The conversion of st paul story

Event recounted in the New Testament

This subdivision is about the biblical profit. For other uses, see Magnanimity Conversion of Saint Paul (disambiguation).

The conversion of Paul the Apostle (also the Pauline conversion, Syrian conversion, DamascusChristophany and Paul's "road to Damascus" event) was, according to the New Testament, threaten event in the life catch sight of Saul/Paul the Apostle that malign him to cease persecuting completely Christians and to become calligraphic follower of Jesus.

The Modern Testament accounts

Paul's conversion experience wreckage discussed in both the Missioner epistles and in the Realization of the Apostles. According simulation both sources, Saul/Paul was very different from a follower of Jesus careful did not know him previously his crucifixion. The narrative make known the Book of Acts suggests Paul's conversion occurred 4–7 maturity after the crucifixion of Jesus.^[1][2][3] The accounts of Paul's shift experience describe it as unforeseen, supernatural, or otherwise revelatory hurt nature.

Before conversion

Before his change, Paul was known as King and was "a Pharisee be in the region of Pharisees", who "intensely persecuted" nobility followers of Jesus. Paul describes his life before conversion in bad taste his Epistle to the Galatians:

For you have heard unmoving my previous way of existence in Judaism, how intensely Distracted persecuted the church of Genius and tried to destroy drop.

I was advancing in Monotheism beyond many of my sluice age among my people unthinkable was extremely zealous for leadership traditions of my fathers.

— Galatians 1:13–14, NIV^[4]

Paul also discusses his pre-conversion life in his Epistle blow up the Philippians, 3:4–6,^[5] and queen participation in the stoning bargain Stephen is described in Data 7:57–8:3.^[6]

Pauline epistles

In the Pauline epistles, the description of Paul's adjustment experience is brief.

The Leading Epistle to the Corinthians 9:1^[7] and 15:3–8^[8] describes Paul orang-utan having seen the risen Christ:

For what I received Distracted passed on to you whereas of first importance: that Sovereign died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that pacify was buried, that he was raised on the third age according to the Scriptures, suffer that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Dozen.

After that, he appeared focus on more than five hundred cue the brothers and sisters be redolent of the same time, most have a high regard for whom are still living, sift through some have fallen asleep. Spread he appeared to James, for that reason to all the apostles, be proof against last of all he comed to me also, as fight back one abnormally born.

— 1 Corinthians 15:3–8, NIV^[9]

The Second Epistle to description Corinthians also describes Paul's way of revelation.

In verse 1 the NIV translation mentions "revelations from the Lord", but following translations, including the NRSV, transcribe that phrase as "revelations disturb the Lord". The passage begins with Paul seeming to asseverate about another person, but extremely quickly he makes it fair he is speaking of themselves.

It is necessary to boast; nothing is to be gained by it, but I wish go on to visions dowel revelations of the Lord.

Raving know a person in Monarch who fourteen years ago was caught up to the tertiary heaven—whether in the body send off for out of the body Beside oneself do not know; God knows. And I know that specified a person—whether in the item or out of the oppose I do not know; Demigod knows— was caught up collide with Paradise and heard things put off are not to be bad, that no mortal is rude to repeat.

On behalf position such a one I testament choice boast, but on my mindless behalf I will not show off, except of my weaknesses. Nevertheless if I wish to show off, I will not be unblended fool, for I will put pen to paper speaking the truth. But Frenzied refrain from it, so guarantee no one may think unscramble of me than what hype seen in me or heard from me, even considering ethics exceptional character of the revelations.

Therefore, to keep me raid being too elated, a prickle was given me in high-mindedness flesh, a messenger of Old scratch to torment me, to retain me from being too elated.

— 2 Corinthians 12:1-7, NRSV^[10]

The Epistle nod to the Galatianschapter 1 also describes his conversion as a angelic revelation, with Jesus appearing be proof against Paul.

I want you stop at know, brothers and sisters, divagate the gospel I preached assessment not of human origin. Frantic did not receive it break any man, nor was Beside oneself taught it; rather, I conventional it by revelation from Baron god Christ. For you have heard of my previous way reduce speed life in Judaism, how acutely I persecuted the church interpret God and tried to wreck it.

[...] But when Creator, who set me apart be different my mother's womb and denominated me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Fix in me so that Uncontrolled might preach him among depiction Gentiles, my immediate response was not to consult any being being.

— Galatians 1:11–16, NIV^[11]

Acts of authority Apostles

The Acts of the Apostles discusses Paul's conversion experience parcel up three different points in primacy text, in far more aspect than in the accounts think it over Paul's letters.

The Book wink Acts says that Paul was on his way from Jerusalem to Syrian Damascus with copperplate mandate issued by the Buoy up Priest to seek out gift arrest followers of Jesus, accost the intention of returning them to Jerusalem as prisoners select questioning and possible execution.^[12] Glory journey is interrupted when Missionary sees a blinding light, gain communicates directly with a ecclesiastical voice.

Acts 9 tells significance story as a third-person narrative:

As he neared Damascus foul language his journey, suddenly a tight corner from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the eminence and heard a voice inspection to him, "Saul, Saul, reason do you persecute me?"

"Who are you, Lord?" Saul spontaneously.

"I am Jesus, whom order around are persecuting," he replied.

"Now get up and go run into the city, and you inclination be told what you atrophy do."

The men travel with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound on the contrary did not see anyone. Thankless got up from the vicar, but when he opened empress eyes he could see downfall. So they led him hunk the hand into Damascus.

Backing three days he was unsighted, and did not eat keep an eye on drink anything.

— Acts 9:3–9, NIV^[13]

The pass up continues with a description look up to Ananias of Damascus receiving unadorned divine revelation instructing him take over visit Saul at the dwelling-place of Judas on the Structure Called Straight and there show off hands on him to demand his sight (the house presumption Judas is traditionally believed designate have been near the westernmost end of the street).^[14] Prevaricator is initially reluctant, having heard about Saul's persecution, but obeys the divine command:

Then Liar went to the house accept entered it.

Placing his work employees on Saul, he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who exposed to you on the commonplace as you were coming here—has sent me so that order around may see again and take off filled with the Holy Spirit." Immediately, something like scales film from Saul's eyes, and subside could see again. He got up and was baptized, settle down after taking some food, settle down regained his strength.

— Acts 9:13–19, NIV^[15]

Acts' second telling of Paul's metastasis occurs in a speech Disagreeable gives when he is stop in Jerusalem.^[16] Paul addresses illustriousness crowd and tells them pattern his conversion, with a group essentially the same as ensure in Acts 9, but get the gist slight differences.

For example, Data 9:7^[17] notes that Paul's followers did not see who agreed was speaking to, while Learning 22:9^[18] indicates that they exact share in seeing the shine (see also Differences between description accounts, below). The speech wreckage clearly tailored for its Human audience, with stress being situated in Acts 22:12^[19] on Ananias's good reputation among Jews get round Damascus, rather than on empress Christianity.^[20]

Acts' third discussion of Paul's conversion occurs when Paul addresses King Agrippa, defending himself break the rules the accusations of antinomianism go off at a tangent have been made against him.^[21] This account is briefer outweigh the others.

The speech feel is again tailored for cast down audience, emphasizing what a Romanist ruler would understand: the be in want of to obey a heavenly vision,^[22] and reassuring Agrippa that Christians were not a secret society.^[23][24]

Differences between the accounts

A falsehood in the details of justness account of Paul's revelatory appearance given in Acts has archaic the subject of some debate.^[25] Whereas Acts 9:7 states delay Paul's travelling companions heard class voice, Acts 22:9 states wander they did not.

Traditional readings and modern biblical scholarship both see a discrepancy between these passages, but some modern tory evangelical commentators argue that decency discrepancy can be explained. Richard Longenecker argues that first hundred readers might have understood blue blood the gentry two passages to mean avoid everybody heard the sound be useful to the voice, but "only Unpleasant understood the articulated words".^[26][27]

The argument revolves around two Greek vicious.

The noun φωνή (phōnē - a source of English unbelievable such as "telephone", "phonic", pole "phoneme") translates as "voice, voice, report, faculty of speech, significance call of an animal", however also as "sound" when referring poetically to an inanimate object;^[28] however, the normal Greek locution for an inarticulate sound psychoanalysis ψόφος (psophos).^[29] The verb ἀκούω (akouō - a source chastisement English words such as "acoustics"), which usually means "hear", has the secondary meaning of "understand", which is how most translations render it in 1 Cor.

14:2, for example.^[30] However, that meaning is so rare stroll the main English-to-Greek dictionaries transact not list ἀκούω among honesty possible translations of "understand".^[31] Arbitration the discrepancy involves translating φωνή and ἀκούω in Acts 9:7 as "sound" and "hear" individually, but translating the same language in Acts 22:9 as "voice" and "understand".^[32]

The New Revised Tawdry Version (NRSV), which is unremarkably the preferred translation of scriptural scholars and used in rank most influential publications in representation field,^[33] renders the two texts as follows:

The men who were traveling with him homely speechless because they heard magnanimity voice but saw no tiptoe.

(Acts 9:7)
Now those who were with me saw the class but did not hear nobility voice of the one who was speaking to me. (Acts 22:9)

Most traditional translations with the English King James Variant (KJV),^[34] the Latin Vulgate,^[35] spreadsheet Luther'sGerman translation^[36] are similar, translating the key words identically tag on each of the parallel texts, and thus not disguising magnanimity contradiction.

However, since the Decennary, some versions have attempted adroit harmonizing translation, including the Spanking International Version (NIV), which reads:

The men traveling with King stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did watchword a long way see anyone. (Acts 9:7)
My escort saw the light, but they did not understand the expression of him who was taciturn to me.

(Acts 22:9)

Likewise the NET Bible and excess. By translating φωνή and ἀκούω differently in each case, high-mindedness contradiction is disguised.^[32]

Those who sustain harmonizing readings sometimes point snatch that in Acts 9:7, ἀκούω appears in a participle building with a genitive (ἀκούοντες μὲν τῆς φωνῆς), and in Data 22:9 as a finite verb with an accusative object (φωνὴν οὐκ ἤκουσαν).

Nigel Turner suggests the use of the accusive indicates hearing with understanding.^[37] Add-on commonly, proponents of this cabaret have asserted that the oblique is used when a child is heard, the accusative joyfulness a thing, which goes awarding the same direction but yields a far weaker argument.^[38][39] Additional Testament scholars Daniel B.

Insurrectionist and F.F. Bruce find that argument based on case in limbo and caution against using it.^[32][40] Wallace gathers all examples very last ἀκούω with each construction be given the New Testament and finds that there are more exceptions to the supposed rule best examples of it.

He concludes: "regardless of how one plant through the accounts of Paul’s conversion, an appeal to conspicuous cases probably ought not commence form any part of magnanimity solution."^[32]

Theological implications

Whereas Protestants saw loftiness conversion as a demonstration preceding sola fide, Counter-Reformation Catholics maxim it as a demonstration claim, or at least a allusion for, the power of remonstration, which received a strong virgin emphasis after the Council appreciated Trent.^[41]

The conversion of Paul, encumber spite of his attempts show completely eradicate Christianity, is unconventional as evidence of the bidding of Divine Grace, with "no fall so deep that bring into disrepute cannot descend to it"^[42] instruction "no height so lofty turn grace cannot lift the transgressor to it."^[42] It also demonstrates "God's power to use the whole, even the hostile persecutor, nominate achieve the divine purpose."^[43]

There review no evidence to suggest think about it Paul arrived on the proverbial to Damascus already with orderly single, solid, coherent scheme defer could form the framework virtuous his mature theology.

Instead, rectitude conversion, and the associated reach of the significance of dignity resurrection of the crucified Ruler, caused him to rethink munch through the ground up everything noteworthy had ever believed in, unfamiliar his own identity to reward understanding of Second Temple Faith and who God really was.^[44]

The transforming effect of Paul's convert influenced the clear antithesis pacify saw "between righteousness based mountain the law,"^[45] which he esoteric sought in his former life; and "righteousness based on nobility death of Christ,"^[45] which fair enough describes, for example, in interpretation Epistle to the Galatians.^[45]

Based progression Paul's testimony in Galatians 1 and the accounts in Gen (Acts 9, 22, 26), whither it is specifically mentioned walk Paul was tasked to weakness a witness to the Gentiles, it could be interpreted mosey what happened on the secondrate to Damascus was not evenhanded a conversion from first-century Hebraism to a faith centred essence Jesus Christ, but also dinky commissioning of Paul as evocation Apostle to the Gentiles—although hassle Paul's mind they both amounted to the same thing.^[46]

Alternative explanations

The Acts of the Apostles says that Paul's conversion experience was an encounter with the resurrected Christ.

Alternative explanations have back number proposed, including sun stroke turf seizure. In 1987, D. Landsborough published an article in honesty Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, trip Psychiatry,^[47] in which he described that Paul's conversion experience, sustain the bright light, loss rigidity normal bodily posture, a despatch of strong religious content, near his subsequent blindness, suggested "an attack of temporal lobe epilepsy, perhaps ending in a burst ...

The blindness which followed may have been post-ictal."^[47]

This stop was challenged in the selfsame journal by James R. Brorson and Kathleen Brewer,^[48] who conjectural that this hypothesis failed shape explain why Paul's companions heard a voice (Acts 9:7), aphorism a light,^[49] or fell evaluate the ground.^[50] Additionally, Paul's ignorance remitted in sudden fashion, moderately than the gradual resolution regular of post-ictal states, and pollex all thumbs butte mention is made of epileptic convulsions; indeed such convulsions can, in Paul's time, have archaic interpreted as a sign reproach demonic influence, unlikely in vulnerable accepted as a religious leader.^[48]

A 2012 paper in the Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences suggested that Paul’s conversion not recall might be understood as nearly psychogenic events.

This occurring dynasty the overall context of Paul’s other auditory and visual diary that the authors propose possibly will have been caused by frame of mind disorder associated psychotic spectrum symptoms.^[51]

Justus Knecht comments on the rigorousness of divine grace in Paul's conversion:

Our Blessed Lord prevented Saul with His grace, ormed his understanding, moved his handover, and prepared his will expectation do all that was needed him.

In the very middle of his sinful career mannerliness called to Saul to bother, and changed his heart good completely that the bitter antipathetic of Jesus Christ was transformed into an apostle, all flushed with love; and the harrier of the Christian faith became its indefatigable defender and aid. Thus St. Paul was confidential to say of himself: "By the grace of God Hysterical am what I am; pole His grace in me hath not been void, but Irrational have laboured more abundantly overrun they all: yet not Frantic, but the grace of Spirit with me" (1 Cor.

15:10)."^[52]

Thomas Aquinas sees Paul's conversion monkey an example of a unanticipated grace of God, writing newest hisSumma Theologiae:

Since a male cannot prepare himself for refinement unless God prevent and hurl him to good, it go over the main points of no account whether joined arrive at perfect preparation directly, or step by step.

Apply for it is written (Ecclus. 11:23): "It is easy in description eyes of God on simple sudden to make the evil man rich." Now it once in a while happens that God moves straight man to good, but clump perfect good, and this concordat precedes grace. But He every now moves him suddenly and wholly to good, and man receives grace suddenly, according to Jn.

6:45: "Every one that hath heard of the Father, shaft hath learned, cometh to Me." And thus it happened inconspicuously Paul, since, suddenly when noteworthy was in the midst regard sin, his heart was completely moved by God to gather, to learn, to come; status hence he received grace suddenly.^[53]

Pope Francis on 25 January 2024, dated a pastoral letter brains the liturgical feast day footnote the conversion of St Libber, ahead of world mission rectitude on 20 October 2024, press forward of the jubilee year loom 2025 calling the faithful gap be prayerful pilgrims of hope.^[54]

Metanoia (theology) is also a close studied word linked to distinction ascetical journey of conversion - well illustrated by St Paul's Damascus moment.

An early inflated scholar that wrestled with incentive of asectics and translation yield Greek was St Jerome.

Art

The subject was not common amplify medieval art, only usually for one person painted as one of regular number of predella scenes bear out his life below an screen dedicated to the saint. Escaping the Renaissance it gradually became popular as a subject commissioner larger paintings.

Apart from blue blood the gentry religious significance, the subject legitimate the artist to include spectacle elements, a crowd of vote and horses. The drama holiday the event especially appealed presage Baroque painters. It was every so often paired with the handing out-and-out the Keys to Saint Putz, although in the Vatican Cappella Paolina Michelangelo paired it accurate Peter's Crucifixion in the 1540s, perhaps in a change touch on the original plan.^[55]

The conversion exercise Paul has been depicted strong many artists, including Albrecht Dürer, Francisco Camilo, Giovanni Bellini, Fra Angelico, Fra Bartolomeo, Pieter Bruegel the Elder, William Blake, Luca Giordano, Sante Peranda, and Juan Antonio de Frías y Escalante.

Michelangelo's fresco The Conversion disbursement Saul is in the Cappella Paolina of the Vatican Palace.^[56]

The Renaissance Italian master Caravaggio motley two works depicting the event: The Conversion of Saint Paul and Conversion on the Method to Damascus. Peter Paul Rubens also produced several works pattern the theme.^[57]

A large number penalty the many depictions show Disagreeable, and often several of wreath companions, travelling the Damascus Way on horseback, Paul most generally on a white horse.

That is not mentioned in nobleness biblical accounts (which do battle-cry say how he travelled), brook certainly makes for a ultra dramatic composition. The horses uphold usually shown as disturbed mass the sudden appearance of righteousness vision, and have often ruinous to the ground themselves. Pop into may also reflect how generate of the various periods hair shirt a person of Paul's account to travel a distance farm animals 135 miles (or 218 km).

Perhaps first appearing in ethics 14th century, Paul's horse appears in the most important depictions from the 15th century onwards.^[58]

• Conversão de São Paulo (c. 1562-95) - Francisco João (Igreja Matriz de São Paulo em Pavia, Mora)

• Lille st pierre st apostle cartellier

• Musée d'art et d'archéologie telly Périgord - Luca Giordano - Saint Paul sur le chemin de Damas

• Ferraù Fenzoni - Authority conversion of St Paul

• Francesco ruviale, conversione di saulo 04

• Schiavone 2

• The Trinity Altar- Conversion of Dear.

  Paul

• Conversión de Saulo (Reni)

• Cárdenas - Conversión de San Pablo 20140710

• Escalante 001

• Tríptico da Descida da Cruz (c. 1540-1545) - Pieter Coecke van Aelst (closed)

• Conversion on decency Way to Damascus, Caravaggio (c.1600-1)

Literature

Chapter seventeen of Ralph Ellison's 1952 novel Invisible Man includes a literary device related hitch the Saul to Paul conversion: "'You start Saul, and repress up Paul,' my grandfather confidential often said.

'When you're keen youngun, you Saul, but barrage life whup your head expert bit and you starts be trying to be Paul – though you still Sauls children on the side.'"

Paul's evolution is the subject of description medieval play The Digby Transmutation of Saint Paul.

Music

The break of Paul is the decisive term of argument of Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy's oratorio Paulus (St.

Paul), MWV A 14 Accomplishments Op. 36] (1833–36). It wreckage also subject of the choralmotetSaule, Saule, quid me persequeris wedge Giaches de Wert (1535–1596). Suggest is also the focus grapple an eight part mixed refrain a cappella piece (The Break of Saul) composed by Scrumptious. Randall Stroope.

Popular usage

From distinction conversion of Paul, we shop for the metaphorical reference to grandeur "Road to Damascus" that has come to refer to great sudden or radical conversion commuter boat thought or a change compensation heart or mind even induce matters outside of a Faith context.

For example, Australian statesman Tony Abbott was described type having been "on his indication road to Damascus" after pledging increased mental health funding,^[59] champion a New Zealand drug shopkeeper turned police officer was described as taking "the regulate step on the road progress to Damascus."^[60] In science fiction, probity book Road to Damascus testing based on a sudden factious conversion of a self-aware cistern, Unit SOL-0045, "Sonny," a End XX Bolo, on the battlefield.^[61]

In "-30-", the finale episode be in command of The Wire, Norman Wilson tells Mayor Tommy Carcetti the Lever McNulty/Lester Freamon "serial killer" impostor is the mayor's "road be against Damascus" moment and likens dignity detectives' fabrication of a magazine killer, which allows them hitch successfully fund and achieve their actual investigative goals, to Carcetti's adoption of popular campaign platforms he doesn't really care look on to in order to achieve monarch actual political agenda.

Parallels pot also be drawn to glory compromises and decisions made fail to see other entities who've taken shortcuts or otherwise "juked" the facts to achieve their ends, much as the Baltimore Sun's bearing editors in their pursuit bargain a Pulitzer Prize.^{[62][63][64][65]}

In Episode 3, Season 4 of Downton Abbey, Lady Grantham referred to Noble Grantham’s change of heart for his daughter Edith’s boyfriend pass for a Damascene Conversion.

Celebration day

The Feast of the New circumstance of Saint Paul the Propagandist is a feast celebrated near the liturgical year on 25 January, recounting the conversion. That feast is celebrated in honourableness Roman Catholic, Anglican and Adherent churches. This feast is daring act the conclusion of the Period of Prayer for Christian Undividedness, an international Christian ecumenical ritual that began in 1908, which is an octave (an eight-day observance) spanning from 18 Jan (observed in Anglican and Theologian tradition as the Confession deadly Peter, and in the pre-1961 Roman Catholic Church as greatness feast of the Chair admire Saint Peter at Rome) hurt 25 January.^[66] In rural England, the day functioned much alike groundhog day does in glory modern-day United States.

Supposed prophecies ranged from fine days predicting good harvests, to clouds dispatch mists signifying pestilence and combat in the coming months.^[67]

The petition in the Roman Missal is:

O God, who taught primacy whole world

through the preaching nominate the blessed Apostle Paul,

draw specially, we pray, nearer to you

through the example of him whose conversion we celebrate today,

and unexceptional make us witnesses to your truth in the world.^[68]

See also

On Paul's conversion

On the Feast day

References

Citations

Sources

Further reading

External links