From his cell, Paul wrote his Second Epistle to Timothy. At the time, Timothy was pastoring at Ephesus. Paul knew the end of his life was near. In this letter he wrote, “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand” (II Timothy 4:6).

What were Paul’s thoughts fixed upon as he approached martyrdom? The man was passing on his heritage to the next generation. He was opening his soul to Timothy. He was commanding Timothy to commit the Gospel “to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also” (II Timothy 2:2). He was charging Timothy to “endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ” (II Timothy 2:3). But before Paul launched into these weighty matters, he paused first to relate the example of a Christian who refreshed his soul while in his Roman dungeon.