SEE the chains on Paul, and look at the Roman soldier guarding him. Paul is a prisoner in Rome. He is waiting until the Roman Caesar decides what to do with him. While he is a prisoner, people are allowed to visit him.

Three days after Paul gets to Rome he sends word for some Jewish leaders to come to see him. As a result, many Jews in Rome come. Paul preaches to them about Jesus and the kingdom of God. Some believe and become Christians, but others do not believe.

Paul also preaches to the different soldiers that have the job of guarding him. For the two years he is kept here as a prisoner Paul preaches to everyone he can. As a result, even the household of Caesar hears about the good news of the Kingdom, and some of them become Christians.

But who is this visitor at the table writing? Can you guess? Yes, it is Timothy. Timothy had also been in prison for preaching about the Kingdom, but he is free again. And he has come here to help Paul. Do you know what Timothy is writing? Let’s see.

Do you remember the cities of Phi·lipʹpi and Ephʹe·sus in Story 110? Paul helped to start Christian congregations in those cities. Now, while he is in prison, Paul writes letters to these Christians. The letters are in the Bible, and they are called E·pheʹsians and Phi·lipʹpi·ans. Paul is now telling Timothy what to write to their Christian friends in Phi·lipʹpi.

The Phi·lipʹpi·ans have been very kind to Paul. They sent a gift to him here in prison, and so Paul is thanking them for it. E·paph·ro·diʹtus is the man who brought the gift. But he got very sick and almost died. Now he is well again and ready to go home. He will carry this letter from Paul and Timothy with him when he returns to Phi·lipʹpi.

While he is in prison Paul writes two more letters that we have in the Bible. One is to the Christians in the city of Co·losʹsae. Do you know what it is called? Co·losʹsians. The other is a personal letter to a close friend named Phi·leʹmon who also lives in Co·losʹsae. The letter is about Phi·leʹmon’s servant O·nesʹi·mus.

O·nesʹi·mus ran away from Phi·leʹmon and came to Rome. In some way O·nesʹi·mus learned about Paul’s being in prison here. He came to visit, and Paul preached to O·nesʹi·mus. Soon O·nesʹi·mus also became a Christian. Now O·nesʹi·mus is sorry that he ran away. So do you know what Paul writes in this letter to Phi·leʹmon?

Paul asks Phi·leʹmon to forgive O·nesʹi·mus. ‘I am sending him back to you,’ Paul writes. ‘But now he is not just your servant. He is also a fine Christian brother.’ When O·nesʹi·mus goes back to Co·losʹsae he carries with him these two letters, one to the Co·losʹsians and the other to Phi·leʹmon. We can just imagine how happy Phi·leʹmon is when he learns that his servant has become a Christian.

When Paul writes to the Phi·lipʹpians and to Phi·leʹmon, he has some really good news. ‘I am sending Timothy to you,’ Paul tells the Phi·lipʹpi·ans. ‘But I also will visit you shortly.’ And, to Phi·leʹmon, he writes: ‘Get a place ready for me to stay there.’

When Paul is set free he visits his Christian brothers and sisters in many places. But later Paul is made a prisoner in Rome again. This time he knows he is going to be killed. So he writes to Timothy and asks him to come quickly. ‘I have been faithful to God,’ Paul writes, ‘and God will reward me.’ A few years after Paul is put to death, Jerusalem is destroyed again, this time by the Romans.

But there is more in the Bible. Jehovah God has the apostle John write its last books, including the book of Revelation. This Bible book tells about the future. Let’s learn now what the future holds.