Scripture Compass
Who's Who
Painterly portrait of a balding middle-aged Jewish man with a dark beard, holding a scroll and quill, robed in earth tones.
Painterly interpretation — not a historical likeness.

New Testament

Paul (Saul of Tarsus)

Persecutor turned missionary — the apostle who took the gospel to the Gentiles.

Well-attestedc. AD 5 – c. AD 64/67

Their story, briefly

  1. Trained Pharisee under Gamaliel; persecuted the first Christians.
  2. Met the risen Christ on the road to Damascus; baptized and called as an apostle.
  3. Made three major missionary journeys; planted churches across the Roman Empire.
  4. Wrote thirteen New Testament letters, including Romans, Corinthians, and Galatians.
  5. Arrested, tried before Caesar, traditionally martyred in Rome under Nero.

Key passages

  • Acts 9:1-19
  • Romans 1:16-17
  • Galatians 2:20
  • Philippians 3:7-11
  • 2 Timothy 4:6-8

How their life points to Christ

Paul is the proof that grace can reach anyone. The man who hunted Christians became the apostle who said 'for me, to live is Christ.' His letters are the clearest explanation of the gospel in Scripture.

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More from Scripture

Painterly portrait of a weathered Galilean fisherman with gray-streaked beard, robed in linen and earth tones, fishing nets in the background.

Peter (Simon)

Galilean fisherman who became the bold, broken-and-restored apostle.

Painterly portrait of an elderly Galilean man with a soft white beard, robed in cream and deep red, holding a scroll.

John the Apostle

The 'disciple Jesus loved' — fisherman who became the apostle of love.