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Psalm 37:39,40
But the salvation of the righteousis of the LORD:he is their strength in the time of trouble…

Psalm 109:31
For he shall stand at the right hand of the poor, to savehim from those that condemn his soul.

Jeremiah 15:20,21
And I will make thee unto this people a fenced brasen wall: and they shall fight against thee, but they shall not prevail against thee: for Iam with thee to save thee and to deliver thee, saith the LORD…

strengthened.

Isaiah 41:10,14
Fear thou not; for Iam with thee: be not dismayed; for Iam thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness…

2 Corinthians 12:9
And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

by.

Luke 21:15
For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.

Acts 9:15
But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:

Acts 26:17,18
Delivering thee from the people, andfrom the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, …

and I.

Psalm 22:21
Save me from the lion's mouth: for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns.

Proverbs 20:2
The fear of a kingis as the roaring of a lion:whoso provoketh him to anger sinnethagainst his own soul.

Proverbs 28:15
As a roaring lion, and a ranging bear;so is a wicked ruler over the poor people.

so that through me the message would be fully proclaimed
Paul's mission was to spread the Gospel, and this phrase emphasizes the completeness of his task. The "message" refers to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which Paul was commissioned to preach to the nations (Acts 9:15). The idea of full proclamation suggests that Paul was thorough in his ministry, ensuring that the message of salvation through Christ was clearly communicated. This aligns with the Great Commission inMatthew 28:19-20, where Jesus commands His disciples to teach all nations. Paul's dedication to this task is evident in his missionary journeys and his epistles, which form a significant portion of the New Testament.

and all the Gentiles would hear it
This phrase highlights the inclusivity of the Gospel message. In the historical context, the early church grappled with the inclusion of Gentiles, as seen in the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15). Paul's role as the apostle to the Gentiles (Romans 11:13) was pivotal in breaking down the barriers between Jews and Gentiles, fulfilling the prophecy that God's salvation would reach the ends of the earth (Isaiah 49:6). This universal scope of the Gospel is a key theme in Paul's writings, emphasizing that salvation through Christ is available to all, regardless of ethnic or cultural background.

So I was delivered from the mouth of the lion
This phrase is metaphorical, often interpreted as deliverance from extreme danger or persecution. The "lion" could symbolize various threats, such as Roman authorities or hostile opponents. In a broader biblical context, lions are often used as symbols of danger or evil, as seen in1 Peter 5:8, where the devil is described as a roaring lion seeking to devour. Paul's deliverance can be seen as a testament to God's protection, similar to Daniel's deliverance from the lions' den (Daniel 6:22). This deliverance underscores the theme of divine rescue and protection for those who are faithful to God's mission.

• Paul had just lamented that “no one came to my defense” (2 Timothy 4:16), yet the Lord Himself took the vacant place beside him.

• This echoesActs 23:11, when Jesus “stood near Paul” in prison, andHebrews 13:5, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

• When human allies vanish, the believer can count on the faithful presence promised inMatthew 28:20, “I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

• The Lord’s nearness is not symbolic; Paul treats it as a literal, personal presence that never wavers.

• Presence turns into power.Philippians 4:13—“I can do all things through Him who strengthens me”—was lived out in a Roman courtroom.

•1 Timothy 1:12 reminds us that Paul was “strengthened” for ministry from the start; here the same Lord renews that enablement.

•Isaiah 41:10 promises, “I will strengthen you; surely I will help you.” What God commands, He supplies.

• Strength came in body, mind, and spirit, allowing Paul to speak clearly and fearlessly (Acts 4:31;Ephesians 6:19).

• God’s strengthening always serves a gospel purpose: the “message” (literally the good news) must be “fully proclaimed,” not halfway delivered (Acts 20:27).

•Colossians 1:25 shows Paul’s ambition “to present the word of God in its fullness,” holding nothing back.

• Even in chains, Paul was conscious that his trial became a pulpit, just as his imprisonment in Philippi led to a jailer’s conversion (Acts 16:25–34).

• Faithfulness means declaring the whole counsel—even when culture, rulers, or friends resist.

• From his conversion, Paul was told he would bear Jesus’ name “before Gentiles, kings, and the people of Israel” (Acts 9:15); the courtroom audience fulfilled that prophecy.

•Acts 28:28 confirms the shift: “God’s salvation has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen!”

•Romans 15:16 calls Paul a minister “to the Gentiles,” offering them up as an acceptable offering to God.

• The scene anticipates the global reach of the gospel (Revelation 7:9), reminding every believer that God’s heart beats for all nations.

• The phrase recallsDaniel 6:22, where God shut the lions’ mouths; Paul sees his rescue as equally direct.

•Psalm 22:21 pleads, “Save me from the mouth of the lion,” a prayer now answered in Paul’s experience.

• While “lion” can symbolize Rome’s lethal power,1 Peter 5:8 also portrays the devil as a roaring lion; either way, God’s intervention is decisive.

•2 Corinthians 1:10 recounts that God “delivered us from such deadly peril,” and Paul trusts Him to keep doing so until his appointed time (2 Timothy 4:18).

Paul’s lonely courtroom stood as a stage for God’s faithfulness. The Lord personally took His stand beside Paul, infused him with strength, amplified the gospel to its fullest, extended its reach to the nations, and snatched His servant from deadly jaws. The verse assures every believer that Christ’s presence, power, purpose, and protection remain unwavering, enabling us to speak the gospel boldly no matter the opposition.

That by me the preaching might be fully known.--More accurately rendered,might be fully performed: "impleatur," as the Vulgate gives it. The strength and courage which thefelt presence of his Lord gave him, enabled him on that occasion, when alone, friendless, accused of a hateful crime before the highest earthly tribunal in the capital city of the world, to plead not only for himself but for that great cause with which he was identified. He spoke possibly for the last time publicly [we know nothing of the final trial, when he was condemned] the glad tidings of which he was the chosen herald to the Gentile world. It is probable that this great trial took place in the Forum, in one of the Pauline Basilicas--so called after L. 'milius Paulus. It is certain it was in the presence of a crowded audience. St. Paul evidently intimates this when he tells us how he spoke "that all the Gentiles might hear." This was apparently the culminating point of St. Paul's labours--the last stone of the laborious edifice of his life's work. Had the courage of the Apostle of the Gentiles failed him on this most momentous occasion, the spirit of the sorely-tried Church of Rome had surely sunk, and that marvellous and rapid progress of the gospel in the West--which, in a little more than a hundred years, would make its influence felt in well-nigh every city and village of the empire--had been arrested.

And that all the Gentiles might hear.--Here alluding primarily to the crowded audience which had listened on this solemn occasion to St. Paul'sApologia pro Christo;but there is another and deeper reference to those uncounted peoples in the isles of the Gentiles, who, by St. Paul's work and words, would come to the saving knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus.

And I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.--Expositors have, in all ages, dwelt much on the question, "Who was to be understood under the figure of the lion?" The fathers mostly believe the Emperor Nero was here alluded to. Others have suggested that St. Paul was referring to the "lions" of the amphitheatre, from whom, at all events for the time, he had been delivered. It is, however, best to understand the expression as a figurative expression for extreme danger. His Master on that dread occasion stood by him, and gave him strength and wisdom over man to speak the words of life, and delivered him for the moment out of the imminent peril threatening him, allowing him, not only to speak his Master's words there, but also thus to write this solemn farewell charge to Timothy and the Church. That such figurative language was not unusual, compare theEpistle of Ignatius to the Romans,iii.:8, in which writing the prisoner describes his journey from Syria to Rome as one long "fight with wild beasts," and speaks of himself as "bound to ten leopards," thus designating his soldier guards.