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Paul the Apostle
c. AD 5 – c. 64· Founder, prophet or teacher· Judaism, Christianity & Islam
Mostly agreed by scholarsMost historians agree; some details uncertain.
A Jewish Pharisee who turned from persecuting Jesus' followers to become Christianity's most influential early missionary and writer.
See it on the World Religions map →What it is
Born Saul in Tarsus, in today's Turkey, he was a Roman citizen and a Pharisee, a strict interpreter of Jewish law. He first persecuted the movement. Around AD 33–36, by his own account, the risen Jesus appeared to him; Acts sets it on the road to Damascus. Over some 25 years he traveled thousands of miles through Asia Minor and Greece, founding churches and writing letters to them. He argued that non-Jews could join without circumcision. Tradition holds he was executed in Rome under Nero.
Why it matters
He helped turn a Jewish sect into a movement open to all peoples. His letters are the oldest Christian writings and shaped teaching on grace, faith and the church.
Life, legacy and sources
Seven letters that nearly all scholars accept as his, including Romans and Galatians, plus the Acts of the Apostles. Six more letters bear his name, but their authorship is disputed.
Questions and debates
Historians debate how far Paul reshaped Jesus' message, how well Acts matches his letters, and how and when he died.
Connections (5)
▸Paul the Apostle called believers heirs of Abraham, shared ancestor of Jews, Christians and MuslimsHistorical record
The connection
Paul argued that Abraham was counted righteous for trusting God before he was circumcised, so he is the father of all who have faith, Jew or Gentile. 'If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to the promise,' he wrote, making a Jewish patriarch the ancestor of non-Jewish Christians too.
When and where
Paul's letters to the Galatians (c. AD 48–55) and the Romans (c. 57), especially Galatians 3 and Romans 4, written to mixed Jewish and Gentile congregations.
Historical evidence
Both letters are among the seven that nearly all scholars accept as Paul's own; the argument is spelled out in the texts themselves.
Questions and debates
Scholars debate whether Paul meant to replace Jewish identity or to widen Abraham's family, a question central to the 'New Perspective on Paul' since the 1970s.
▸Resurrection of Jesus (Easter) inspired Paul the ApostleFaith & scripture
The connection
Paul writes that the risen Jesus appeared to him 'last of all', turning him from persecutor into apostle. In Christian belief that encounter launched his mission. For Paul, the resurrection proved that Jesus was God's Son and promised that believers too would rise, a theme at the heart of his letters, especially 1 Corinthians 15.
When and where
Near Damascus, Syria, c. AD 33–36. Acts describes a blinding light on the road; Paul's own letters say only that Jesus 'appeared' to him.
How do we know?
Paul's own letters (Galatians 1, 1 Corinthians 15) attest his claim and his dramatic change; the appearance itself is a matter of faith.
Questions and debates
What Paul experienced, a vision, an inner revelation or a bodily appearance, is debated, as are differences among the three accounts in Acts.
▸Paul the Apostle spread the message of Jesus of NazarethMostly agreed by scholars
The connection
Paul never met Jesus before the crucifixion but preached him as the risen Messiah and Lord. Over about 25 years of travel he founded churches in cities such as Corinth, Philippi, Thessalonica and Ephesus, focusing on Jesus' death and resurrection more than his sayings. He carried the movement deep into the Gentile, Greek-speaking world.
When and where
Asia Minor, Greece and finally Rome, c. AD 35–64; his companions included Barnabas, Silas and Timothy.
How do we know?
Paul's letters to these churches and the Acts of the Apostles; his letters mention meeting Peter and James, Jesus' brother, in Jerusalem.
Questions and debates
Scholars debate whether Paul faithfully carried Jesus' message or transformed it; his letters quote Jesus' sayings only a few times.
▸Paul the Apostle wrote the earliest books of New TestamentHistorical record
The connection
Thirteen of the New Testament's 27 books are letters bearing Paul's name, written to churches and coworkers to settle disputes, teach and encourage. His seven undisputed letters, from about AD 50–60, predate the Gospels, making them the oldest Christian writings. Collected by about 100, they became scripture and shaped Christian doctrine.
When and where
Written c. AD 50–60 from cities such as Corinth and Ephesus, some from prison; a first collection circulated by about AD 100.
Historical evidence
1 Clement (c. 96) already quotes 1 Corinthians; the papyrus P46, c. 200, holds a collection; style and content mark seven letters as genuine.
Questions and debates
Whether Paul wrote Ephesians, Colossians, 2 Thessalonians and the Pastoral letters (1–2 Timothy, Titus) is debated; many scholars think followers wrote them in his name.
▸Paul the Apostle preached to worshippers of Greek gods of OlympusHistorical record
The connection
Paul's converts were largely Gentiles who had worshipped the traditional gods; he praised the Thessalonians for turning 'from idols to serve a living and true God'. Acts tells of him in Athens, speaking about an altar 'to an unknown god', and in Lystra, where locals hailed him and Barnabas as Hermes and Zeus.
When and where
Greek cities of Asia Minor and Greece, including Athens, Corinth and Ephesus, c. AD 45–60.
Historical evidence
Paul's own letters describe converts from idol worship; the Athens and Lystra scenes come from Acts, whose historical detail is debated.
Questions and debates
Whether Paul really gave the Athens speech as Acts reports, or its author composed it, is debated.