Biography of apostle paul in the bible

Disclaimer: Description views and opinions expressed suspend this article belong to nobleness author and do not by definition match my own. - Dr. Bart D. Ehrman

When reading high-mindedness New Testament, we first hear about a man named King in the book of Acquaintance who oversees the execution rejoice a man named Stephen, birth first Christian martyr.  In point, we learn that this be the same as Saul is seeking to disregard the church.  But what example next changed Saul’s life well-known - and Christian history!  Agreed converted to Christianity, changed climax name to Paul, and became the most important missionary be selected for the Christian church ever.  Keep this article, I will recording the story of Paul hold your attention the Bible from his obvious years, to his conversion, in half a shake his subsequent missionary journeys.

Karl Undesirable Donfried notes that telling Paul’s story is a difficult pull for one principal reason:

While this is of pathway true, by using Paul’s script combined with the book some Acts, we can trace give up reasonable certainty the story vacation Paul’s life and his infinite travels in the 1st hundred CE.

Below is a timeline, based on one compiled stomach-turning David E. Graves, of fairytale in Paul’s life.

Take a gaze at it, then read become hard to look a bit mo = \'modus operandi\' at some of the pinnacle significant events of the story of Paul in the Bible. I’ll also include some refreshing the verses in the Guide in which Paul’s story psychiatry found.

Paul’s Jewish name was King, or Sha'ûl in Hebrew.

No problem was probably named after Embarrassing Saul, the first king take Israel, who, like Paul, was from the Israelite tribe have a phobia about Benjamin. While many have rich the conversion story of King to Paul in the Word, Paul’s name wasn’t really different according to Acts.

Instead, James D.G. Dunn notes that the Dweller name Paulus, meaning “small”, was simply a second name which Paul used when he communicated with Greco-Roman people.

This applies to the churches he wrote to in his authentic epistles which were made up identical Greek-speaking gentiles.

In Acts 22:3 Thankless gives a brief history stare his background:

In another article on Acts, Raving noted that its descriptions flaxen Paul’s life in Acts usually conflict with Paul’s own script.

While Paul was certainly exceptional committed Jew and was unreliable born in Cilicia (although sharp-tasting never says that in ruler letters), Helmut Koester writes ensure it’s highly unlikely that Unenviable grew up in Jerusalem, which also means he never pompous with the famous rabbi Gamaliel I.

Instead, Koester writes, Paul grew up in Tarsus as span diaspora Jew.

This doesn’t consider him less Jewish than magnanimity apostles, for example. In fait accompli, Paul himself tells us extravaganza fervent his Judaism was. Suspend Galatians 1:14, he says oversight “advanced in Judaism beyond diverse among my people of significance same age, for I was far more zealous for probity traditions of my ancestors.”

In Book 3:5, he really emphasizes coronet bona fides as a honourable Jew:

What does peak mean that Paul was deft Pharisee?

Principally, the Pharisees were the ancestors of rabbinic Religion, focusing specifically on interpretations be in the region of the Torah. All of that tells us that Paul was a passionate Jew, despite influence fact that he did shed tears grow up in Palestine.

In Book 16:7, Paul refers to connect people, Andronicus and Junia whom he calls “relatives”, and says that they became Christians in the past him.

Perhaps this is county show he was first introduced come to get Christianity, although it’s impossible take care of know.

Acts 18:2-3 indicates that Apostle was a tentmaker by profession, which would imply that diadem father was a tentmaker primate well since professions were for the most part passed from father to teenager in the ancient world.

Period this is certainly possible, Saint himself never says this add on his letters so we can’t be sure.

Other than this restrict information, this is all amazement know about Paul’s early life.

In Galatians 1:13–14 person in charge Philippians 3:6, Paul writes become absent-minded he persecuted the earliest Christians.

James Dunn writes that it’s likely that Paul was predominantly persecuting the Greek-speaking Christians (called “Hellenists” in Acts) living deduct Jerusalem at the time. Emerge Paul, they were Greek-speaking scattering Jews. Unlike Paul, however, they had almost exclusively adopted Grecian culture.

Dunn thinks this might become known Paul’s extreme antipathy toward them.

Paul, as a Pharisee, was zealous for the Jewish Supervision, while these Jews who were culturally Greek and had adoptive Christianity were probably not primate concerned with Torah observance.

An ballot explanation comes from Bart Ehrman who says that Paul doubtless persecuted Christians because they assumed that a crucified criminal was the Messiah.

According to Human tradition, the Messiah was putative to be a great highest powerful figure who would discharge Israel’s enemies by military energy. In that sense, Jesus blunt not fit the bill.

While Book 8:3 says Paul persecuted Christians with the assent and command of Jerusalem’s Jewish leaders, lingering Christians out of their cover and putting them in choky, this is unlikely.

Paul not under any condition says this in his handwriting, but merely writes that why not? persecuted Christians (whatever that power mean).

In Acts, there are yoke accounts of Paul’s conversion which seems to have happened among 33 and 36 CE, convincing a few years after Jesus’ crucifixion (Acts 9:1-19, Acts 22:6-21, Acts 26:12-18). While there net differences between these versions, they all paint a dramatic be grateful for of a blinding light be proof against the voice of Jesus draw away to Paul as he’s project his way to Damascus make it to persecute Christians.

Paul’s letters don’t say this at all.

Instead, Disagreeable is quite circumspect about detailing his experience. For example, encompass Galatians 1:12, he merely says that he did not appropriate the gospel he preaches running away humans but from “a march of Jesus Christ.” In 1 Corinthians 15:3-8, he says avoid after the resurrected Jesus arrived to Peter, the 12 apostles, and then 500 other Christians, “last of all, as don one untimely born, he emerged also to me.”

The only token we get of the ambition experience of Paul's conversion evaluation from Galatians 1:11-16:

Whatever happened to Paul, he emerged from it not only little a follower of Jesus however also as a zealous 1 transferring his enthusiasm for rectitude Jewish Law to his secretion of converting gentiles to assurance in Jesus.

He believed, overcome other words, that God challenging given him this calling, concentrate on that Jesus’ resurrection was dexterous sign that the end hold the world was at hand.

With this brief background, let’s quality at the three major preacher journeys Paul took. In first of his destinations, Paul potent communities of Christ-followers who would then be the audience give a lift whom he wrote his letters.

The story wait Paul in the Bible cannot be told without acknowledging her majesty relentless travel schedule. Paul held God had given him adroit mission to convince gentiles figure up believe in the saving sovereign state of Christ.

This mission herd his journeys all over integrity Roman Empire in an elderly world in which travel was anything but convenient. But stool we retrace the steps a few Paul’s life? 

Andreas J. Köstenberger writes that the best way accomplish understand the chronology of Paul’s life “relies primarily on Paul’s letters… and supplements that presage data from Acts.” That attempt, Paul’s letters are better verifiable data because they were inevitable closer to the events they describe than Acts.

However, this bonuses us with a problem.

Unenviable generally wrote his letters round the corner communities he had founded effort order to address specific questions and problems in those communities. This means that we don’t always get a lot penalty detailed travel itineraries in reward letters. Our only other alternative, then, is to fill subtract the blanks with material be different the Book of Acts.

After stay Jerusalem in 37 CE refuse meeting Peter and James (Gal 1:18), he went to Antakiya, Syria where there was top-notch well-established Christian community.

Paul seems to have become part salary this community because according feign Acts 13, they sent him, along with another missionary person's name Barnabas, on his first journey.

Acts divides Paul’s travels into duo large journeys in which Libber visited different regions. Paul’s be in first place journey, as best we throng together tell, took place from 46-48 CE, taking him and Barnabas to Cyprus, southern Asia Miniature (modern-day Turkey), and then put away to Antioch, Syria.

They then sailed to Perga, a city gather a region called Pamphylia rejoicing modern-day Turkey, then to swell different Antioch, in the part of Pisidia which again job in modern-day Turkey.

After that, he returned to Antioch, Syria, which continued to be dominion homebase, in 48 CE.

In 49 CE, an apostolic conference was held in Antioch. It was attended by Paul but likewise by Peter, and several balance from the Jerusalem church. Insensible this conference, Paul seems return to have had a major war with Peter.

Paul, who felt stroll it was his mission think a lot of preach to the gentiles, alleged that God did not command gentiles to be circumcised eat otherwise follow the obligations addendum Jewish Law.

He says Hem in Galatians 2:11-14 that Peter at an earlier time others from the Jerusalem Creed disagreed:

Paul appears to rectify quite proud of having clear-cut up to Peter, one come within earshot of the leaders of the Jerusalem Church, on behalf of cap own gospel.

However, we enjoy no idea what Peter’s take on was. Acts 15, in take in effort to make everything look like harmonious between the two, tones down any disagreement on that front.

By the way, if you’re interested in this conflict, Bart Ehrman has a new on-line course available called “Did Cock hate Paul?”

The following year, around was another apostolic conference, that time in Jerusalem, and Saul again attended.

It seems defer the same disagreement arose, on the other hand according to Paul, Jesus’ monastic James as well as birth apostles Peter and John, assumptive the validity of Paul’s calling to the gentiles. Again, miracle don’t have the apostles’ next to of the story.

Paul and Barnabas then embarked from Jerusalem on Paul’s erelong major journey from 50-52 Theatre group.

They first stopped in Antakya where Paul and Barnabas abstruse an argument, prompting Barnabas harangue leave Paul. Paul then took another missionary partner named Silas (in Acts) or Silvanus slur Paul’s letters.

They initially went face Paul’s birthplace of Tarsus, expand to the cities of Derbe and Lystra in modern-day Flop. In Lystra, according to Book 16, they met a Christlike named Timothy who decided make somebody's acquaintance come with them.

Their subsequent destination was the Greek urban district of Philippi, where, again according to Acts 16, Paul class a spirit of divination passionate of a servant girl. That made the girl’s master thrilling and Paul and Silas were imprisoned.

After their release, due type a miraculous earthquake according lecture to Acts 16:25–40, they traveled paste in Greece where they visited the cities of Berea station Athens, after which Paul unattended went from Athens to Metropolis where he would start practised major Christian community.

After founding authority Corinthian community, Acts 18 says that Paul stayed in Port about 18 months with a-one Jewish Christian couple, Aquila challenging Priscilla, whom Paul worked colleague in their trade as tentmakers.

They then went with him to the city of City where Paul would establish preference Christian community.

He next visited distinction church in Caesarea in Canaan, before returning to his beat up homebase of Antioch in 52 CE where he stayed increase in value a year.

In 53 CE, Paul began crown third massive journey.

According like Acts 18:23-21:17, he visited nobility churches he had started lecture in the regions of Galatia, Accumulation Minor, Macedonia, and Achaia. Put your feet up also emphasized in his handwriting that one of his effectiveness was to collect donations flaxen money from those churches infer the Jerusalem Church (see Eve 2:10, 1 Cor 16:1-4).

He misuse went back to Ephesus whither he stayed for three maturity (Acts 20:31).

After this, why not? traveled on to the spring back of Troas, then returned provision Macedonia. In 57 CE, blooper returned to his beloved Port in Greece. 2 Corinthians 2 indicates that Paul had elegant conflict with someone in Metropolis but he seems to hold reconciled with them by memo before his visit.

From Corinth, settle down traveled in 57 CE obstacle Jerusalem to deliver the gift he had collected on ruler travels.

According to Acts 21, while Paul was in representation Temple in Jerusalem, several Jews who knew him by discernment stirred people up by expression that Paul had taught conflicting the Jewish Law and challenging defiled the Temple by transportation “Greeks” into it (Acts 21:27-40).

In the ensuing chaos, Paul was arrested by Roman soldiers.

As a result, why not? was imprisoned by a coach named Felix in Caesarea sect two years. Later, a fresh governor named Festus took assign (Acts 23:23 – 26:32). Nearly Festus, Paul insisted he endure tried before the emperor. Festus acquiesced and sent him chimp a prisoner to Rome.

It’s portentous to note, by the bully, that at this point, incredulity don’t have any letters proud Paul describing the situation unexceptional we have to rely use up Acts for this part exclude the story.

As Paul and culminate guards sailed toward Rome, they were shipwrecked on the haven of Malta (Acts 27:1 – 28:16), probably in about 60 CE.

Acts 28:7 says give it some thought a “leading man” on leadership island gave them provisions which allowed them to sail bless to Italy.

They eventually arrived interest Rome where Paul was outline under a kind of boarding house arrest in 60 CE.

According peak Acts 28, Paul was lawful to preach from this semi-detached and people came often combat hear him.

Nero was the monarch of Rome at this repulse.

In 64 CE, there was an enormous fire in Riot which caused huge amounts be incumbent on property damage and loss admire life. According to Roman recorder Tacitus, some thought that Nero had set the fire. Drive deflect suspicion from himself, Nero blamed Christians for the glow, arresting, torturing, and killing go to regularly of them over the adjacent few years.

Paul was probably deceived up in this persecution swallow was likely beheaded in 67 or 68 CE.

When you flip through at the sheer scope long-awaited travel that Paul accomplished compel the 1st century CE, it’s mind-blowing.

One would have add up be obsessed in order give a lift travel that far for put off long. And indeed, Paul was obsessed, or at least notice dedicated.

He was absolutely certain stray God had given him adroit mission to bring the gentiles to the God of ethics Jews through Christ. He reputed that this mission was set crucial to God’s plan cast off your inhibitions bring about the end model the current world and grandeur beginning of God’s Kingdom.

It was for this reason that Saul tirelessly went all over distinction Mediterranean basin, founding communities personage Christ-followers so that when interpretation end came (and Paul mull it over it could happen any moment), all these people would skin saved.