Understanding the Bible
This post is part of our Understanding the Bible series—short, clear explanations of common questions, phrases, images, and themes found in Scripture.
The goal is simple: to help you read the Bible more clearly by explaining what the text says, what it meant in its original context, and why it still matters today.
These studies are designed for personal Bible reading, small groups, teaching preparation, or anyone who wants to grow in biblical understanding without needing technical training.
On this page:
- Quick Answer
- Key Facts About Paul
- Who Was Paul?
- Why Is Paul Also Called Saul?
- What Was Paul’s Background?
- Why Did Paul Persecute Christians?
- How Did Paul Become a Christian?
- Why Was Paul Called an Apostle?
- What Did Paul Do?
- What Did Paul Suffer?
- Which Books Did Paul Write?
- What Did Paul Teach?
- What Is Paul’s Role in Philemon?
- Was Paul Often Misunderstood?
- How Did Paul Die?
- Paul’s Life at a Glance
- Where Can I Read Paul’s Story?
- What Can We Learn from Paul?
- Questions for Personal or Group Study
- Sources and Further Study
- Remember
Quick Answer
Paul was a Jewish follower of Jesus, an apostle called to take the gospel to the Gentiles, a missionary, church planter, pastor, theologian, and author of thirteen New Testament letters.
He was born in Tarsus, belonged to the tribe of Benjamin, trained as a Pharisee, studied under Gamaliel, and possessed Roman citizenship. Before following Jesus, Paul—then usually called Saul—violently opposed the early church.
Everything changed when the risen Jesus confronted him on the road to Damascus. The man who had tried to destroy the church became one of its most courageous witnesses.
Paul’s story is not mainly about a remarkable man reinventing himself.
It is about the grace of Jesus Christ transforming an enemy into a servant and sending him to proclaim the gospel he once tried to silence.
The second half of Acts traces much of Paul’s missionary work, while his letters reveal his pastoral heart and explain how the death and resurrection of Jesus create a new people who live by faith, walk by the Spirit, and love one another.
Key Facts About Paul
Names: Saul and Paul
Birthplace: Tarsus in Cilicia
Heritage: Jewish; an Israelite from the tribe of Benjamin
Religious background: Pharisee; educated under Gamaliel
Citizenship: Roman citizen by birth
Trade: Commonly described as a tentmaker; possibly a leatherworker
Former life: Persecuted followers of Jesus
Turning point: Encountered the risen Jesus on the road to Damascus
Calling: Apostle of Jesus Christ with a particular mission to the Gentiles
Ministry: Missionary, church planter, pastor, teacher, and letter writer
New Testament letters bearing his name: Thirteen
Who Was Paul?
Paul was one of the most influential leaders in the first-century church. Acts introduces him as Saul, a young man who approved of Stephen’s death and participated in the persecution of Christians (Acts 7:58–8:3).
Later, Paul described himself as:
- An Israelite from the tribe of Benjamin (Romans 11:1; Philippians 3:5)
- A Hebrew born of Hebrews (Philippians 3:5)
- A Pharisee (Acts 23:6; Philippians 3:5)
- A student of Gamaliel (Acts 22:3)
- A citizen of Tarsus in Cilicia (Acts 21:39)
- A Roman citizen by birth (Acts 22:25–29)
- An apostle of Jesus Christ (Galatians 1:1)
- One especially called to serve the Gentiles (Romans 11:13; Galatians 2:7–9)
These identities help explain Paul’s ability to move between Jewish and Greco-Roman settings. He knew Israel’s Scriptures deeply and could communicate the gospel across cultural boundaries.
Paul never understood himself as the founder of a new religion.
He understood himself as a servant of Israel’s Messiah, commissioned to announce that God’s promises had been fulfilled in Jesus and that Jews and Gentiles were being gathered into one family through Him.
Why Is Paul Also Called Saul?
A common explanation says that God changed Saul’s name to Paul when he became a Christian. The Bible never actually says that.
Acts continues calling him Saul after his encounter with Jesus (Acts 9:17, 22; 11:25–30; 13:1–2). When Luke begins using Paul, he writes, “Saul, who was also called Paul” (Acts 13:9).
This wording suggests that he already had both names:
Saul was his Jewish or Hebrew name.
Paul was his Roman or Latin name.
Having more than one name was not unusual for a Jewish person living in the Greco-Roman world. As Paul’s ministry increasingly moved among Gentiles, Luke consistently used the name by which he would have been more readily known in that setting.
Saul did not become Paul because God erased his Jewish identity.
Saul and Paul were two names for the same man—and both belonged to the story God redeemed and used.
What Was Paul’s Background?
Born in Tarsus
Paul was born in Tarsus, an important city in Cilicia in what is now southern Turkey (Acts 21:39; 22:3). Tarsus stood at a crossroads of trade, education, and Greco-Roman culture.
Raised and Educated as a Jew
Although born outside Judea, Paul possessed a strong Jewish identity. He said that he was raised in Jerusalem and educated under Gamaliel, one of the best-known Jewish teachers of the period (Acts 22:3).
Paul became a Pharisee and pursued obedience to the law with extraordinary zeal. Looking back on that time, he said he was advancing in Judaism beyond many of his contemporaries (Galatians 1:13–14).
A Roman Citizen
Paul was also a Roman citizen by birth. His citizenship sometimes gave him legal protections, the right to appeal to Caesar, and opportunities to bear witness before rulers (Acts 16:35–39; 22:25–29; 25:10–12).
A Tentmaker
Acts 18:3 describes Paul working alongside Aquila and Priscilla because they shared the same trade. Translations often call them tentmakers, although the term could refer more broadly to working with leather or similar materials.
God used Paul’s Jewish formation, knowledge of Scripture, Roman citizenship, cultural experience, practical trade, and command of Greek as He sent him across the Roman world.
Why Did Paul Persecute Christians?
Before meeting Jesus, Paul believed that opposing the church was an act of faithfulness to God. He viewed the Christian proclamation about Jesus as a dangerous threat and acted with violent zeal to stop it.
Paul approved of Stephen’s execution, entered homes, dragged away men and women, imprisoned believers, and obtained authority to pursue Christians as far as Damascus (Acts 7:58–8:3; 9:1–2; 22:4–5; 26:9–11).
Later, he did not minimize his past:
- He had persecuted the church of God (1 Corinthians 15:9).
- He had tried to destroy it (Galatians 1:13).
- He had been a blasphemer, persecutor, and violent man (1 Timothy 1:13).
Paul’s zeal was sincere, but sincerity did not make him right.
His story warns us that religious passion must be submitted to the truth of God revealed in Jesus Christ.
How Did Paul Become a Christian?
While Paul traveled to Damascus to arrest believers, a light from heaven surrounded him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice ask, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”
Paul asked, “Who are you, Lord?” The answer overturned his world: “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting” (Acts 9:4–5).
Several details matter:
- The Jesus Paul considered dead was alive.
- To persecute Jesus’ people was to persecute Jesus Himself.
- Paul was not searching for Christ; Christ confronted him.
- The grace that forgave Paul also gave him a new calling.
Paul entered Damascus blind. The Lord then sent a disciple named Ananias to him. Ananias addressed the former persecutor as “Brother Saul,” laid hands on him, and Paul regained his sight, was baptized, and began proclaiming Jesus as the Son of God (Acts 9:10–22).
Paul’s conversion was more than a change of opinion.
The risen Jesus gave him a new understanding of God’s work, a new relationship with the people he had harmed, and a new mission for the rest of his life.
Why Was Paul Called an Apostle?
The word apostle refers to someone sent with a commission. Paul insisted that his apostleship did not originate with human appointment. Jesus Christ had appeared to him and called him (1 Corinthians 9:1; 15:8–10; Galatians 1:1, 11–17).
Paul’s calling had a particular emphasis: he was sent to proclaim Jesus among the Gentiles. That did not mean he cared only about Gentiles or stopped ministering to Jews. Acts repeatedly shows Paul entering synagogues first. His calling was to announce that the gospel of Israel’s Messiah was also good news for the nations.
Peter, James, and John recognized the grace given to Paul and affirmed his ministry among the Gentiles (Galatians 2:7–10).
Paul defended his authority when the gospel or the churches required it, but he did not treat apostleship as a license for self-importance. He described himself as a servant, a steward, a spiritual father, and even the least of the apostles (1 Corinthians 4:1, 9:15; 15:9).
What Did Paul Do?
The church in Antioch, guided by the Holy Spirit, sent Paul and Barnabas into missionary work (Acts 13:1–3). From that point, Acts follows Paul as he proclaimed Christ, formed communities of believers, appointed leaders, revisited churches, answered opposition, and carried the gospel toward Rome.
Paul’s ministry included:
- Preaching Jesus in synagogues and public spaces
- Taking the gospel into new regions and cities
- Establishing and strengthening churches
- Training coworkers such as Timothy and Titus
- Working alongside women and men including Priscilla, Aquila, Phoebe, Silas, Luke, Epaphras, and many others
- Collecting relief for suffering believers in Jerusalem
- Writing letters to instruct, correct, encourage, and unite churches
- Bearing witness before officials, governors, kings, prisoners, and soldiers
Paul was never a one-man ministry.
His letters name a wide network of coworkers whose gifts, homes, resources, prayers, travel, teaching, and courage helped advance the gospel.
Paul’s story therefore includes ordinary believers becoming partners in God’s mission.
What Did Paul Suffer?
Paul’s calling did not make his life easy. Jesus said that Paul would learn how much he must suffer for His name (Acts 9:16).
Paul later described imprisonments, beatings, stoning, shipwrecks, hunger, sleeplessness, danger, rejection, and the daily burden of concern for the churches (2 Corinthians 11:23–29).
His suffering did not prove that God had abandoned him. Paul understood it through the cross of Christ. God’s power was often most visible through human weakness (2 Corinthians 4:7–12; 12:9–10).
Paul did not preach a gospel of personal comfort.
He preached the crucified and risen Christ—and followed Him with costly faithfulness.
Which Books Did Paul Write?
Thirteen New Testament letters identify Paul as their sender:
Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, and Philemon.
These letters were written to real churches and people facing real questions. Paul addressed division, suffering, false teaching, sexuality, worship, spiritual gifts, leadership, generosity, Christian freedom, Jew-and-Gentile relationships, resurrection, reconciliation, and faithful ministry.
The historic Christian position attributes all thirteen to Paul, sometimes with the help of secretaries or coworkers. Many modern scholars distinguish between letters they regard as directly written by Paul and letters they believe came from the Pauline circle. Whatever position a reader takes in that discussion, all thirteen belong to the New Testament canon and have profoundly shaped Christian belief and practice.
Hebrews is anonymous. Although some Christians in church history associated it with Paul, the book itself does not identify its author and should not be confidently listed among Paul’s thirteen letters.
Paul’s letters were never intended to replace the life and teaching of Jesus.
They help churches understand the meaning of Jesus’ death and resurrection and learn how to live faithfully as His people.
What Did Paul Teach?
Paul addressed different circumstances in each letter, but several themes repeatedly appear.
Jesus Is the Crucified and Risen Lord
The center of Paul’s message was not Paul. It was Jesus Christ—crucified for sins, raised from the dead, reigning as Lord, and coming again (1 Corinthians 15:1–8; Philippians 2:5–11).
Salvation Is God’s Gift of Grace
People are not made right with God by establishing their own worthiness. Salvation is God’s gracious work, received through faith in Christ (Romans 3:21–26; Ephesians 2:8–10).
Believers Are United with Christ
Those who belong to Jesus participate in His death and resurrection. They are given a new identity and called to live as a new creation (Romans 6:1–14; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 2:20).
The Holy Spirit Transforms God’s People
The Christian life is not sustained by human effort alone. The Spirit dwells within believers, produces Christlike fruit, gives gifts for ministry, and enables obedience (Romans 8:1–17; 1 Corinthians 12:4–11; Galatians 5:16–25).
The Church Is One Body
In Christ, social distinctions no longer determine anyone’s access to God or value within His family. Jewish and Gentile believers, enslaved and free people, women and men all belong to Christ and need one another (Galatians 3:28; 1 Corinthians 12:12–27; Ephesians 2:11–22).
Grace Produces a New Way of Life
Grace does not leave believers unchanged. Paul repeatedly moves from what God has done to how Christians should respond—with holiness, humility, generosity, forgiveness, sexual faithfulness, sacrificial love, and service.
Paul’s theology is not abstract information.
The gospel creates a new people whose relationships increasingly display the character of the crucified and risen Jesus.
What Is Paul’s Role in Philemon?
Philemon offers one of the most personal portraits of Paul in the New Testament. He writes from imprisonment concerning Onesimus, an enslaved man who had become Paul’s spiritual child and brother in Christ.
Paul could have emphasized his authority, but instead introduces himself as “a prisoner of Christ Jesus” and appeals to Philemon on the basis of love (Philemon 1, 8–9).
Paul acts as a mediator:
- He affirms the work God has done in Onesimus.
- He sends Onesimus back not merely as property, but “no longer as a slave” and “more than a slave—as a dearly loved brother” (Philemon 16).
- He asks Philemon to receive Onesimus as he would receive Paul.
- He offers to assume any debt or wrong Onesimus owes.
- He trusts that Philemon’s obedience will go beyond what Paul explicitly asks.
In Philemon, Paul does more than teach reconciliation. He puts himself into the costly space between two people and works toward it.
The letter does not answer every question modern readers rightly ask about slavery in the Roman world. It does, however, place a radical gospel truth inside that unequal relationship: Onesimus and Philemon now share one Lord and must learn to receive one another as family.
Paul’s appeal must neither be used to excuse slavery nor reduced to a modern slogan. It shows the gospel pressing against domination by redefining identity, obligation, power, and relationship around Jesus Christ.
Paul asks Philemon to see Onesimus through the gospel: not according to social status, usefulness, or past wrongs, but as a beloved brother for whom Christ died.
Was Paul Often Misunderstood?
Yes. Paul’s letters address cultures and disputes far removed from ours, and individual verses can be distorted when removed from their literary and historical settings.
Did Paul Invent Christianity?
No. Paul joined a movement that already proclaimed Jesus’ resurrection. He met Peter and James, received early Christian traditions, and insisted that his gospel agreed with the apostolic witness (1 Corinthians 15:1–11; Galatians 1:18–2:10).
Did Paul Reject His Jewish Identity?
No. Paul’s encounter with Christ radically changed how he understood the law, covenant membership, and the Messiah, but he continued to identify himself as an Israelite and reason from Israel’s Scriptures (Romans 9–11; Philippians 3:4–9).
Did Paul Teach That Grace Makes Obedience Unnecessary?
No. Paul rejected both salvation by human achievement and a grace that becomes permission to sin. Believers are saved by grace for a transformed life of faithful obedience (Romans 6:1–14; Ephesians 2:8–10; Titus 2:11–14).
Did Paul Condone Slavery?
Paul lived and ministered within a world in which slavery was woven into society and law. His letters address enslaved people and enslavers inside that reality without issuing the direct abolitionist statement modern readers may expect. That creates a serious interpretive and moral question that deserves more than a quick answer.
At the same time, Paul taught that enslaved and free believers share equal standing in Christ, condemned slave trading, warned masters that they answer to the same Lord, and asked Philemon to receive Onesimus as a beloved brother (1 Corinthians 7:21–23; Galatians 3:28; Ephesians 6:9; 1 Timothy 1:10; Philemon 16).
Read difficult texts patiently. Distinguish what a biblical writer regulates within an ancient setting from what Scripture celebrates as God’s purpose. Follow the Bible’s movement toward freedom, mutual service, neighbor-love, justice, and the equal worth of people made in God’s image.
How Did Paul Die?
Acts ends with Paul under house arrest in Rome, still proclaiming the kingdom of God “with all boldness and without hindrance” (Acts 28:30–31). The New Testament does not describe his death.
Early Christian tradition holds that Paul was martyred in Rome during the reign of Nero, likely in the mid-to-late AD 60s. Later tradition says that he was beheaded, a manner of execution associated with his status as a Roman citizen.
We should distinguish biblical certainty from historical tradition.
The New Testament leaves Paul alive in Rome. His martyrdom under Nero is early and widely accepted tradition; the precise date and details of his execution are less certain.
Whether speaking before crowds, writing from prison, or facing death, Paul’s ambition remained the same: to honor Christ and finish the work entrusted to him (Philippians 1:20–21; 2 Timothy 4:6–8).
Paul’s Life at a Glance
The following dates are approximate. Scholars differ on several details of Pauline chronology.
Early first century: Born in Tarsus to a Jewish family from the tribe of Benjamin.
Youth and early adulthood: Trained in Jerusalem under Gamaliel and became a zealous Pharisee.
Early AD 30s: Participated in the persecution of Christians and encountered the risen Jesus near Damascus.
Following years: Preached in Damascus, spent time in Arabia, visited Jerusalem, and ministered in Syria and Cilicia.
Mid-to-late AD 40s: Sent with Barnabas on the first missionary journey and participated in the Jerusalem Council.
AD 50s: Continued missionary work through Asia Minor, Macedonia, and Greece; planted and strengthened churches; wrote several letters.
Late AD 50s: Arrested in Jerusalem and held in Caesarea.
Early AD 60s: Appealed to Caesar, traveled to Rome, and lived under house arrest while continuing his ministry.
Mid-to-late AD 60s: According to early Christian tradition, martyred in Rome during Nero’s reign.
Where Can I Read Paul’s Story?
Paul’s life is found primarily in Acts and in autobiographical portions of his letters. These passages provide an excellent reading path:
Acts 7:54–9:31: Paul the persecutor, his encounter with Jesus, baptism, and earliest preaching
Acts 13–20: His missionary journeys, preaching, church planting, partnerships, and opposition
Acts 21–28: His arrest, trials, voyage, shipwreck, and witness in Rome
Galatians 1–2: Paul’s account of his calling, early ministry, and relationship with the Jerusalem apostles
Philippians 3:4–11: His Jewish credentials and the surpassing value of knowing Christ
2 Corinthians 11:16–12:10: His suffering, weakness, and dependence upon Christ’s grace
1 Timothy 1:12–17: His reflection on the mercy he received as a former persecutor
Philemon: His pastoral leadership, advocacy for Onesimus, and appeal for gospel-shaped reconciliation
For the clearest picture, read Acts alongside Paul’s letters.
Acts shows Paul’s ministry from Luke’s perspective, while the letters allow us to hear Paul address churches and describe parts of his story in his own words.
What Can We Learn from Paul?
No One Is Beyond the Reach of Grace
Paul’s past was not minor. He had harmed Christ’s people. Yet mercy met him, forgave him, and redirected his life (1 Timothy 1:12–16).
Grace Gives Us a New Direction
Jesus did not merely rescue Paul from judgment. He called Paul into faithful service. Grace changes what we worship, how we live, and what we do with our lives.
Truth Must Shape Relationships
Paul’s letters consistently connect theology with life. In Philemon, the truth that believers are one family in Christ must change how Philemon receives Onesimus.
Christian Ministry Is Shared
Paul depended upon churches, hosts, messengers, financial supporters, teachers, scribes, fellow prisoners, and ministry partners. God’s mission advances through the whole body of Christ.
Faithfulness May Be Costly
Paul did not measure God’s goodness by the absence of suffering. He learned to trust Christ’s sufficient grace and continue serving through weakness.
The Gospel Creates a New Family
The church is not merely an audience that listens to Christian teaching. It is a Spirit-created family in which people once divided by ethnicity, status, past wrongdoing, and social power learn to receive one another in Christ.
The same grace that transformed Paul continues transforming people today.
It forgives our past, gives us a new identity, sends us into God’s mission, and teaches us to treat others as members of one family in Christ.
Questions for Personal or Group Study
1. What parts of Paul’s background prepared him for the work God later gave him?
2. What does Paul’s persecution of the church teach us about the difference between religious sincerity and truth?
3. Read Acts 9:1–22. What did Jesus reveal to Paul, and what changed immediately?
4. Why is it significant that Jesus identified Himself with the believers Paul was persecuting?
5. How did Paul’s understanding of grace shape the way he viewed his past?
6. What do Paul’s many coworkers teach us about Christian ministry?
7. Read Philemon 8–21. How does Paul use his influence? What does he ask Philemon to see differently?
8. How does Paul connect what Christians believe with the way they treat other people?
9. Which part of Paul’s life gives you the greatest encouragement? Which part challenges you?
10. Where might God be calling you to become an agent of reconciliation?
Sources and Further Study
Begin with the biblical passages cited throughout this article. The following reference works were also consulted through Logos Bible Software:
- Moisés Silva, The Essential Bible Dictionary: Key Insights for Reading God’s Word (Zondervan, 2011), 177.
- E. Richard Pigeon and Gretchen S. Lebrun, “Paul,” in AMG’s Comprehensive Dictionary of New Testament Words, edited by Baker Warren and others (AMG Publishers, 2014), 755–756.
- Bruce B. Barton and Philip Wesley Comfort, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, Life Application Bible Commentary (Tyndale House Publishers, 1995), xii.
- Calvin J. Roetzel, “Paul,” in Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible, edited by David Noel Freedman, Allen C. Myers, and Astrid B. Beck (Eerdmans, 2000), 1016.
A note about dates: Reconstructing Paul’s chronology requires comparing Acts, Paul’s letters, and known events in Roman history. Dates should therefore be treated as informed approximations rather than absolute certainties.
Remember
Paul was a brilliant teacher, courageous missionary, tireless church planter, and influential writer.
But none of those descriptions explains him as fully as the word grace.
He opposed Jesus.
Jesus confronted him.
Grace forgave him.
Christ called him.
The Spirit empowered him.
And Paul spent the rest of his life helping others know and follow the Lord he once resisted.
Paul’s story is not a monument to human greatness.
It is a testimony to the transforming grace of Jesus Christ.
That same grace can redeem a past, transform a life, reconcile divided people, and use an ordinary believer in God’s extraordinary mission.
People of the Bible
Meet the People of Philemon
Philemon is a short, personal letter, but its people reveal how the gospel reshapes identity, power, forgiveness, advocacy, reconciliation, and Christian family. Continue exploring the people behind Paul’s appeal.
Who Was Paul in the Bible?
Meet the imprisoned apostle who used his authority to advocate for Onesimus, appeal to Philemon through love, and offer to bear another person’s debt.
Who Was Onesimus in the Bible?
Meet the enslaved man whom the gospel transformed into Paul’s spiritual child, trusted coworker, and Philemon’s beloved brother in Christ.
Who Was Philemon in the Bible?
Meet Paul’s beloved coworker and host of a house church—the influential Christian challenged to let the gospel transform how he used power and received Onesimus.
Who Were Apphia and Archippus in Philemon?
Discover the Christian sister and fellow soldier named alongside Philemon, and why their inclusion made Paul’s appeal personal but not merely private.
Continue Your Study
Go Deeper in Philemon
Want to study the entire letter? Explore Foundations, Leader Commentary, Deep Roots, Understanding the Bible studies, the guided journal, and additional resources through the complete Philemon study hub.
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