Paul in Prison: What It Really Means According to Neville Goddard

Paul speaks often of being in chains, or in prison. To the casual reader, this might seem like a passing historical note—a man writing letters from a cell. But to those who understand the Bible as a psychological drama, as Neville Goddard did, Paul’s imprisonment holds rich symbolic meaning.

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Imprisoned Imagination

In Neville’s framework, Paul represents the awakened imagination—the part of us that recognises itself as the creative power of God. So when Paul refers to himself as a prisoner, he is not merely speaking about physical confinement, but about something far more significant:

He is symbolising the act of assuming a state—and remaining faithful to it.

Neville said that to be crucified is to be nailed to a state from which you refuse to depart. The same can be said of imprisonment: to be locked into a new identity, regardless of the external world. 

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Faith Under Pressure

This imprisonment is not a punishment—it is persistence. It’s the conscious self staying true to the unseen reality, even while the visible world offers no encouragement.

Have you ever imagined something boldly, and then felt stuck between the vision and your current reality? That is the prison Paul speaks of. The world hasn’t changed yet, but you cannot go back to the old self. You’re locked in—not because you are weak, but because you are committed.

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The Womb of Manifestation

Neville also likened this phase to a period of gestation. The assumption is made—it lives in you—but the birth has not yet come. In this way, Paul’s prison becomes a womb: a hidden place where the new self grows in silence.

He writes his letters from this quiet space. And so do we. We continue to live, to speak, to move through the world, even as something invisible is taking shape.

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Chains of Conviction

Paul’s repeated phrase, “Remember my chains,” is not a plea for pity—it’s a reminder of how conviction feels. Assuming the feeling of the wish fulfilled is not always euphoric. Sometimes it’s lonely. Sometimes it’s tight. Sometimes it feels like nothing is happening. That’s the chain.

But to Paul—and to those walking this path—that chain is sacred. It is the link between the unseen and the seen. It is the grip of the new self holding on until the outer mirrors the inner.

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Conclusion

Paul’s prison is the symbol of faithful assumption. It’s the conscious decision to remain fixed in the new identity, regardless of evidence to the contrary.

It may feel like confinement—but in truth, it’s the gateway to freedom.

“Dare to assume you are what you want to be. Remain faithful to that assumption, and it will harden into fact.”
— Neville Goddard