Paul, Apostle of Christ Page #4

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Babies born with the slightest defect

are disposed, dispatched, discarded.

This world

doesn't know a thing about love.

And so you would give up

on the world when Christ

did not give up on us?

Why not?

No!

Why not?

Love is the only way.

Love that suffers long.

Love that is kind,

that does not envy, that is not proud.

Love that does not dishonor,

that does not seek for itself.

Love that is not easily angered.

Love that rejoices in truth.

Love that never delights in evil.

Love that protects,

trusts, hopes,

endures all things.

That kind of love.

Give me your hand.

Do you understand?

Then write it down.

I once wanted vengeance,

like Cassius and these young men.

I know this path of destruction

more than anyone.

I hated those that followed Christ.

I hunted them down like wild animals.

And when they fled Jerusalem,

I went to the temple

to the chief priests,

to obtain authority to go to Damascus

and arrest all those

that followed the Way.

I was determined

to be God's hand of justice.

His wrath.

You believed what you were doing

was out of a love for God.

A blind love.

I only knew the law.

If water flows

down a mountain, what besides a miracle

could cause it to flow back?

The road to Damascus was

your miracle.

Yes.

The road to Damascus.

Saul... Saul...

Why do you persecute me?

Who are you, Lord?

Who are you, Lord?

I am Jesus,

whom you are persecuting.

What's going on? What happened?

He can't see.

Here. Lay him here.

Something...

Something happened on the road.

Something like a light.

There was a voice, a voice like...

Like thunder.

He fell to his knees,

as if he were struck down.

And he was shouting out the words...

Who are you, Lord?

All the way here

he has been saying aloud

that Jesus is the Messiah.

Saul of Tarsus,

can you hear me?

Ananias?

You know who I am?

The Lord showed me a vision

that you would come to me.

They tell me

you have lost your mind,

that you haven't eaten

or had anything to drink

in three days.

Your actions against

those that follow Christ

and all the harm you have done

is well reported.

I know you have come here

on authority of the chief priests

to arrest all those

who call on the Lord's name.

I am a wretched man.

I deserve death.

Yes.

We all do.

Yet,

Christ

has set us free.

Brother Saul,

the Lord Jesus,

who appeared to you on the road

as you were coming here,

has sent me so that you may see again

and be filled

with the Holy Spirit.

Brother Saul,

receive thy sight.

Everything in your life changed,

yet you continued on.

Three years in Arabia.

Why?

Peter and the others spent

three years with Christ.

I had to do the same.

I had to learn how to pray,

how to speak.

How to love.

All right, old man.

Tell me everything that followed.

Prisoner, on your feet.

The Greek, too.

Sir.

A chair, perhaps?

I will stand.

I recognize the way you stand,

like a man who has been

flogged repeatedly.

They say the spine bends

and does not heal properly.

Am I correct?

You are correct.

I am sure you are aware

of the responsibility I have

for the detainment

of every prisoner in this place.

I am well aware that to lose a prisoner

means death for you and your men.

Exactly.

Then you understand my current concern.

Prefect, do you think

that we are plotting an escape?

Well, a man who has been charged

with burning down Rome

meets in secret with a Greek

for all hours of the night.

Perhaps you're not only plotting

an escape,

but an uprising.

For what purpose?

Vengeance.

Followers of your cult are being beaten,

raped and killed for sport.

It is for the Lord's sake

that we face death all day,

that we are considered

as sheep to be slaughtered.

Even the sheep will revolt

if whipped hard enough.

Do you think that I have

come to Rome against my will?

That I am in this cell by accident?

I care very little

about the circumstances of your arrival.

I am concerned with these documents

that are being generated

in the very heart of my prison.

So, depending on my finding,

I will determine what should be done.

Consider the Greek a threat

to Rome until proven otherwise.

Put him in the dark with the preacher.

She's not improving.

Whatever the cost, I'd pay for it.

It's not an issue of cost.

It's an issue

of whatever this illness is.

I have never seen

anything like this before.

Please.

I understand your pain, Cassius.

Understand?

Don't say you understand.

But Christ spoke of love

and peace and patience.

You understand nothing.

You respond in the flesh.

People are dying

every day because of us.

I've lost my whole family!

Family? You speak of family?

Yes. My family.

You listen to me!

I still have my family,

and I will not put their lives at risk

for a foolish plan!

You coward!

Just think of your family!

No! No! No!

What would you do, then?

No! Keep your voice down!

Luke has been thrown into prison.

What?

On conspiracy.

What did you say?

Luke has been thrown into prison.

And I've gathered men willing to storm

that prison and free them.

To what end, Cassius?

Justice.

Justice?

Think of how foolish

Nero will look having lost the man

he accused of burning down Rome.

No.

If you're caught,

they'll come here for us all.

Listen to me. Please.

Exactly.

Listen to me! We can align ourselves

with these powerful families

to overthrow Nero.

And we can bring peace to Rome

if we rule it.

Christ asked us to care

for the world, not rule it.

Listen closely.

All of you, listen to me closely.

Some of you may want

to stay in the city...

And some of you may want to leave.

But if any of you...

Any of you take up arms,

you have no place in this community.

Cassius and the others

have finally calmed down.

I can't stop thinking about Tarquin.

The poor boy.

We sent him out there, Aquila.

I know. I blame myself.

I should have taken it.

We've lost so many, Priscilla.

I can't bear the thought

of losing any more.

I believe it's time to leave Rome

with the knowledge that we could be

better protected and serve elsewhere.

I pray that God works good through it.

And I pray that you'll forgive me,

because I believe that God

is calling us to different paths.

I know, I know...

I know you love this city, its people.

That's part of you. I understand.

I give you my blessing.

I must say...

I preferred the visits

to that charming rented villa

the last time

you were imprisoned in Rome

instead of this lovely hellhole.

Do you ever miss the road?

You must be kidding.

You know I had a great life

before I met you.

Your unwavering commitment

kept me going on many

of those cold, miserable nights

in the wilderness,

bellies rumbling,

feet and back in terrible pain.

You used to sing those awful songs

in the middle of the night.

Excuse me, but they were

from my childhood,

and I told you time and again,

it's the only thing

that puts me to sleep.

Your pitch sounded even higher

than Timothy's mother.

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