Paul is regarded, along with St. Peter, as one of the two leading apostles of Christianity. He was probably the most influential person in defining Christianity, prior to the authorship of Mark's Gospel around 70 CE.
In his epistles, Paul says that he persecuted Christians until God chose to reveal Jesus in him, after which he went straight away to Arabia (Petrea) and then to Damascus. The extent of his persecution is not known, at least from his epistles, but Acts of the Apostles, written some decades after his death, portrays him as a ruthless and dedicated persecutor and says that Paul had been known as Saul until some time after his conversion.
We know little about Paul's religious views or theology. Clues in the epistles suggest that he was somewhat gnostic but, even if he was, his importance to Christianity means that Catholic-Orthodox Christians had to claim him as their own. Consistent with Gnosticism, he said that he received the gospel from no man, but by revelation.
He did not seem to realise that Jesus was a man who lived and died in Palestine in the recent past, and seems to have understood the resurrection and ascension to heaven as being the same event. Paul says that Jesus was seen by Cephas (Peter), then the twelve, then by more than 500, most of whom were still alive, then by James and all the apostles, and finally by himself. Reference to the "twelve" means that, for Paul, Judas had not defected from the group. Reference to "all the apostles" indicates that for Paul, the apostles constituted a much larger group than the "twelve". To Paul, all these appearances seem to have been purely spiritual, like the spiritual appearance to himself. There seems to be no way to harmonise Paul's reference to the 500 with the gospel accounts.
There is no apostle named John Paul. There is an apostle named John and another apostle named Paul.
He called himself the Apostle to the Gentiles.
There is no apostle named John Paul. There is an apostle named John and another apostle named Paul.
Paul wasn't stoned - he was beheaded.
Yes, Paul from the New Testament is considered to be an Apostle. He is often referred to as the "Apostle Paul" and played a significant role in spreading Christianity throughout the Roman Empire.
OpinionI would say Apostle Paul wherever I use 'Apostle' as a title, in the same way as I would say Mr Smith, with 'Mr' capitalised. Less frequently, I would write 'apostle' uncapitalised if I did not intend it as a title, for example where 'apostle' is the subject of the sentence, and Paul is addressed. Use capitals to be on the safe side.
Luke was a companion of Paul, and not a apostle.
No, the Apostle Paul was not a Sadducee. He was a Pharisee before his conversion to Christianity.
no
he was not
No
mr and ms paul