The Apostle Paul

 

        Paul (also called Saul -Acts 13:9) was born in Tarsus (around A.D. 2), a Jew of the tribe of Benjamin - where he was circumcised on the eighth day according to the Jewish tradition (Acts 22:3, Philippians 3:5)

        Paul was trained as a Pharisee under the tutelage of the great teacher Gamaliel (Acts 5:34, Acts 22:3, Philippians 3:5)

        At one time Paul persecuted Christians because he viewed them as enemies of Judaism (Acts 8:1-3)

        Paul experienced a dramatic conversion to Christianity when confronted by the risen Christ on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1-31)

        After his conversion, Paul made three missionary journeys in about a ten year period (A.D. 47 - A.D 58) - preaching the gospel and establishing churches throughout the Mediterranean area (Acts 13-23).

         Paul wrote 13 of the 27 books of the New Testament - all of which were written as letters to various Christians and/or Christian churches.

        Tradition has it that Paul died a martyr after a second Roman imprisonment in around A.D. 65.