Paul’s life was in peril, and he received a commission from God to leave Damascus for a time. He went into Arabia; and there, in comparative solitude, he had ample opportunity for communion with God, and for contemplation. He wished to be alone with God, to search his own heart, to deepen his repentance, and to prepare himself by prayer and study to engage in a work which appeared to him too great and too important for him to undertake. He was an apostle, not chosen of men, but chosen of God, and his work was plainly stated to be among the Gentiles. {LP 33.3}

Paulus’ liv var i fare, og han modtog en opgave fra Gud at forlade Damaskus for en stund. Han tog til Arabien; og der hade han, i relativ ensomhed, en god anledning til at have samfund med Gud, og til overvejelse. Han ønskede at være alene med Gud, og ransage sit eget hjerte, og uddybe han anger, og forberede sig selv i bøn og studium for at gå ind i et arbejde som virkede for stort og for vigtigt til ham at påtage sig. Han var en apostel, ikke udvalgt af mennesker, men valgt af Gud, og det blev tydeligt at hans arbejde skulle være iblandt hedningene.