Yet while the apostle’s work began with the humble and lowly, its influence extended, until it reached the very palace of the emperor. Rome was at this time the metropolis of the world. The haughty Caesars were giving laws to nearly every nation upon the earth. King and courtier were either wholly ignorant of the humble Nazarene, or they regarded him with hatred and derision. And yet in less than two years the gospel found its way from the prisoner’s lowly home into the imperial halls. Paul is in bonds as an evil-doer; but “the word of God is not bound.”{LP 290.1}

Da apostlens arbejde begyndte med den ydmyge og lave, bredte indflydelsen sig dog indtil den nåede kejserens palads. På det tidspunkt var Rom verdens metropol. De hovmodige kejsere gav love til næsten alle folk på jorden Konge og hofmænd var enten helt uvidende om den ydmyge nazaræer, eller de betragtede ham med had og hån. Og alligevel fandt evangeliet i mindre en to år sin vej fra fangens beskedne hjem til kejserlige sale. Paulus er i en ond mands bånd; men "Guds ord er ikke bånd."