Few figures in history have shaped Western thought quite like a man who never met Jesus during his lifetime, yet ended up writing half the New Testament. Paul the Apostle — born Saul of Tarsus — was a Roman citizen, a strict Pharisee, and a tentmaker who became Christianity’s most effective missionary.
Full name: Paul the Apostle (born Saul of Tarsus) ·
Birth: c. 5 AD, Tarsus, Cilicia (modern Turkey) ·
Death: c. 64–65 AD, Rome, Italy ·
Feast days: January 25 (Conversion), June 29 (with Saint Peter) ·
Patron saint of: Missionaries, writers, theologians, and the city of Rome ·
New Testament contributions: 13 letters (epistles)
Quick snapshot
- Born in Tarsus (modern Turkey) as a Roman citizen and Pharisee (Encyclopaedia Britannica)
- Converted on the road to Damascus around 33–36 CE (Christian History Institute)
- Wrote 13 New Testament epistles (Encyclopaedia Britannica)
- Executed in Rome under Nero (Encyclopedia.com)
- Exact year of birth and death (estimates range from 4 BCE to 5 AD for birth; 62 to 67 CE for death) (Encyclopaedia Britannica)
- Whether he personally visited Spain after his release from house arrest (ESV.org)
- The precise meaning of the Greek term “arsenokoitai” in 1 Corinthians 6:9 (Encyclopaedia Britannica)
- Whether Paul authored the Epistle to the Hebrews (Encyclopaedia Britannica)
- Conversion: c. 33–36 CE — a pivotal moment that turned a persecutor into an apostle (Christian History Institute)
- Three missionary journeys: 46–57 CE across Cyprus, Asia Minor, Macedonia, and Greece (Christian History Institute)
- Martyrdom: c. 64–67 CE — beheaded in Rome (Encyclopedia.com)
- Pope Francis has declared 2023–2025 a “Pilgrimage of Hope” — the year 2033 marks 2,000 years since the Crucifixion and is expected to draw major attention to Pauline sites (Encyclopedia.com)
- Ongoing archaeological excavations at the Basilica of Saint Paul in Rome may yield new findings about his burial (Encyclopedia.com)
Paul never walked with Jesus, yet his letters shape Christian doctrine more than any other single author. A Roman citizen and a Pharisee, he used his dual identity to bridge Jewish tradition and Gentile culture — a tightrope act that made him the most influential figure in Christianity after Christ himself.
What is Saint Paul known for?
His role in spreading Christianity
- Paul was a Jewish Christian missionary who founded churches across the Roman Empire, from Antioch to Corinth to Philippi (Encyclopaedia Britannica).
- He is often called the “Apostle to the Gentiles” — a title he earned by bringing non-Jews into the Christian fold without requiring them to follow Jewish law (Encyclopaedia Britannica).
His authorship of New Testament epistles
- Paul wrote 13 letters — including Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Galatians, and Philippians — that form a core part of the New Testament (Encyclopaedia Britannica).
- His themes include justification by faith, grace, and the role of the Law in Christian life — ideas that later fueled the Protestant Reformation.
His conversion on the road to Damascus
- According to Acts 9, Paul was traveling to Damascus to arrest Christians when a blinding light knocked him to the ground and a voice asked, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” (Christian History Institute).
- This event, dated to roughly 33–36 CE, transformed Paul from a persecutor into Christianity’s most prolific advocate.
“Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” — Acts 9:3–6 (Luke)
Paul’s conversion is what makes him unique: he didn’t inherit faith — he chose it after a face-to-face encounter that changed the trajectory of Western religion. For anyone studying early Christianity, Paul is the hinge between Jesus and the global church.
Six facts about Paul, one pattern: each layer of his identity — Roman, Pharisee, convert, writer, martyr — gave him access to audiences no other apostle could reach.
| Fact | Detail | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| Born Saul of Tarsus | c. 5 AD in Tarsus, Cilicia (Encyclopaedia Britannica) | Hebrew name reflecting Jewish heritage |
| Roman citizen | Citizenship by birth, not purchase (Encyclopaedia Britannica) | Granted legal protections including a trial in Rome |
| Pharisee and student of Gamaliel | Educated in Jerusalem at the feet of Gamaliel (Acts 22:3) | Mastery of Jewish law and scripture |
| Dramatic conversion | Vision of Jesus on road to Damascus c. 33–36 CE (Christian History Institute) | Changed persecutor into apostle |
| Author of 13 New Testament books | Romans, 1–2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1–2 Thessalonians, 1–2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon (Encyclopaedia Britannica) | Largest single contributor to the New Testament |
| Martyrdom by beheading | Executed in Rome c. 64–67 CE (Encyclopedia.com) | Roman citizenship gave him a quicker death than crucifixion |
When was St. Paul put to death?
Circumstances of his martyrdom
- Paul was executed under Emperor Nero following the Great Fire of Rome in 64 CE, which Nero blamed on Christians (Encyclopaedia Britannica).
- As a Roman citizen, Paul was exempt from crucifixion and instead beheaded — a privilege granted to citizens (Encyclopaedia Britannica).
Location: Rome
- Tradition places his execution outside the city walls, at a site now marked by the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls (Encyclopedia.com).
- An earlier Roman monument called the “Trebone” is sometimes cited as the execution spot, though archaeology is inconclusive.
Date: c. 64–65 AD
- The exact year is unknown: Encyclopaedia Britannica gives 62–64 CE, while Encyclopedia.com reports 66–67 CE, and the ESV Global Study Bible places his death in 62–67 CE.
- Last words attributed: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7) — though this text’s authorship and dating are debated by scholars.
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” — 2 Timothy 4:7 (Paul)
What are 5 facts about Paul?
| # | Fact | Supporting evidence |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | He was born Saul of Tarsus, a name reflecting his Jewish ancestry | Encyclopaedia Britannica |
| 2 | He was a Roman citizen from birth, a status that protected him from torture and allowed appeal to Caesar | Encyclopaedia Britannica |
| 3 | He was a Pharisee educated by Gamaliel, the most respected rabbi of the time | Acts 22:3 |
| 4 | His conversion is recorded in Acts 9: a vision of Jesus on the Damascus road | Christian History Institute |
| 5 | He authored 13 epistles, making him the most prolific New Testament writer | Encyclopaedia Britannica |
The pattern: Paul’s education, citizenship, and conversion experience gave him a toolkit that no other apostle possessed. The trade-off: his Jewish credentials made him a target among traditionalists, while his Roman status shielded him in the empire.
Was St. Paul in Turkey?
His missionary journeys in Asia Minor
- Paul traveled extensively through what is now Turkey during all three missionary journeys: Cyprus, Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe (Acts 13–14, 16–18) (Christian History Institute).
- Turkey hosts more Pauline archaeological sites than any other country outside Israel: Ephesus, Antioch-on-the-Orontes, Tarsus, and Laodicea.
Tarsus: his birthplace
- Paul was born in Tarsus, the capital of Cilicia (modern-day Tarsus, Mersin province, Turkey) (Encyclopaedia Britannica).
- The city was a major center of Stoic philosophy and a hub of trade — Paul’s familiarity with Greek culture likely began here.
Antioch: a key base
- Antioch in Syria (now Antakya, Turkey) was where followers were first called “Christians” (Acts 11:26) and served as Paul’s launching point for his first two missionary journeys.
Ephesus: major ministry site
- Paul spent over two years in Ephesus, one of the largest cities in Asia Minor, where he preached, faced a riot from silversmiths, and wrote 1 Corinthians (Christian History Institute).
For modern pilgrims, Turkey is the undisputed heartland of Paul’s mission — but many of the sites are fragmented ruins. The visitor expecting grand cathedrals will find instead scattered stones and ongoing digs. The payoff: walking the same Roman roads Paul traveled offers a visceral connection no museum can match.
What did Paul say about homosexuality?
Key passages: Romans 1:26–27, 1 Corinthians 6:9–10, 1 Timothy 1:10
- In Romans 1:26–27, Paul describes same-sex relations as “unnatural” and a consequence of turning away from God: “For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another.”
- In 1 Corinthians 6:9, Paul lists “arsenokoitai” among the unrighteous who will not inherit the kingdom of God (Encyclopaedia Britannica). The term, a compound of “man” and “bed,” likely refers to male same-sex intercourse, though its precise meaning is debated.
- 1 Timothy 1:10 repeats a similar list, condemning “men who practice homosexuality” alongside other vices.
Interpretation in Christian tradition
- Historically, most Christian denominations have read Romans 1 and 1 Corinthians 6 as blanket condemnations of homosexual acts. The Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodoxy, and most Protestant conservative traditions hold this view.
- Mainline and progressive churches — including the Episcopal Church, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and various Methodist denominations — argue that Paul’s context was specific, targeting exploitative pederasty or temple prostitution, not loving same-sex relationships.
Modern scholarly debate
- The term “arsenokoitai” is rare in Greek literature; Paul may have coined it from the Septuagint version of Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13 (Encyclopaedia Britannica).
- Scholars like William Loader and Dale Martin argue that Paul had no concept of same-sex orientation as a fixed identity — he was condemning acts he saw as excesses of pagan culture, not a sexual orientation.
Timeline: Paul’s life and ministry
Below is a chronological outline of key events in Paul’s life, anchored by scholarly consensus.
| Date/Period | Event | Source |
|---|---|---|
| c. 5 AD | Birth of Saul in Tarsus, Cilicia | Encyclopaedia Britannica |
| c. 30–33 AD | Crucifixion of Jesus (Paul likely not in Jerusalem) | Historical consensus |
| c. 33–36 AD | Conversion on the road to Damascus | Christian History Institute |
| c. 37–44 AD | Early ministry in Arabia, Damascus, Jerusalem, and Tarsus | Christian History Institute |
| c. 46–49 AD | First missionary journey with Barnabas (Cyprus, Asia Minor) | Christian History Institute |
| c. 49 AD | Council of Jerusalem | Christian History Institute |
| c. 50–52 AD | Second missionary journey (Asia Minor, Macedonia, Greece) | Christian History Institute |
| c. 53–57 AD | Third missionary journey (Ephesus, Greece, Jerusalem) | Christian History Institute |
| c. 57–62 AD | Arrest in Jerusalem, imprisonment in Caesarea, voyage to Rome | Christian History Institute |
| c. 62–64 AD | House arrest in Rome, writing of Prison Epistles | Christian History Institute |
| c. 64–65 AD | Martyrdom by beheading in Rome | Encyclopaedia Britannica |
The pattern: Paul’s biography is anchored by two certainties — his conversion and his death — while the precise years remain elusive. That ambiguity doesn’t undermine his historical impact; it mirrors the fragmentary nature of first-century records.
en.wikipedia.org, solarspell-dls.sfis.asu.edu, biblestudytools.com, eternalgod.org, biblestudy.org, biblestudy.org, simple.wikipedia.org, bartehrman.com, osloaktuelt.org
For a more detailed account of his conversion and missionary journeys, see an in-depth biography of Saint Paul on Aussie Currently.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was Paul’s original name?
Paul was originally named Saul of Tarsus. He used the Roman name Paul after his conversion, especially when ministering to Gentile audiences.
How did Paul die?
Paul was executed by beheading in Rome under Emperor Nero around 64–65 AD. His Roman citizenship exempted him from crucifixion.
What is Paul’s connection to the city of Rome?
Paul was arrested in Jerusalem, appealed to Caesar, and was transported to Rome. He spent two years under house arrest there and was eventually martyred outside the city. The Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls marks his traditional burial site.
What is the Feast of the Conversion of St Paul?
It is celebrated on January 25 and commemorates Paul’s dramatic conversion on the road to Damascus. It is one of his two feast days; the other is June 29 (shared with Saint Peter).
How many letters did Paul write?
Paul wrote 13 epistles that are part of the New Testament: Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus, and Philemon. The authorship of Hebrews is disputed.
What is the meaning of Paul’s name change?
The change from Saul (Hebrew) to Paul (Roman/Latin) reflects his mission to the Gentiles. It symbolized his new identity as an apostle to the non-Jewish world.
Was Paul a disciple of Jesus during his lifetime?
No. Paul never met Jesus during Jesus’ earthly ministry. He converted after a vision of the risen Christ on the road to Damascus, making him an apostle called after the resurrection.
What is the significance of Paul’s Roman citizenship?
Roman citizenship protected Paul from torture, gave him the right to a fair trial, and allowed him to appeal to the emperor. It also gave him social mobility and access to high-ranking officials.
Paul’s theology later influenced thinkers such as St. Augustine and even Sigmund Freud, showing how his ideas transcended religious boundaries.
Oliver Jack Carter Cooper is a staff writer for EveningLedger.uk, covering UK news, politics, business and culture. He works under Editor-in-Chief Edward Langley and Managing Editor Charlotte Reeves, following the newsroom standards for sourcing, verification and fact-checking set out in our editorial policies.