• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Wednesday in the Word

what the Bible means and how we know

  • Home
  • Bible Studies
    • New Testament Bible Studies
    • Old Testament Bible Studies
    • Topical Bible Studies
    • What is the Gospel?
  • Study Help
    • Resource Library
    • Resources by Book of the Bible
    • Bible Study 101: Learn to Study the Bible
    • Bible Study 201: Learn to teach the Bible
  • Topics
    • Theology
    • Faith & Life
    • Family
    • Women’s Ministry Resources
    • Most Popular
  • What is WitW?
    • Meet Krisan
    • What We Believe
    • Looking Back
  • Contact

Who was Paul?

January 29, 2021 by Krisan Marotta

Who was Paul? | WednesdayintheWord.com

Who is Paul in the New Testament?

Paul (Hebrew name: Saul) was an apostle of Jesus Christ and the author of most of the New Testament.

Paul was a Jew born in Tarsus in the Roman province of Cilicia (Acts 22:3).

Paul was a Roman citizen by birth (Acts 22:28).

We know nothing of his parents, but Paul’s sister and his sister’s son (Acts 23:16) are mentioned in Scripture.

He was from the tribe of Benjamin and trained as a Pharisee in Jerusalem under the ranking rabbi of the time Gamaliel (Phil 3:4-6; Acts 22:3).

Like all young Jewish men, he learned a trade: tent-making (Acts 18:3), a trade which was common in Tarsus.

With the support of the Sanhedrin, Paul persecuted Christians, imprisoning men and women alike (Acts 8:3; Acts 9:1-2; Acts 26:10-11; Galatians 1:13; 1 Timothy 1:13).

Paul was present at the stoning of Stephen (Acts 7:58).

As Paul traveled from Jerusalem to Damascus to hunt down Jewish Christians (Acts 8:1-3), he met the risen Lord and converted to Christianity (Acts 9).

At Paul’s conversion, Jesus told Paul that Paul would be his messenger to the Gentiles (Acts 9:15; Acts 26:15-18; Galatians 1:11-16).

After his conversion Paul spent some time in Arabia, probably being taught by the Risen Lord Jesus (Gal 1:15-21).

Eventually Barnabas brought Paul to Antioch (Acts 11:19-29) to help with the newly formed church there.

Paul made three missionary journeys in which in converted many Gentiles and started many churches.

Paul was imprisoned twice in Rome. The first time he was released (approximately 63 AD). The second ended with his execution (approximately 66 AD).

Chronology of Paul

Paul’s Missionary Journeys (Map & Chart)

Go to top

Paul in Scripture

Act 13:9; Act 13:13; Act 13:16; Act 13:43; Act 13:45; Act 13:46; Act 13:50; Act 14:9; Act 14:11; Act 14:12; Act 14:14; Act 14:19; Act 15:2; Act 15:12; Act 15:22; Act 15:25; Act 15:35; Act 15:36; Act 15:38; Act 15:40; Act 16:1; Act 16:3; Act 16:9; Act 16:10; Act 16:14; Act 16:17; Act 16:18; Act 16:19; Act 16:25; Act 16:28; Act 16:29; Act 16:36; Act 16:37; Act 17:2; Act 17:4; Act 17:10; Act 17:13; Act 17:14; Act 17:15; Act 17:16; Act 17:22; Act 17:33; Act 18:1; Act 18:5; Act 18:8; Act 18:9; Act 18:12; Act 18:14; Act 18:18; Act 19:1; Act 19:4; Act 19:6; Act 19:11; Act 19:13; Act 19:15; Act 19:21; Act 19:26; Act 19:29; Act 19:30; Act 20:1; Act 20:7; Act 20:9; Act 20:10; Act 20:11; Act 20:13; Act 20:16; Act 20:37; Act 21:4; Act 21:11; Act 21:13; Act 21:18; Act 21:26; Act 21:29; Act 21:30; Act 21:32; Act 21:37; Act 21:39; Act 21:40; Act 22:25; Act 22:28; Act 22:29; Act 22:30; Act 23:1; Act 23:3; Act 23:5; Act 23:6; Act 23:10; Act 23:12; Act 23:14; Act 23:16; Act 23:17; Act 23:18; Act 23:20; Act 23:24; Act 23:31; Act 23:33; Act 24:1; Act 24:10; Act 24:24; Act 24:26; Act 24:27; Act 25:2; Act 25:3; Act 25:4; Act 25:6; Act 25:8; Act 25:9; Act 25:10; Act 25:14; Act 25:19; Act 25:21; Act 25:23; Act 26:1; Act 26:24; Act 26:25; Act 26:28; Act 26:29; Act 27:1; Act 27:3; Act 27:9; Act 27:11; Act 27:21; Act 27:24; Act 27:31; Act 27:33; Act 27:43; Act 28:3; Act 28:8; Act 28:15; Act 28:16; Act 28:25; Rom 1:1; 1Co 1:1; 1Co 1:12; 1Co 1:13; 1Co 3:4; 1Co 3:5; 1Co 3:22; 1Co 16:21; 2Co 1:1; 2Co 10:1; Gal 1:1; Gal 5:2; Eph 1:1; Eph 3:1; Php 1:1; Col 1:1; Col 1:23; Col 4:18; 1Th 1:1; 1Th 2:18; 2Th 1:1; 2Th 3:17; 1Ti 1:1; 2Ti 1:1; Tit 1:1; Phm 1:1; Phm 1:9; Phm 1:19; 2Pe 3:15.

Go to top

3 Accounts of Paul’s conversion

  • Acts 9:1-18 – as it occurred
  • Acts 22:6-16 – reviewed before the mob at Jerusalem
  • Acts 26:12-19 – reviewed before King Agrippa
Go to top

Paul’s recorded sermons

  • Acts 13:16-41 – First recorded sermon at Antioch in Pisidia
  • Acts 17:22-34 – Sermon at Mars Hill in Athens, Greece
  • Acts 20:13-28 – Address to Ephesian Elders at Miletus
  • Acts 21:37-22:29 – Stairway address in Jerusalem
  • Acts 24:1-23 – Defense before Felix at Caesarea
  • Acts 24:24-27 – Address before Felix & Drusilla at Caesarea
  • Acts 26:1-28 – Address before Felix, King Agrippa & Bernice at Caesarea
Go to top

Sufferings of Paul

Soon after his conversion, the Lord told Paul he would suffer for the sake of the gospel (Acts 9:15-16).

  • Paul’s record of his sufferings: 1Cor 15:30-32; 2Cor 4:7-18; 2Cor 6:3-10; 2Cor 11:23-28; 2Cor 12:5-10; Gal 5:11; Gal 6:7; 2Tim 3:10-11;
  • Jewish opposition to Paul: Acts 9:23; Acts 9:29; Acts 13:50; Acts 14:5; Acts 14:19; Acts 17:5; Acts 17:13; Acts 18:12; Acts 21:31; Acts 23:12-13; Acts 25:3.
  • Gentile opposition to Paul: Acts 14:1; Acts 18:9 Acts 19:23; Acts 16:9; Acts 18:13; Acts 19:23

Sufferings recorded in Acts

  • Acts 9:23 – His life was threatened in Damascus.
  • Acts 9:29 – life threatened in Jerusalem
  • Acts 13:50 – persecuted and run out of Antioch in Pisida
  • Acts 14:5 – faced stoning at Iconium
  • Acts 14:19 – stoned and left for dead in Lystra
  • Acts 16:23 – beaten with rods and imprisoned at Philippi
  • Acts 17:5-10 – life threatened in Thessalonica
  • Acts 17:13-14 – forced out of Berea
  • Acts 17:18 – mocked in Athens
  • Acts 18:12 – taken before the judgment seat in Corinth
  • Acts 19:23-41 – opposed by silversmiths in Ephesus
  • Acts 20:3 – Jews plot against him in Greece
  • Acts 21:27-30 – mob in Jerusalem seeks to kill him
  • Acts 22:24-29 – arrested by the Romans and barely escapes being scourged
  • Acts 23:7-11 – rescued from the mob
  • Acts 23:12-22 – plot to assassinate him
  • Acts 23:33-27:2 – imprisonment in Caesarea
  • Acts 27:39-28:1 – shipwreck on Melita
  • Acts 28:3-5 – suffered a snake bite
  • Acts 28:16 – First Roman imprisonment begins
Go to top

Dictionaries & Encyclopedias

Paul

Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary: Paul the Apostle

Bridgeway Bible Dictionary: Paul

Easton’s Bible Dictionary: Paul

Fausset Bible Dictionary: Paul

Holman Bible Dictionary: Paul

Hastings’ Dictionary of the Bible: Paul the Apostle

Kitto’s Popular Cyclopedia of Biblical Literature: Paul

Morrish Bible Dictionary: Paul

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia: Paul, the Apostle

McClintock and Strong: Paul

The Nuttall Encyclopedia: Paul

The Jewish Encyclopedia:

Go to top

Where to next?

What is…?

Who is…?

Introduction to…

Background & History

Photo by Musab Al Rawahi on Unsplash

(This article has been read 328 times plus 3 today.)

Related posts:

  1. 02 Galatians 1:11-2:10 Paul’s defense of his gospel
  2. Chronology of the Apostle Paul
  3. Acts 18 Paul in Corinth
  4. Acts 16 Why did Paul baptize a household?
  5. Paul’s Missionary Journeys

Filed Under: Acts, Colossians, Corinthians, Ephesians, Galatians, Philemon, Philippians, Romans, Thessalonians, Timothy, Who is Tagged With: Paul, who

Primary Sidebar

Footer

Find the podcast on:


  • Facebook

  • Instagram

  • Google Play

  • iTunes Podcasts

  • Apple Music

  • Pinterest

  • SoundCloud

  • Spotify

  • Stitcher

  • TuneIn

  • iHeart

  • Email

  • RSS Feed

Wednesday in the Word is the podcast about what the Bible means and how we know.

Contact us

Categories

Copyright © 2022 · Krisan Marotta, WednesdayintheWord · Log in