Paul, Apostle of Christ Page #2

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with a great fear.

Christ has promised these

difficult times.

You know you will die here in Rome.

Yet you are certain of the truth.

I know the one in whom I believe.

And I am certain of the joy

of where I go.

Yes, but I don't see the same

conviction in the others, Paul.

These men, these women, these children.

I cannot fix their faith.

You can inspire their faith,

just as your...

Your letters always have.

You want me to write another letter?

It's time to get the blood flowing.

The Way is growing.

There are men, women, children

now that have never met you,

that will never meet you,

so there must be a handwritten

account of these Acts.

It is for the same reason

that I undertook an account

of our Lord Jesus Christ for Theophilus.

So that he would know

the story of Christ,

and now the people must know your story.

You risk people looking to me

before Christ.

Paul.

No, it is your certainty

that opens the door to Christ.

I have never met Christ in the flesh,

but the day I heard you preach in Troas,

my God, I saw Christ in you.

I left my family and my friends,

my whole life behind.

You would write it in here?

What did you say?

You would write it here?

Yes.

I could smuggle the tools in here.

This is not like our last visit to Rome.

If you were caught with documents

coming from this prison,

it could mean certain death.

Greek. Get up.

Usually people try to escape this place,

not break into it.

They tell me you're a physician.

I am.

You have high-ranking friends

for a physician.

Especially a Greek physician.

The emperor has declared

Christianity a forbidden cult

and Paul of Tarsus, the chief offender.

You understand the risk is death,

and yet you, a Greek Christian,

boldly walk into a Roman prison.

Boldly walk into my prison.

My apologies...

Prefect.

As you have said,

I have high-ranking friends.

I know the men that you have favor with.

These are good men,

that have fought and bled

for Rome and her gods.

It's the only reason

I honor this request.

I am grateful for it.

Escort the Greek back to the streets.

He must, of course, still

take his chances out there.

What are you doing here?

Only passing through.

Of course, you are.

Only passing through.

Let's have a look at those documents.

I would never betray our gods. Never.

Oh, yeah?

I would never betray our gods. Never.

All right.

Hey, you. You, come here.

You, out.

Show me your documents.

I swear, I will...

I will tell the others.

What are you going to do about it?

What? Why do you bring it up?

Get away from me, okay?

You get away from me!

This is...

Set him on fire!

More oil!

Here's your torch.

Like a candle.

You see this?

Burn him alive.

Pray unto your God now.

No. No.

Traitor.

We want to hear you scream!

Aquila.

I woke up. You weren't there.

I couldn't sleep.

Luke's back. He's safe.

Good.

That's good.

We've loved

this city as our own.

I only see what it's become.

Nero's Rome.

Nero's madness.

It'll pass.

He can't be emperor forever.

How many more people

will die before then?

This decision weighs heavily on me.

I receive no wisdom in prayer.

In staying, we put the lives

of all our brothers and sisters

under this roof in danger.

And if we go,

how many people that rely on us

do we condemn to a terrible fate?

Christ was clear when he said

he was sending us out

amongst the wolves.

He also told us

to be as wise as serpents.

And harmless as doves.

As Paul has said,

we must each make our own decision.

She loves these people.

Like her children.

And yet she still finds room

in her heart

for all of those lost in Rome.

Something that doesn't come

as easily to me.

Aquila, I saw them burning

a body this morning.

He was a man I recognized from here.

Someone I helped.

I did nothing.

I feel no love for these Romans.

This evil makes no sense to me.

We were asked to build a community...

We were asked to build a community

in this city,

to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ,

to love this city,

but I can no longer see

a clear answer for a way forward.

What does Paul say?

That this is something that

falls to each man and woman

in their thoughts and prayers.

Some of you have

families, have children.

I understand you want to protect them

or feel called to stay.

It's a risk for even one of us, Aquila,

to try and slip in and out of the gates.

How could we possibly all get out?

I have asked Eubulus to find us a way.

There's an old aqueduct

that lies beneath the new city.

It's been long buried and forgotten.

The entrance to these tunnels

lies beneath a property

owned by a trio

of wealthy Roman families.

And why would they help us?

Because they realize that Nero

was responsible for burning

half of their city to the ground.

They want the tyrant dead

and Rome returned to the people.

Now, we may have favor,

but be under no illusion,

this will not be an easy task.

And where will we go?

To Ephesus.

Timothy is there

and they will welcome us.

And the Greeks are

far more tolerant of us.

We were Romans before we were Christian.

This is our home.

I do not take this decision lightly.

But I believe that there is

more good to be done outside of Rome.

Aquila's right.

But I think there's also

some good in staying.

It's true, we've never seen Rome darker.

But if we abandon it,

will it not be cast into total darkness?

Who would have taken Tarquin in?

You know what happens

to orphans in this city.

They're left on the streets to die.

Or they're forced

into prostitution at the temples.

There are widows on the street corners

begging for coins

to feed their children.

If we abandon them,

who will feed them?

Who will care?

Nero is responsible for the deaths

in my family, not Rome.

Aquila speaks of those

that want to overthrow Nero.

Are these not allies of ours?

Yes, indeed. We are allies.

And think of the good that could be done

once Rome is delivered

from Nero's evil grip.

There are no easy answers.

Trust in God to lead the way.

The most difficult part

will be getting news to these families,

so that they can open the tunnels

in an area we can pass unseen.

Someone will have to go

to Palatine Hill, but it's...

It's almost impossible.

Nero trusts none of these people.

He has eyes everywhere.

I'll go.

No, Tarquin.

I can go. They all think

I'm an orphan, a beggar.

No one will look twice.

I want to help.

Tarquin, come here.

Take this to our Roman friends

and tell them that we

gratefully accept their help.

You are a very brave boy.

Now, please be careful.

Yeah?

Go on.

Safe journey.

Bless you, son.

Thank you.

Be safe.

Best of luck.

Good luck.

Walk in peace.

I know you can do this.

Yes.

Be strong.

I will.

I'm proud of you. Go.

Thank you.

My life did not begin with hate.

I don't recall the feeling as a child.

I always felt myself to be

more a sheep in the midst of wolves.

Innocent as a dove.

I was in the temple

keeping true to my fasts, my prayers.

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