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A:The reference to 'Saul of Tarsus' belongs purely in Acts of the Apostles. Paul himself never mentions having been called Saul, nor mentions the city of Tarsus. In fact, he seems to have travelled in the region of Tarsus without bothering to preach there. This does not necessarily mean that the name Saul was a literary invention on the part of the author of Acts, but it is possible.


Josephus described a member of the Herodian family named Saulus, which was not a common name at the time. Saulus played a key role in the events leading up to the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple.

In

Antiquities,Josephustalked of a riot in Jerusalem, led by Saulus, after the stoning of James. Directly following the stoning of James, Josephus described Saulus and Costobarus leading a band of thugs in rioting in Jerusalem, which seems to have involved stealing the tithes of the Poorer Priests on behalf of the Rich High Priests. It also appears that Saulus slipped out of Jerusalem and led the delegation to Agrippa II that wished to invite the Romans into the city to suppress the Uprising.Josephus has Saulus go to see Nero in 66 CE, in Corinth, to inform him of the situation in Palestine. This Saulus was not our Paul, but would have been well known in the late first century and regarded as thoroughly disreputable. Nevertheless, there is so much similarity between this historical account and the story in Actsof the young Saul, that it is possible that the author mistook the two characters. If we replace James in Antiquities by Stephen in Acts, the parallels are uncanny.

Acts says that Saul was born in Tarsus, a Herodian and a Roman citizen. He studied in Jerusalem under the great Gamaliel and was present at the trial of Stephen. His name was changed to Paul on the first missionary journey. Once again, this missionary journey is missing from Paul's own epistles, and he gives an entirely different account of his itinerary.

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Q: Who was Saul of Tarsus before he became Paul?
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Related questions

What was Saint Paul's name before he became a Christian?

Saul of Tarsus


What was Saul of Tarsus' job after his conversion?

After his conversion, Saul of Tarsus, who later became known as the apostle Paul, dedicated his life to preaching the teachings of Jesus Christ. He traveled extensively, establishing churches and spreading the message of Christianity throughout the Roman Empire. He wrote many of the letters, or epistles, that are now part of the New Testament.


What was Saint Paul's name before he was known as Paul?

He was called Saul of Tarsus.


What is the whole name for St. Paul?

Before his conversion he was known as Saul of Tarsus.


By what name is Paul of Tarsus known before he begins his missionary activity?

Paul was called Saul in the beginning.


Before this saint became a Christian he was called Saul?

Before Paul became a Christian he was called Saul. When he became a Christian his name was changed from Saul to Paul


Is Paul of Samosata and Paul Saul of Tarsus the same?

No, Paul of Samosata and Paul Saul of Tarsus are not the same person. Paul of Samosata was a bishop of Antioch in the 3rd century who held unorthodox views on the nature of Jesus, while Paul of Tarsus, known as Saint Paul, was an apostle and early Christian missionary who wrote many of the New Testament letters.


Who was Paul before he became an apostle?

He was a young pharisee, a Jew who was also a Roman citizen by birth, called Saul from Tarsus who by profession was a tent maker. He became one of Christianity's greatest opponents before his conversion to it.


Aspostle paul's real name?

SAul of Tarsus?


Which saint was originally known as Saul?

Saint Paul was formerly known as Saul of Tarsus.


This is the post conversion name of Saul of Tarsus who served as a tireless missionary in spreading Christianity's message?

Paul was the new name of Saul of Tarsus.


What is St. Paul's former name?

Paul was previously known as Saul of Tarsus.