From Saul to Paul

1
From Saul to Paul

• Acts 91-19

2
Previously in Acts
3
Acts 757-60 NASU

• When they had driven him out of the city, they
  began stoning him and the witnesses laid aside
  their robes at the feet of a young man named
  Saul.
• They went on stoning Stephen as he called on the
  Lord and said, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!"
  Then falling on his knees, he cried out with a
  loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against
  them!" Having said this, he fell asleep.

4
Acts 81-3 NASU

• Saul was in hearty agreement with putting him to
  death. And on that day a great persecution began
  against the church in Jerusalem, and they were
  all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and
  Samaria, except the apostles.
• Some devout men buried Stephen, and made loud
  lamentation over him. But Saul began ravaging the
  church, entering house after house, and dragging
  off men and women, he would put them in prison.

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Who Was Saul

• He was from the City of Tarsus in what is now
  Turkey
• (Acts 2139)

6

• Tarsus was located at the northeastern corner of
  the Mediterranean Sea, about 9.5 miles inland
  along the Cydnus River.
• In Paul's day the city was one of the top five
  intellectual centers of the Roman world a
  center for the Stoics. Somewhere between 100,000
  to 500,000 people lived there.

7

• He was a Jew (Acts 2139)
• His father was a Pharisee (Acts 236)
• He was of the tribe of Benjamin (Phil. 35)
• He was a Roman Citizen
• He had learned the trade of Tent-maker
• He was a city kid unlike Jesus or most of the
  Apostles who came from small towns.

8

• He was possibly born around 2 A.D.
• Most likely at the age of 13 went to Jerusalem to
  study under the great Pharisee Gamaliel (Acts
  223)
• He would have become a Rabbi at 30
• So was around 30-35 years old at the time of the
  persecution.

9
Saul the Radical Jew

• He was zealous for God (Acts 223)
• "I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and
  putting both men and women into prisons, as also
  the high priest and all the Council of the elders
  can testify.
• (Acts 224-5)

10
Similar Accounts of His Conversion

• Acts 221-22 Paul shares his testimony or
  defense before the Jews.
• Acts 261-29 He shares his testimony with King
  Agrippa.

11
Acts 91-2 NASU

• Now Saul, still breathing threats and murder
  against the disciples of the Lord, went to the
  high priest, and asked for letters from him to
  the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found
  any belonging to the Way, both men and women, he
  might bring them bound to Jerusalem.

12
Acts 93-6

• As he was traveling, it happened that he was
  approaching Damascus, and suddenly a light from
  heaven flashed around him and he fell to the
  ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul,
  Saul, why are you persecuting Me?"
• And he said, "Who are You, Lord?" And He said, "I
  am Jesus whom you are persecuting, but get up and
  enter the city, and it will be told you what you
  must do."

13
Acts 97-9

• The men who traveled with him stood speechless,
  hearing the voice but seeing no one. Saul got up
  from the ground, and though his eyes were open,
  he could see nothing and leading him by the
  hand, they brought him into Damascus.
• And he was three days without sight, and neither
  ate nor drank.

14
Acts 910-12

• Now there was a disciple at Damascus named
  Ananias and the Lord said to him in a vision,
  "Ananias." And he said, "Here I am, Lord."
• And the Lord said to him, "Get up and go to the
  street called Straight, and inquire at the house
  of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he
  is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man
  named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him,
  so that he might regain his sight."

15
Acts 913-14

• But Ananias answered, "Lord, I have heard from
  many about this man, how much harm he did to Your
  saints at Jerusalem and here he has authority
  from the chief priests to bind all who call on
  Your name."

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Acts 915-16

• But the Lord said to him, "Go, for he is a chosen
  instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the
  Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel for I
  will show him how much he must suffer for My
  name's sake."

17
Acts 917

• So Ananias departed and entered the house, and
  after laying his hands on him said, " Brother
  Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the
  road by which you were coming, has sent me so
  that you may regain your sight and be filled with
  the Holy Spirit."

18
Acts 918-19

• And immediately there fell from his eyes
  something like scales, and he regained his sight,
  and he got up and was baptized and he took food
  and was strengthened.