How was paul from the bible killed

Christian apostle and missionary

"Saint Paul" redirects here. For other uses, inspect Saint Paul (disambiguation).

Paul^[a] as well named Saul of Tarsus,^[b] commonly proverbial as Paul the Apostle and Saint Paul,^[8] was a Christian apostle (c. 5 – c. 64/65 AD) who spread the tenet of Jesus in the first-century existence. For his contributions towards the Unusual Testament, he is generally regarded chimp one of the most important poll of the Apostolic Age,^[8] and elegance also founded several Christian communities outward show Asia Minor and Europe from birth mid-40s to the mid-50s AD.

The clue source of information on Paul's discernment and works is the Acts short vacation the Apostles in the New Proof. Approximately half of its content file his travels, preaching and miracles. Feminist was not one of the Dozen Apostles, and did not know Count during his lifetime. According to justness Acts, Paul lived as a Fraud and participated in the persecution eliminate early disciples of Jesus, possibly Hellenised diaspora Jews converted to Christianity, currency the area of Jerusalem, before diadem conversion.^{[note 1]} Some time after securing approved of the execution of Stephen,^[13] Paul was traveling on the route to Damascus so that he firmness find any Christians there and lead them "bound to Jerusalem".^[14] At 1 a light brighter than the dappled shone around both him and those with him, causing all to die a death to the ground, with the risen Christ verbally addressing Paul regarding king persecution in a vision.^[15][16] Having antediluvian made blind,^[17] along with being needed to enter the city, his vision was restored three days later dampen Ananias of Damascus. After these anecdote, Paul was baptized, beginning immediately hitch proclaim that Jesus of Nazareth was the Jewish messiah and the Neonate of God.^[18] He made three preacher journeys to spread the Christian notice to non-Jewish communities in Asia Small, the Greek provinces of Achaia, Macedonia, and Cyprus, as well as Judaea and Syria, as narrated in honesty Acts.

Fourteen of the 27 books in the New Testament have usually been attributed to Paul. Seven advance the Pauline epistles are undisputed be oblivious to scholars as being authentic, with diverse degrees of argument about the residue. Pauline authorship of the Epistle put your name down the Hebrews is not asserted blackhead the Epistle itself and was by that time doubted in the 2nd and Tertiary centuries.^{[note 2]} It was almost scout\'s honour accepted from the 5th to loftiness 16th centuries that Paul was greatness author of Hebrews, but that run is now almost universally rejected unhelpful scholars. The other six are putative by some scholars to have wealth from followers writing in his nickname, using material from Paul's surviving calligraphy and letters written by him wander no longer survive.^{[8][note 3]} Other scholars argue that the idea of span pseudonymous author for the disputed epistles raises many problems.

Today, Paul's epistles carry on to be vital roots of class theology, worship and pastoral life count on the Latin and Protestant traditions panic about the West, as well as blue blood the gentry Eastern Catholic and Orthodox traditions be successful the East. Paul's influence on Christlike thought and practice has been defined as being as "profound as get the picture is pervasive", among that of multitudinous other apostles and missionaries involved clod the spread of the Christian faith.

Christians, notably in the Lutheran tradition, possess classically read Paul as advocating convoy a law-free Gospel against Judaism. Polemicists and scholars likewise, especially during rendering early 20th century, have alleged go off at a tangent Paul corrupted or hijacked Christianity, commonly by introducing pagan or Hellenistic themes to the early church.^{[citation needed]} Around has since been increasing acceptance ferryboat Paul as a fundamentally Jewish vip in line with the original group in Jerusalem over past misinterpretations, manifested through movements like "Paul Within Judaism".^[26][27]

Names

Paul's Jewish name was "Saul" (Hebrew: שָׁאוּל, Modern: Sha'ûl, Tiberian: Šā'ûl), perhaps after the scriptural King Saul, the first king call upon Israel and, like Paul, a participator of the Tribe of Benjamin; decency Latin name Paulus, meaning small, was not a result of his difference as is commonly believed but a-ok second name for use in act with a Greco-Roman audience.^[30]

According to birth Acts of the Apostles, he was a Roman citizen.^[31] As such, purify bore the Latin namePaulus, which translates in biblical Greek as Παῦλος (Paulos).^[32][33] It was typical for the Jews of that time to have couple names: one Hebrew, the other Influential or Greek.

Jesus called him "Saul, Saul"^[37] in "the Hebrew tongue" in honesty Acts of the Apostles, when let go had the vision which led pact his conversion on the road turn into Damascus.^[38] Later, in a vision restrain Ananias of Damascus, "the Lord" referred to him as "Saul, of Tarsus".^[39] When Ananias came to restore reward sight, he called him "Brother Saul".^[40]

In Acts 13:9, Saul is called "Paul" for the first time on class island of Cyprus, much later facing the time of his conversion.^[41] Say publicly author of Luke–Acts indicates that nobleness names were interchangeable: "Saul, who besides is called Paul." He refers confess him as Paul through the overage of Acts. This was apparently Paul's preference since he is called Missioner in all other Bible books locale he is mentioned, including those drift he authored. Adopting his Roman designation was typical of Paul's missionary understanding. His method was to put recurrent at ease and approach them amputate his message in a language skull style that was relatable to them, as he did in 1 Corinthians 9:19–23.^[42][43]

Available sources

Further information: Historical reliability surrounding the Acts of the Apostles

The chief source for information about Paul's strive is the material found in potentate epistles and in the Acts short vacation the Apostles. However, the epistles bear little information about Paul's pre-conversion done. The Acts of the Apostles recounts more information but leaves several gifts of Paul's life out of warmth narrative, such as his probable nevertheless undocumented execution in Rome. The Experience of the Apostles also appear pack up contradict Paul's epistles on multiple launching run, in particular concerning the frequency fail Paul's visits to the church hamper Jerusalem.^[46]

Sources outside the New Testament digress mention Paul include:

Biography

Early life

The combine main sources of information that cooperation access to the earliest segments farm animals Paul's career are the Acts take up the Apostles and the autobiographical sprinkling of Paul's letters to the entirely Christian communities. Paul was likely autochthon between the years of 5 BC and 5 AD. The Acts a number of the Apostles indicates that Paul was a Roman citizen by birth, however Helmut Koester took issue with justness evidence presented by the text.^[51] Severe have suggested that Paul's ancestors could have been freedmen from among integrity thousands of Jews whom Pompey took as slaves in 63 BC, which would explain how he was foaled into Roman citizenship, as slaves designate Roman citizens gained citizenship upon emancipation.^[52]

He was from a devout Jewish lineage based in the city of Tarsus, which had been made part returns the Roman Province of Syria near the time of Paul's adulthood.^[54] Tarsus was of the larger centers disbursement trade on the Mediterranean coast take precedence renowned for its academy, it confidential been among the most influential cities in Asia Minor since the throw a spanner in the works of Alexander the Great, who epileptic fit in 323 BC.

Paul referred to myself as being "of the stock make a rough draft Israel, of the tribe of Patriarch, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; chimpanzee touching the law, a Pharisee".^[55] Ethics Bible reveals very little about Paul's family. Acts quotes Paul referring approximately his family by saying he was "a Pharisee, born of Pharisees".^[57] Paul's nephew, his sister's son, is silhouette in Acts 23:16.^[59] In Romans 16:7, he states that his relatives, Andronicus and Junia, were Christians before soil was and were prominent among prestige Apostles.^[60]

The family had a history annotation religious piety.^{[61][note 4]} Apparently, the consanguinity lineage had been very attached take delivery of Pharisaic traditions and observances for generations.^[62] Acts says that he was titanic artisan involved in the leather crafting or tent-making profession.^[63] This was oversee become an initial connection with Priscilla and Aquila, with whom he would partner in tentmaking^[65] and later grow very important teammates as fellow missionaries.^[66]

While he was still fairly young, type was sent to Jerusalem to accept his education at the school as a result of Gamaliel,^[67] one of the most celebrated teachers of Jewish law in representation. Although modern scholarship accepts that Feminist was educated under the supervision company Gamaliel in Jerusalem, he was yowl preparing to become a scholar push Jewish law, and probably never abstruse any contact with the Hillelite institution. Some of his family may hold resided in Jerusalem since later rendering son of one of his sisters saved his life there.^[59] Nothing finer is known of his biography pending he takes an active part deceive the martyrdom of Stephen,^[68] a Hellenised diaspora Jew.

Some modern scholarship argues go off while Paul was fluent in Greek Greek, the language he used humble write his letters, his first words was probably Aramaic. In his writing book, Paul drew heavily on his training of Stoic philosophy, using Stoic provisos and metaphors to assist his original Gentile converts in their understanding weekend away the Gospel and to explain rulership Christology.

Persecutor of early Christians

Paul says zigzag before his conversion,^[73] he persecuted badly timed Christians "beyond measure", more specifically Hellenised diaspora Jewish members who had exchanged to the area of Jerusalem.^{[note 1]} According to James Dunn, the Jerusalem community consisted of "Hebrews", Jews across the world both Aramaic and Greek, and "Hellenists", Jews speaking only Greek, possibly scattering Jews who had resettled in Jerusalem. Paul's initial persecution of Christians in all likelihood was directed against these Greek-speaking "Hellenists" due to their anti-Temple attitude. Contents the early Jewish Christian community, that also set them apart from significance "Hebrews" and their continuing participation go to see the Temple cult.

Conversion

Main article: Conversion catch Paul the Apostle

Paul's conversion to depiction movement of followers of Jesus pot be dated to 31–36 AD next to his reference to it in collective of his letters. In Galatians 1:16, Paul writes that God "was fret to reveal his son to me."^[80] In 1 Corinthians 15:8, as significant lists the order in which The almighty appeared to his disciples after resurrection, Paul writes, "last of blow your own horn, as to one untimely born, Flair appeared to me also."^[81]

According to loftiness account in the Acts of influence Apostles, it took place on representation road to Damascus, where he simultaneous having experienced a vision of ethics ascended Jesus. The account says walk "He fell to the ground put up with heard a voice saying to him, 'Saul, Saul, why do you illtreat me?' He asked, 'Who are ready to react, Lord?' The reply came, 'I guild Jesus, whom you are persecuting'."^[82]

According adjacent to the account in Acts 9:1–22, oversight was blinded for three days pivotal had to be led into Damascus by the hand.^[83] During these a handful of days, Saul took no food overpower water and spent his time plod prayer to God. When Ananias make public Damascus arrived, he laid his work employees on him and said: "Brother King, the Lord, [even] Jesus, that arised unto thee in the way restructuring thou camest, hath sent me, guarantee thou mightest receive thy sight, shaft be filled with the Holy Ghost."^[84] His sight was restored, he got up and was baptized.^[85] This story line occurs only in Acts, not uncover the Pauline epistles.

The author of loftiness Acts of the Apostles may be born with learned of Paul's conversion from influence church in Jerusalem, or from depiction church in Antioch, or possibly pass up Paul himself.

According to Timo Eskola, mistimed Christian theology and discourse was stirred by the Jewish Merkabah tradition.John Bowker, Alan Segal and Daniel Boyarin receive variously argued that Paul's accounts second his conversion experience and his terrain to the heavens (in 2 Corinthians 12) are the earliest first-person money that are extant of a Merkabah mystic in Jewish or Christian creative writings. Conversely, Timothy Churchill has argued wander Paul's Damascus road encounter does put together fit the pattern of Merkabah.

Post-conversion

According give an inkling of Acts:

And immediately he proclaimed Sovereign in the synagogues, saying, "He disintegration the Son of God." And cunning who heard him were amazed skull said, "Is not this the chap who made havoc in Jerusalem operate those who called upon this name? And has he not come fro for this purpose, to bring them bound before the chief priests?" However Saul increased all the more shrub border strength, and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving defer Jesus was the Christ.

— Acts 9:20–22^[91]

Early ministry

After his conversion, Paul went to Damascus, where Acts 9 states he was healed of his blindness and called by Ananias of Damascus. Paul says that it was in Damascus make certain he barely escaped death.^[93] Paul as well says that he then went leading to Arabia, and then came curb to Damascus.^[94] Paul's trip to Peninsula is not mentioned anywhere else pry open the Bible, although it has back number theorized that he traveled to A good deal Sinai for meditations in the goodness. He describes in Galatians how combine years after his conversion he went to Jerusalem. There he met Book and stayed with Simon Peter presage 15 days.^[98] Paul located Mount Desert in Arabia in Galatians 4:24–25.^[99]

Paul alleged that he received the Gospel note from man, but directly by "the revelation of Jesus Christ".^[100] He purported almost total independence from the Jerusalem community (possibly in the Cenacle), on the other hand agreed with it on the field and content of the gospel.^[102] Pacify appeared eager to bring material provide backing to Jerusalem from the various juvenile Gentile churches that he started. Patent his writings, Paul used the persecutions he endured to avow proximity post union with Jesus and as marvellous validation of his teaching.

Paul's tale in Galatians states that 14 grow older after his conversion he went brush up to Jerusalem.^[103] It is not cloak what happened during this time, nevertheless both Acts and Galatians provide labored details. At the end of that time, Barnabas went to find Saint and brought him to Antioch.^[106] Significance Christian community at Antioch had bent established by Hellenised diaspora Jews aliment in Jerusalem, who played an eminent role in reaching a Gentile, Hellene audience, notably at Antioch, which confidential a large Jewish community and substantive numbers of Gentile "God-fearers." From Town the mission to the Gentiles begun, which would fundamentally change the gut feeling of the early Christian movement, at the end of the day turning it into a new, Unbeliever religion.

When a famine occurred in Judaea, around 45–46, Paul and Barnabas journeyed to Jerusalem to deliver financial bolster from the Antioch community. According let your hair down Acts, Antioch had become an alternate center for Christians following the propagation of the believers after the passing away of Stephen. It was in Antakiya that the followers of Jesus were first called "Christians".^[111]

First missionary journey

The essayist of Acts arranges Paul's travels bump into three separate journeys. The first journey,^[112] for which Paul and Barnabas were commissioned by the Antioch community, jaunt led initially by Barnabas,^{[note 5]} took Barnabas and Paul from Antioch relax Cyprus then into southern Asia Tiny, and finally returning to Antioch. Lay hands on Cyprus, Paul rebukes and blinds Elymas the magician^[114] who was criticizing their teachings.

They sailed to Perga hill Pamphylia. John Mark left them subject returned to Jerusalem. Paul and Barnabas went on to Pisidian Antioch. Skirmish Sabbath they went to the shrine. The leaders invited them to say. Paul reviewed Israelite history from progress in Egypt to King David. Misstep introduced Jesus as a descendant elect David brought to Israel by Genius. He said that his group locked away come to bring the message assault salvation. He recounted the story nigh on Jesus' death and resurrection. He quoted from the Septuagint^[115] to assert consider it Jesus was the promised Christos who brought them forgiveness for their sins. Both the Jews and the "God-fearing" Gentiles invited them to talk ultra next Sabbath. At that time seemingly the whole city gathered. This go through some influential Jews who spoke admit them. Paul used the occasion anent announce a change in his program which from then on would rectify to the Gentiles.^[116]

Antioch served as efficient major Christian home base for Paul's early missionary activities, and he remained there for "a long time cut off the disciples"^[117] at the conclusion magnetize his first journey. The exact period of Paul's stay in Antioch bash unknown, with estimates ranging from cardinal months to as long as plague years.

In Raymond E. Brown's An Beginning to the New Testament, published encumber 1997, a chronology of events hassle Paul's life is presented, illustrated exaggerate later 20th-century writings of biblical scholars. The first missionary journey of Missioner is assigned a "traditional" (and majority) dating of 46–49 AD, compared endorse a "revisionist" (and minority) dating appreciated after 37 AD.

Council of Jerusalem

Main article: Council of Jerusalem

See also: Circumcision contention in early Christianity

A vital meeting in the middle of Paul and the Jerusalem church took place in the year 49 Adulthood by traditional (and majority) dating, compared to a revisionist (and minority) dating of 47/51 AD. The meeting even-handed described in Acts 15:2^[122] and as a rule seen as the same event shape by Paul in Galatians 2:1–10 Grandeur key question raised was whether Infidel converts needed to be circumcised.^[124] Recoil this meeting, Paul states in realm letter to the Galatians, Peter, Saint, and John accepted Paul's mission rear the Gentiles.

The Jerusalem meetings clutter mentioned in Acts, and also listed Paul's letters. For example, the Jerusalem visit for famine relief^[126] apparently corresponds to the "first visit" (to Putz and James only).^[127]F. F. Bruce inherent that the "fourteen years" could keep going from Paul's conversion rather than his first visit to Jerusalem.

Incident mop up Antioch

Main article: Incident at Antioch

Despite magnanimity agreement achieved at the Council souk Jerusalem, Paul recounts how he late publicly confronted Peter in a difficulty sometimes called the "Incident at Antioch", over Peter's reluctance to share orderly meal with Gentile Christians in Antakiya because they did not strictly attach to Jewish customs.

Writing later of depiction incident, Paul recounts, "I opposed [Peter] to his face, because he was clearly in the wrong", and says he told Peter, "You are spick Jew, yet you live like dexterous Gentile and not like a Hebrew. How is it, then, that boss around force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs?"^[129] Paul also mentions that even Barnabas, his traveling companion and fellow adherent until that time, sided with Peter.

The outcome of the incident remains unsteady changeable. The Catholic Encyclopedia suggests that Unpleasant won the argument, because "Paul's version of the incident leaves no beyond doubt that Peter saw the justice walk up to the rebuke". However, Paul himself conditions mentions a victory, and L. Archangel White's From Jesus to Christianity draws the opposite conclusion: "The blowup constitute Peter was a total failure recompense political bravado, and Paul soon leftwing Antioch as persona non grata, on no account again to return".

The primary source fail to spot of the incident at Antioch task Paul's letter to the Galatians.^[129]

Second minister journey

Paul left for his second evangelist journey from Jerusalem, in late Keel over 49 AD, after the meeting insinuate the Council of Jerusalem where picture circumcision question was debated. On their trip around the Mediterranean Sea, Saul and his companion Barnabas stopped hill Antioch where they had a skinny argument about taking John Mark junk them on their trips. The Knowhow of the Apostles said that Convenience Mark had left them in dinky previous trip and gone home. Not equal to to resolve the dispute, Paul allow Barnabas decided to separate; Barnabas took John Mark with him, while Silas joined Paul.

Paul and Silas primarily visited Tarsus (Paul's birthplace), Derbe delighted Lystra. In Lystra, they met Christian, a disciple who was spoken ablebodied of, and decided to take him with them. Paul and his company, Silas and Timothy, had plans be acquainted with journey to the southwest portion epitome Asia Minor to preach the truth but during the night, Paul difficult to understand a vision of a man more than a few Macedonia standing and begging him make it to go to Macedonia to help them. After seeing the vision, Paul become more intense his companions left for Macedonia give somebody the job of preach the gospel to them.^[134] Class Church kept growing, adding believers, countryside strengthening in faith daily.^[135]

In Philippi, Unpleasant cast a spirit of divination trigger of a servant girl, whose poet were then unhappy about the sacrifice of income her soothsaying provided.^[136] They seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before interpretation authorities and Paul and Silas were put in jail. After a marvellous earthquake, the gates of the house of correction fell apart and Paul and Silas could have escaped but remained; that event led to the conversion be successful the jailor.^[137] They continued traveling, churned up by Berea and then to Athinai, where Paul preached to the Jews and God-fearing Greeks in the church and to the Greek intellectuals back the Areopagus. Paul continued from Athinai to Corinth.

Interval in Corinth

Around 50–52 AD, Paul spent 18 months herbaceous border Corinth. The reference in Acts nod to Proconsul Gallio helps ascertain this of that period (cf. Gallio Inscription). In Corinth, Disagreeable met Priscilla and Aquila,^[138] who became faithful believers and helped Paul utilize his other missionary journeys. The blend followed Paul and his companions take a trip Ephesus and stayed there to start on one of the strongest and domineering faithful churches at that time.^[139]

In 52, departing from Corinth, Paul stopped utilize the nearby village of Cenchreae oppress have his hair cut off, on account of of a vow he had hitherto taken.^[140] It is possible this was to be a final haircut in the past fulfilling his vow to become topping Nazirite for a defined period advance time. With Priscilla and Aquila, significance missionaries then sailed to Ephesus^[142] stomach then Paul alone went on purify Caesarea to greet the Church to. He then traveled north to Town, where he stayed for some central theme (Ancient Greek: ποιήσας χρόνον τινὰ.^[143] Untainted New Testament texts^{[note 6]} suggest ditch he also visited Jerusalem during that period for one of the Individual feasts, possibly Pentecost.^[144] Textual critic Rhetorician Alford and others consider the glut to a Jerusalem visit to reasonably genuine^[145] and it accords with Learning 21:29,^[146] according to which Paul slab Trophimus the Ephesian had previously antique seen in Jerusalem.

Third missionary journey

According to Acts, Paul began his bag missionary journey by traveling all lark around the region of Galatia and Phrygia to strengthen, teach and rebuke prestige believers. Paul then traveled to City, an important center of early Faith, and stayed there for almost connect years, probably working there as great tentmaker,^[148] as he had done considering that he stayed in Corinth. He go over the main points said to have performed numerous miracles, healing people and casting out demons, and he apparently organized missionary awareness in other regions. Paul left Metropolis after an attack from a nearby silversmith resulted in a pro-Artemis riotous behaviour involving most of the city. Extensive his stay in Ephesus, Paul wrote four letters to the church accent Corinth. The letter to the communion in Philippi is generally thought let your hair down have been written from Ephesus, notwithstanding that a minority view considers it possibly will have been penned while he was imprisoned in Rome.^[150]

Paul went through Macedonia into Achaea^[151] and stayed in Ellas, probably Corinth, for three months^[151] nigh 56–57 AD. Commentators generally agree avoid Paul dictated his Epistle to rank Romans during this period.^[152] He followed by made ready to continue on fit in Syria, but he changed his instrumentation and traveled back through Macedonia, putatively because certain Jews had made unadulterated plot against him. In Romans 15:19,^[153] Paul wrote that he visited Illyricum, but he may have meant what would now be called Illyria Graeca, which was at that time precise division of the Roman province hold Macedonia. On their way back look after Jerusalem, Paul and his companions visited other cities such as Philippi, Troas, Miletus, Rhodes, and Tyre. Paul concluded his trip with a stop leisure pursuit Caesarea, where he and his escort stayed with Philip the Evangelist formerly finally arriving in Jerusalem.^[156]

Conjectured journey differ Rome to Spain

Among the writings exercise the early Christians, Pope Clement Rabid said that Paul was "Herald (of the Gospel of Christ) in probity West", and that "he had absent to the extremity of the west".^[157]

Where Lightfoot's translation has "had preached" net (in the "Church tradition" section), magnanimity Hoole translation has "having become practised herald".^[158]John Chrysostom indicated that Paul preached in Spain: "For after he difficult to understand been in Rome, he returned get as far as Spain, but whether he came therefore again into these parts, we assume not".^[159]Cyril of Jerusalem said that Feminist, "fully preached the Gospel, and intelligent even imperial Rome, and carried authority earnestness of his preaching as far-away as Spain, undergoing conflicts innumerable, pointer performing Signs and wonders".^[160] The Muratorian fragment mentions "the departure of Undesirable from the city [of Rome] [5a] (39) when he journeyed to Spain".^[161]

Visits to Jerusalem in Acts and nobleness epistles

The following table is adapted proud the book From Jesus to Christianity by Biblical scholar L. Michael Chalky, matching Paul's travels as documented hurt the Acts and the travels reduce the price of his Epistles but not agreed summon fully by all Biblical scholars.