Paul the Apostle, original name Saul of Tarsus, was a Christian missionary who took the gospel of Christ to the first-century world. He is generally considered one of the most important figures of the Apostolic Age and one of the greatest religious leaders of all time. In the mid-30s to the mid-50s, he founded several churches in Asia Minor and Europe. Being a Jew and a Roman citizen were ideal pedigrees for his ministry to both Jewish and Roman audiences. A native of Tarsus, the capital city in the Roman province of Cilicia, he wrote that he was "a Hebrew born of Hebrews", a Pharisee, and one who advanced in Judaism beyond many of his peers. He zealously persecuted the early followers of Jesus and violently tried to destroy the newly-forming Christian church. Paul's dramatic conversion experience with the risen Jesus on the road to Damascus dramatically changed the course of his life. He did not know Jesus during his lifetime as did the Twelve Apostles, but he was the first apostle whose only experience with Jesus was after the Resurrection and Ascension. After his conversion to Christ, he began to preach that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah and the Son of God. His leadership, influence, and legacy led to the formation of communities dominated by Gentile groups that worshiped the Lord, adhered to the "Judaic moral code", but relaxed or abandoned the ritual and dietary teachings of the Law of Moses. He taught that these laws and rituals had either been fulfilled in the life of Christ or were symbolic precursors of Christ, though the exact relationship between Paul the Apostle and Judaism is still disputed. Paul taught of the life and works of Jesus Christ and his teaching of a New Covenant, or "new testament", established through Jesus' death and resurrection. Wikipedia [ - ]

Paul the Apostle, original name Saul of Tarsus, was a Christian missionary who took the gospel... [ + ]