Onesiphorus, A Friend Of Paul, And Porphyrius, His Companion, Tied To Wild Horses, And Dragged, Or Torn, To Death, At Hellespontus, Through The Edict of Nero, About A. D. 70 Onesiphorus was an Asian, a citizen of Ephesus, in Asia Minor, and very virtuous and godly in life, so that he frequently came to visit, converse with, and comfort, the apostle Paul in his bonds at Rome; on account of which Paul rejoiced with all his heart, and prayed to God to reward him for this kindness in the great day of recompense. Concerning this, Paul writes thus to Timothy. "The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain: but when he was…

Silas, Or Silvanus, Scourged At Philippi, In Macedonia, And Died A Martyr, About A.D. 70 Silas, also called Silvanus, together with Judas, surnamed Barsabas, was added to the apostles Paul and Barnabas. These men were leaders among the brethren, and were to bear testimony to those matters which had been considered and decided upon by the apostles at Jerusalem, for the welfare of the church of God. Acts 15:27,34. This Silas having once promoted, with Paul, the work of the holy Gospel, at Philippi, in Macedonia, he was apprehended together with Paul, brought before the rulers, publicly scourged, though without trial, and thus maltreated, cast into prison, against right and reason, with his feet made fast in the stocks; but was by divine Providence miraculously…

Four Fellow Labourers And Relatives Of Paul, Namely, Prisca, Aquila, Andronicus, And Junia, Martyred At Rome, Under Nero, About A.D. 70 The apostle Paul, at the conclusion of his epistle to the church of God at Rome, very lovingly saluting different saints residing there, mentions, among others, two persons who had laid down their own necks for his life; also two others whom he calls his fellow prisoners, doubtless, because they were subject, with him, to like persecution and suffering on account of the name of Christ. All these he mentions by name, and salutes them in apostolic manner. Of the first two he writes thus: "Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my helpers in Christ Jesus, who have for my life laid down their own necks"…

Epaphras, A Fellow Prisoner Of Paul, Slain Under Nero, About A.D. 70 Epaphras was a faithful minister of Jesus Christ for the church at Colosse, which, while in bonds at Rome, he saluted by the hand of Paul, as appears from the epistle Paul wrote from his prison at Rome to the Colossians, in which, among other things, he says: "Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. For I bear him record, that he hath a great zeal for you. and them that are in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis”; (Col. 4:12,13). Concerning his being a prisoner with Paul, or,…

The Martyrdom Of Some Of Paul’s Friends And Brethren Who Were Imprisoned With Him Shortly After He Was Offered Up; Besides Others Who Were Slain Afterwards. It is related that shortly after the death of the Apostle Paul, his brethren and fellow prisoners, whom he mentions in the epistles which he wrote from his prison, namely, Aristarchus, Epaphras, Aquila, Prisca, Andronicus, Junias, Silas or Silvanus, Onesiphorus, etc., followed in his footsteps in suffering for the name of Christ. Aristarchus, a Traveling Companion of Paul, Slain at Rome, Under Nero, About A.D. 70 Aristarchus, a native of Thessalonica, was, with Gaius, Paul's companion in his journey from Macedonia to Asia; with which Gaius he was apprehended at a certain time, in an uproar at Ephesus, but…