The Apostle Paul

Paul was born with the name of Saul, in Tarsus of Cilicia, on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. He was born both a

He has fought, wrestled long and hard to get to this place as his last few days of his life are now coming to an end. Tired of wrestling with in his self as sleepless nights take their toll on him, on the run he has to end of this madness. General’s today, one can look at various battles and from a battle plan. They know what it takes to end them, who to send where men, targets to bomb, etc. So it was with Saul he finally came to the point that he has to talk to God. He knows the battle plan for this pending battle this quickly approaching. The armies were all ready there waiting to go and destroy Saul and his armies. When all else falls go back to square one and Saul square on like so many today is to go here from God.

After that Saul was refered to as Paul. He left his old life and began his mission as a amasador of Christ’s message to all the world, or the world as it was known at that time. He left Jerusalem and began his missionary journeys, at least five of them. He went to Asia minor (modern Turkey), Syria, Greece, Italy, Spain even Britian.Paul trained Timothy and John Mark. He was so dedicated to the calling Jesus put on him that he paid for it spending five years or more in prison for his teachings and faith on multiple occasions. He was whipped bewaten and tortured on more than one occasion. He even lived through a stoning attempt and being shipwrecked. He paid the ultimate price with his life as a martyr at the hands of the Romans.

The rise and fall of this desired king is one that is unique with a lot to look at and learn from. Saul was a man who won many battles on the field as he defeated the Philistines and others who came against the Jewish

Ch. 26 " Saul came after David again when he was in Hachilah " David and Abishai went down to where Saul was sleeping and took his Spear and water instead of killing Saul " David and Saul talked again, and Saul ended up going back to his place while David went his way Ch. 27 " David fled to Gath, and asked Achish for land that he may dwell in and he was given Ziklag " David invaded the Geshurites, the Gezrites, and the Amalekites and left no man or woman alive, then returned to Achish Ch. 28 " The Philistines rose up against Israel " Saul enquired the Lord about the battle, but He did not respond " Saul went to a woman to bring Samuel back from the dead and Samuel told Saul that he and his sons will be delivered to the Philistines the following

He was first named Saul, but God had greater plans for him to be a leader to his people so a conversion took place. The conversion of Saul begins while he is on the road to Damascus, "suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him [and] he fell to the ground" (Acts 9:3–4), [the light was] "brighter than the sun" (Acts 26:13) and he was then blinded for three days (Acts 9:9). While he was blinded, he heard a voice in Hebrew which translates to "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads" (Acts 26:14–15). After this encounter, Saul’s blindness was cured by one of Jesus’ disciples, Ananias. His blindness was referred to as “something like scales” upon his eyes until he was then baptized. After Saul’s conversion to Christianity, he changed his identity to Paul because he was no longer a persecutor of Christianity named Saul. Saul was now was a believer and follower of Christ named Paul. He became a powerful leader in Acts. One that Christians should consider a role model because he led his people so powerfully and accomplished the future God wanted for him.

In Acts 9, after the stoning of Stephen, Saul was on his way to Damascus to persecute more Christians because the followers of Christ, even after the stoning of Stephen, went everywhere to preach the word of God such as the city Damascus; therefore, Saul went to Damascus to persecute more Christians. On his way there, a very intensified light that almost blinded him from heaven was shining on him and Jesus spoke to Saul asking him why he persecuted him and would soon Saul that he is Jesus, the promised Messiah who came down to this Earth for one reason and one reason: To save the entire world. Those words would eventually open up his heart and he would eventually realize that what he was previously doing was the work of the devil and that Stephen, the man he stoned, wasn’t speaking blasphemy and that he was spreading the word of God. After his conversation with Jesus, he had become blinded for three days and in those three days he did not eat nor drink; however, he began to get closer to God through prayer and reflection. After those three days passed, a disciple named Ananias was sent by God to Saul to heal him of his blindness and to baptize him. Saul had received both of those gifts and soon after

Saul was a murderer until he met Jesus. He converted from his evil ways and became one of the greatest saints. God’s love can change people from within, as shown in Thirth’s and Saint Paul’s story.

Paul is remembered as a missionary and church planter. He undertook three extensive missionary journeys, estimated to have taken place in A.D. 44, 49 and 53. He spent much

To understand and learn about the life of Paul we will use for the most part the bible as they include his letters to some of his earliest churches. Some notable aspects of his life that are mentioned in the bible include some information about Paul from when he was a child. Paul was born about the same time as Jesus, but not in the same town, Nazareth or Bethlehem, but at the town of Tarsus, which was the main city of Cilicia, located in the eastern part of Asia Minor, its modern geographical location is modern day Country of Turkey. According to apocryphal books of the time Paul was described as someone with small stature with a balding head, crooked legs, eyebrows meeting at the middle and a curved nose. In Acts 22: 3,

Paul writes in Acts 22:6 that he experienced a vision, ‘I fell to the ground and heard a voice say, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me... I am Jesus of Nazareth.”’ Paul was blinded but continued on to Damascus where he became certain that his vision of Jesus symbolised his calling to spread the Gospel. When he arrived his sight was restored by a disciple named Ananias and Paul was baptised as he became a Christian, a follower of Jesus. This conversion to Christianity enabled Paul to believe that he had been given a mission to go preach the word of God. Paul embarked on journeys to towns where he would seek employment and gradually get to know people. Paul wanted to influence these people by speaking of his experiences he had with God and what they had taught him about Christianity and the teachings of Jesus. In these towns, Paul also established local churches and invited elders to run them whilst he was out of town spreading the word of God, ‘Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust’ (Acts 14:23).

People often reflect on what a person does in their lives, accomplishment, success that made their lives. People enjoying reading about these stories and try to implement such achievements and strategies into their own lives, here with Saul one needs to study his greatest failures and learn for them.

After this Paul goes to Jerusalem, meets Barnabas, and is introduced to the Apostles. Paul stays here for 15 days; during that time he preaches the gospel to the people of Jerusalem. For the second time, Paul is driven out of a city in fear of his life. According to Acts 22:17; Paul was in the temple and fell into a trance. God

In Acts chapter 9, readers will see the story of Saul's encounter with God. Through Acts chapter 9, Saul is still threatening to kill the disciples. Saul was on his way to begin petitioning the synagogues in Damascus to allow him to take captive anyone who was a part of the Way (followers of Christ). While he was on his journey, God stopped him. He shined a bright light and blinded him.

Paul, who was actually named Saul was born and spent his earliest years in the Diaspora, the dispersion of the Jews outside the borders of the Holy Land (McRay, 2003). He was from a devout Jewish family that residing in the city of Tarsus in Cilicia, which at the time was considered as one of the largest trade centers on the Mediterranean coast. Not much is known as to how Paul’s family became Roman citizens, but Paul himself was identified as a “born citizen” (Acts 22:27-28). However, his lineage can be traced to the Hebrew tribe of Benjamin. In addition to being associated with the tribe of Benjamin, the family had a history of religious devoutness. For the family’s religious devoutness was further revealed when traces of extensive attachment to Pharisaic traditions and observation throughout the generations were unveiled (Gundry, 1970).