Paul

The Pharisee who persecuted the church until the risen Jesus stopped him on the Damascus road, and who became his apostle to the Gentiles, travelling the Roman world and writing many of the New Testament letters.

Early Church182 references in 15 booksIn theological review

The facts, as Scripture gives them

Lived: Dates not given in Scripture.
Region: Tarsus in Cilicia, his home city; Jerusalem; then Antioch, Cyprus, Asia Minor, Greece, and at last Rome. (Acts 21:39; Acts 28:30-31)
The name: He is called Saul through the early chapters of Acts, and first called Paul at Acts 13:9, when he faced Elymas in Cyprus. (Acts 9:1; Acts 13:9)
Work: A tentmaker by trade; before Damascus, a Pharisee trained at the feet of Gamaliel. (Acts 18:3; Acts 22:3)
Standing: A Pharisee, of the tribe of Benjamin; after his conversion, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ. (Acts 23:6; Romans 1:1)

Key verses

“Go!” said the Lord. “This man is My chosen instrument to carry My name before the Gentiles and their kings, and before the people of Israel.

Acts 9:15 (BSB)

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

2 Timothy 4:7 (BSB)

What they did

Stood by approving as Stephen was stoned, and ravaged the church, entering house after house. (Acts 7:58; Acts 8:3)
Met the risen Jesus in a light from heaven on the Damascus road: Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? (Acts 9:3-9)
Was told by the Lord through Ananias that he was a chosen instrument to carry his name before the Gentiles and kings and Israel. (Acts 9:15)
Escaped Damascus in a basket through the wall, and was vouched for at Jerusalem by Barnabas. (Acts 9:23-27)
Was set apart with Barnabas at Antioch and sent out on the first missionary journey. (Acts 13:1-3)
Stood at the Jerusalem council for the freedom of Gentile believers. (Acts 15:2; Acts 15:12)
Reasoned on the Areopagus at Athens about the unknown God and the resurrection. (Acts 17:22-31)
Was arrested at Jerusalem, appealed to Caesar, survived shipwreck, and preached in Rome under guard. (Acts 25:11; Acts 27:41-44; Acts 28:30-31)
Near the end, he could write: I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. (2 Timothy 4:7)

Family

Siblings: His sister, not named (Acts 23:16)

Connected to

Stephen: The first martyr, whose death he approved before his conversion (Acts 7:58)
Barnabas: The friend who vouched for him and travelled with him (Acts 9:27; Acts 13:1-3)
Ananias: The disciple at Damascus who baptised him and delivered God's word about him (Acts 9:10-18)
Timothy: His true child in the faith and fellow worker (Acts 16:1-3; 1 Timothy 1:2)
Silas: His companion on the second journey, with whom he sang in the Philippian jail (Acts 15:40; Acts 16:25)
Jesus: His Lord, who met him on the Damascus road (Acts 9:5)

Mentioned in

Acts, Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, 2 Peter.

Every reference (182)

Acts 7:58 · Acts 8:1 · Acts 8:3 · Acts 9:1 · Acts 9:4 · Acts 9:8 · Acts 9:11 · Acts 9:17 · Acts 9:19 · Acts 9:22 · Acts 9:24 · Acts 9:26 · Acts 11:25 · Acts 11:30 · Acts 12:25 · Acts 13:1 · Acts 13:2 · Acts 13:7 · Acts 13:9 · Acts 13:13 · Acts 13:16 · Acts 13:43 · Acts 13:45 · Acts 13:46 · Acts 13:50 · Acts 14:9 · Acts 14:11 · Acts 14:12 · Acts 14:14 · Acts 14:19 · Acts 15:2 · Acts 15:12 · Acts 15:22 · Acts 15:25 · Acts 15:35 · Acts 15:36 · Acts 15:38 · Acts 15:40 · Acts 16:3 · Acts 16:9 · Acts 16:14 · Acts 16:17 · Acts 16:18 · Acts 16:19 · Acts 16:25 · Acts 16:28 · Acts 16:29 · Acts 16:36 · Acts 16:37 · Acts 17:2 · Acts 17:4 · Acts 17:10 · Acts 17:13 · Acts 17:14 · Acts 17:15 · Acts 17:16 · Acts 17:22 · Acts 17:33 · Acts 18:1 · Acts 18:5 · Acts 18:9 · Acts 18:12 · Acts 18:14 · Acts 18:18 · Acts 19:1 · Acts 19:4 · Acts 19:6 · Acts 19:11 · Acts 19:13 · Acts 19:15 · Acts 19:21 · Acts 19:26 · Acts 19:29 · Acts 19:30 · Acts 20:1 · Acts 20:7 · Acts 20:9 · Acts 20:10 · Acts 20:13 · Acts 20:16 · Acts 20:37 · Acts 21:4 · Acts 21:8 · Acts 21:11 · Acts 21:13 · Acts 21:18 · Acts 21:26 · Acts 21:29 · Acts 21:30 · Acts 21:32 · Acts 21:37 · Acts 21:39 · Acts 21:40 · Acts 22:7 · Acts 22:13 · Acts 22:25 · Acts 22:28 · Acts 22:30 · Acts 23:1 · Acts 23:3 · Acts 23:5 · Acts 23:6 · Acts 23:10 · Acts 23:11 · Acts 23:12 · Acts 23:14 · Acts 23:16 · Acts 23:17 · Acts 23:18 · Acts 23:20 · Acts 23:24 · Acts 23:31 · Acts 23:33 · Acts 24:1 · Acts 24:10 · Acts 24:23 · Acts 24:24 · Acts 24:26 · Acts 24:27 · Acts 25:2 · Acts 25:4 · Acts 25:6 · Acts 25:7 · Acts 25:8 · Acts 25:9 · Acts 25:10 · Acts 25:14 · Acts 25:19 · Acts 25:21 · Acts 25:23 · Acts 26:1 · Acts 26:14 · Acts 26:24 · Acts 26:25 · Acts 26:28 · Acts 26:29 · Acts 27:1 · Acts 27:3 · Acts 27:9 · Acts 27:11 · Acts 27:21 · Acts 27:24 · Acts 27:31 · Acts 27:33 · Acts 27:43 · Acts 28:3 · Acts 28:8 · Acts 28:15 · Acts 28:16 · Acts 28:17 · Acts 28:25 · Acts 28:30 · Romans 1:1 · 1 Corinthians 1:1 · 1 Corinthians 1:12 · 1 Corinthians 1:13 · 1 Corinthians 3:4 · 1 Corinthians 3:5 · 1 Corinthians 3:22 · 1 Corinthians 16:21 · 2 Corinthians 1:1 · 2 Corinthians 10:1 · Galatians 1:1 · Galatians 5:2 · Ephesians 1:1 · Ephesians 3:1 · Philippians 1:1 · Colossians 1:1 · Colossians 1:23 · Colossians 4:18 · 1 Thessalonians 1:1 · 1 Thessalonians 2:18 · 2 Thessalonians 1:1 · 2 Thessalonians 3:17 · 1 Timothy 1:1 · 2 Timothy 1:1 · 2 Timothy 4:22 · Titus 1:1 · Philemon 1:1 · Philemon 1:9 · Philemon 1:19 · 2 Peter 3:15

Review status: in-theological-review. Every Contend profile passes a human theological review against the Statement of Faith before it is published as approved teaching. This profile is in that queue. Sources: Scripture quotations are from the Berean Standard Bible (public domain), verified verse by verse. Name and reference data: STEP Bible (TIPNR), Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0.