Chapter I.—His own sufferings: exhortation to stedfastness.

From Syria even unto Rome I fight with beasts: not that I am devoured by brute beasts, for these, as ye know, by the will of God, spared Daniel, but by beasts in the shape of men, in whom the merciless wild beast himself lies hid, and pricks and wounds me day by day. But none of these hardships “move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself,”1 Acts xx. 24. in such a way as to love it better than the Lord. Wherefore I am prepared for [encountering] fire, wild beasts, the sword, or the cross, so that only I may see Christ my Saviour and God, who died for me. I therefore, the prisoner of Christ, who am driven along by land and sea, exhort you: “stand fast in the faith,”2 1 Cor. xvi. 13. and be ye steadfast, “for the just shall live by faith;”3 Hab. ii. 4; Gal. iii. 11. be ye unwavering, for “the Lord causes those to dwell in a house who are of one and the same character.”4 Ps. lxviii. 7 (after the LXX).