Never had Nero heard the truth as he heard it upon that occasion. Never had the enormous guilt of his own life been revealed to him as it was revealed that day. The light of Heaven had pierced the sin-polluted chambers of his soul. He quaked with terror at the thought of a tribunal before which he, the ruler of the world, should be arraigned, and where his deeds should meet a just reward. He was afraid of the apostle’s God, and he dared not pass sentence upon Paul, against whom no accusation had been sustained. A sense of awe for a time restrained his bloodthirsty spirit.{LP 315.2}

Aldrig før havde Nero hørt sandheden, som han gjorde det ved denne lejlighed. Aldrig før var hans eget livs forfærdelige skyld blevet åbenbaret for ham på denne måde. Himmelens lys trængte ind i hans sjæl, der var besudlet af synd og han skælvede af rædsel ved tanken om en domstol, overfor hvilken han, verdens hersker, til sidst skulle aflægge regnskab og hans gerninger blive betalt efter fortjeneste. Han blev bange for apostlens Gud og han vovede ikke at afsige dom over Paulus, da beskyldningerne mod ham ikke var blevet bevist. For en tid holdt en følelse af ærefrygt hans blodtørstige sjæl i tømme.