkynde sandheden for dem, der opsøgte ham dér. Han havde ikke som Moses og Aron fået Guds befaling til at træde frem for den ryggesløse konge og som stedfortræder for den store Jeg Er dadle hans grusomhed og undertrykkelse. Dog var det netop på dette tidspunkt, hvor evangeliets største talsmand tilsyneladende var afskåret fra offentligheden, at der blev vundet en stor sejr; thi fra selve kejserens hus blev der føjet nogle til menigheden.