Timothy had been converted through the ministration of Paul, and was an eye-witness of the sufferings of the apostle upon this occasion. He stood by his apparently dead body, and saw him arise, bruised and covered with blood, not with groans or murmurings upon his lips, but with praises to Jesus Christ, that he was permitted to suffer for his name. In one of the epistles of Paul to Timothy he refers to his personal knowledge of this occurrence. Timothy became the most important help to Paul and to the church. He was the faithful companion of the apostle in his trials and in his joys. The father of Timothy was a Greek; but his mother was a Jewess, and he had been thoroughly educated in the Jewish religion.{LP 62.1}

Timotius var blevet omvendt gennem Paulus’ forkyndertjeneste, og var øjnvidne til apostlens lidelser ved den anledning. Han stod ved hans tilsyneladende døde legeme, og så ham rejse sig op, forslået og dækket af blod, uden at klage eller jammer over sine læber, men i pris til Jesus Kristus, at han fik lov til at lide for hans navn. I et af Paulus breve til Timotius, henviser han til sin personlige kendskab til denne begivenhed. Timotius blev den mest betydningsfulde hjælp for Paulus og menigheden. Han var apostlens trofasste ledsager i hans trængsler og hans glæder. Timotius far var græker, men hans moder var jøde, og han var blevet grundigt undervist i den jødiske religion.