The Apostle Paul/Saul

This was actually for a class, but who cares? It's hopefully a good paper, anyway, and it's historical.


A man sat in a cell and scribbled away using a feather quill. Who was he? Where was he? What was he doing and how did he get there? This paper is going to tell all about that. The paper is going to talk about when he roughly lived and died, what he studied to be, how he was converted into Christianity. where he traveled. He was Paul; he called himself the apostle to the Gentiles.
Paul lived from about 5 B.C to around 67 A. D. His mother gave birth to him in Tarsus, a city in Syria. Paul was a good student and fast learner (taught by Rabbi Gameliel from Jerusalem) and one of the better known apostles. He studied to be a teacher. He also learned to make tents. Tent making combined with teaching was a very good profession.

Paul used to persecute Christians. He witnessed the death of Saint Stephen. Stephen was stoned to death. The saint was stoned for giving a speech of reprimand to the Sanhedrin (Acts 7). The then un-reformed Paul held the cloaks for the people who did the stoning.

His conversion to Christianity happened on the road to Damascus. He was going toward Damascus to try to find Christians to imprision (see Acts 9). The Lord made a bright light go down from heaven and Paul was blinded by it. There were some men with Paul, and they also saw the light. God also asked why Paul was persecuting Him. Paul belived that Jesus was the Son of God. Paul was blinded for three days. A man called Ananis (who was a disciple of God) went to Paul’s rooms and touched Paul’s face. After that, Paul could see again.

His friends were shocked at the sudden change that had taken hold of Paul. Later, he escaped through an opening in the wall in a basket. He spent three years in Arabia either as a missionary or to think about his theological thoughts.
Paul went to Jersualem to bring an offering. [couldn’t find who had provided the money] While he was there, he met Barnabus. Barnabus took him to the other disciples. Paul debated and talked freely with the people in the city until they tried to kill him. At that point, the apostles sent him to Tarsus.
He went to Antioch with Barnabus, Judas (also called Barsabbas), and Silas. The apostles and elders sent a letter with the four of them. (Acts 15). They taught at Antioch for a while.

Paul confronted Peter with the issue of Peter acting differently around different people. (Galatians 2:11-14) He also got angry at Barnabus—and Barnabus at Paul—over who to take with them on a journey. Paul wanted John to stay behind because John had left them in Pamphylia and did not continue to work with them. Paul took Silas and left. He want through Syria and Cilica. in order to strengthen the churches.
When Paul arrived at Rome, he lived by himself. A soldier was made to guard him. Paul had to preach in Rome under guard. Paul told of how, even though he was innocent, he was arrested in Jerusalem. That is how the book of Acts ends.

He also established churches in Rome, Corinth, and various other cities. Paul and
Barnabus were thought to be gods at one point; Paul was called Hermes and Barnabus was called Zeus. He probably died from beheading or from old age. Paul wrote thirteen epistles (letters) to various churches. He also used his Roman citizenship to spread the Gospel to all areas of the Roman empire. Sometimes, though, he was caught (Acts 22) and punished. Once, he was shipwrecked. Paul made four missionary trips.