Paul has been imprisoned inside Mamertine Prison in Rome for his strong influence as a Christian leader which makes him a threat to Nero's power. Mauritius Gallus, the newly appointed prefect of the prison, accuses Paul of burning half of Rome down and, by Nero's decree, sentences him to death. After meeting with Aquila and Priscilla, Luke sneaks into the prison and joyfully greets a weary, physically beaten Paul. Both men agree that Paul's time on Earth is nearing an end and so Luke convinces him to help write an account of how Paul, formerly known as Saul of Tarsus, came to be one of Christianity's greatest leaders. Although Mauritius discovers that Luke sneaked into the prison aided by high-ranking Romans, he allows him to visit Paul unscathed.
Paul narrates his origins. As Saul of Tarsus, a Jewish boy, he was influenced by the zealotry of his leaders and witnessed the martyrdom of Stephen at their hands for professing faith in Jesus Christ. This event made Saul vow to destroy all Christians throughout the world until the day he rode for Damascus with his brethren. He became blinded by God and heard His voice asking why Saul persecuted Him. This event along with Saul's meeting Ananias, a disciple of Christ, humbled Saul so deeply that he repented of his actions. Ananias restored Saul's sight and baptized him in the name of the Lord, which led to Saul rejecting his former name and becoming Paul.
The Christian community continues to suffer losses, and Cassius, who lost a cousin to the persecution, adamantly calls for Christians to seek revenge against the Romans. Although Luke rebukes Cassius by saying that Paul never sought revenge or wished ill upon those who harmed him, Luke begins to sympathize with the need for retribution after witnessing the Romans' cruelty and barbarity. However, Paul admonishes him for "giving up on the world when Christ did not" and tells him that the very love which Christ died for is the only way to counter this evil. Inspired by those words, Luke receives Paul's promise that he will have the grace and strength to endure.