Footsteps of the Apostle Paul

"But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ...that I might preach him among the heathen (ethnos or nations) ..."
Galatians 1:11-12, 15-16

Paul the Apostle, that great preacher of first century Christianity was God’s instrument used to bring the light of the gospel to the ‘Gentiles’ Isa. 42:6; Acts 9:15.

Approximately 700 years before the Apostle Paul appeared on the scene, that silver-tongued prophet Isaiah proclaimed that God’s people Israel would some day "sing unto the Lord a new song, and His praise from the end of the earth, ye that go down to the sea, and all that is therein; the isles and the inhabitants thereof" Isa. 42:10. In His divine wisdom the Lord foresaw that Saul of Tarsus would best fulfill His plan to spread the Gospel of the resurrected Christ to all the known western world in order to reach His people with the story of redemption.

Born an Israelite of the diaspora (dispersion of the Old Testament Israelites) to a family of the tribe of Benjamin, speaking the Aramaic language from childhood, an ardent student of Pharisaism, a strict follower of the Torah with great advances in Judaism beyond many of his contemporaries (Gal. 1:14, Phil. 3:5-6); this is the man that later had a personal confrontation with the Lord Jesus Christ while on the road to Damascus, whose life and mission was drastically changed and in turn eventually altered and determined the course of the development of Western Civilization and culture.

Much has been written concerning the missionary travels of this celebrated servant of Christ which started about fourteen years after his conversion, but his travels before and after his missionary journeys have left many Bible students confused. The purpose of outlining his pre- and post-missionary journeys is to give structure to the story of Paul’s life and help in the Bible students’ understanding of the events leading up to his public ministry and to grasp with greater significance why he went to the places he did and to have a greater appreciation of the defenses that he gave for his faith in the risen Lord of Glory.

HIS BIRTH IN TARSUS Little is known of the birth and early childhood of Paul, then known as Saul. It is certain from the Scriptures that he was born in the City of Tarsus (Acts 22:3) located in the Roman province of Cilicia, now known as part of modern Turkey. Tarsus was a city that combined both the Roman and Greek worlds in that its politics was Roman and its culture was Greek, a place of education and commerce. This province of Cilicia was one of many places in which the Israelites had located during the dispersion. By right of birth in the Roman province of Cilicia, later on as Paul the Apostle, he would utilize his Roman citizenship in his defense (Acts 16:37-38; 22:25-29).

Saul, by racial ancestry was Israelitish, by citizenship was Roman, by religion a follower of Judaism, yet born and raised among Greek culture.

HIS TRAINING IN JERUSALEM No doubt Saul left his home during his early adolescence and was taken to Jerusalem for his formal education in the most prominent rabbinical schools of that day. Among his teachers, young Saul had the privilege to be trained by Gamaliel, the most outstanding rabbi teacher of that time (Acts 22:3). Gamaliel was one of the most honorable and reputable Jewish rabbis during the days of the Apostles (Acts 5:34). He was the grandson of Hillel, the founder of the most influential rabbinical school of Judaism. Gamaliel was also the president of the Sanhedrin in succession of his father.

It was in this environment that Saul received his education in the religion of Judaism and became well versed in its dogma and apologetics. Sometime during his educational years it was instilled in him a fervent hatred for Christ and His followers and therefore became the perfect agent in the employment of the Sanhedrin against the Christians. No doubt, Saul made many such trips throughout the Roman world in his approximately thirty years in Jerusalem as he did in Acts 9:1-2 in arresting and testifying against the followers of Jesus Christ.

HIS CONVERSION NEAR DAMASCUS In Acts 9:1-2 the writer is very clear to explain that Saul was yet practicing his anti-Christian work when he left Jerusalem under the authority of the High Priest. His purpose was to bring any person that he may happen to find "of this way" back to Jerusalem for prosecution. The writer Luke declares that Paul took the initiative to go to the High Priest and ask for authority to go to Damascus, Syria which is located 130 miles from Jerusalem, for the sole purpose of arresting the followers of Christ.

Then by divine sovereignty the Lord intervenes in Saul’s life and he is genuinely converted during that encounter with the Lord Jesus. Under the ministry of Ananias he is also healed and filled with the Holy Ghost. Saul immediately began preaching Christ in the synagogues of Damascus. It is uncertain how long he stayed there, but Luke uses two phrases to indicate a time element in regard to his duration in Damacus; ‘certain days’ (9:19) and ‘many days’ (9:23). It is uncertain when Saul’s name was changed to Paul, but we assume that the Lord informed him of this name change at the time of his conversion. The first reference in the sacred record to this name change was while Paul was ministering on the Isle of Cyprus during his first missionary journey (Acts 13:1-9).

No doubt Paul’s preaching was very convincing and disturbing to the Damascus Jews to the point where they desired to kill him. Therefore, the other Christian disciples assisted him in his escape by night (Acts 9:22-25; II Cor. 11:32) that he may flee into Arabia.

HIS STAY IN ARABIA From the reading of the text in Acts 9:26-28 one would get the impression that Saul went directly from his escape at Damascus to Jerusalem. By his own admission he clarified the fact in his letter to the Galatians (1:16-17) that he "conferred not with flesh and blood" nor consulted with the Apostles in Jerusalem; but the Lord’s choice for him was to go to Arabia to be trained in the school of the Spirit in order that he might receive greater revelations concerning the mysteries of the Gospel of the glorified Christ.

Nowhere in the Scriptures does it indicate which part of the vast area of Arabia he went to, but we can safely assume it was somewhere east of Damascus. In the writings of Luke in the book of Acts, he omits any mention of Paul’s trip to Arabia.

At that time the area known as Arabia included the region governed by Aretas ( II Cor. 11:32) which extended from Damascus and east of the Jordan River south to Edom with Petra as its capital.

HIS RETURN TO DAMASCUS In the Galatian letter in 1:17-18 Paul clearly states that upon his return from Arabia he came back to the city of Damascus. Exactly how long Paul’s stay in Arabia lasted is not clear, but combined with his return visit to Damascus was a period of three years.

HIS VISIT TO JERUSALEM Gal. 1:18-19 No doubt Paul thought it necessary to visit with the Apostles, therefore he made a trip to Jerusalem and visited with Peter for fifteen days. The only other Apostle that Paul visited was James the brother of our Lord.

During his visit to Jerusalem Paul tried to join himself to the disciples, but was faced with two obstacles. The disciples were afraid of him and they did not believe that he was a true disciple of the Lord (Acts 9:26). It is understandable why the disciples felt this way; either because the saints at Jerusalem had not known of Paul’s conversion three years before at Damascus or they did not believe the report of his conversion.

Thanks to Barnabas, the son of consolation, Paul was introduced to the Apostles (Acts 9:27) and proceeded to declare unto them the details of his conversion experience.

HIS ESCAPE TO CAESAREA After Paul "spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus and disputed against the Grecians" (Acts 9:29) at Jerusalem, he faced the second attempt on his life. By this time no doubt Paul was accepted as a true disciple of the Lord, therefore the brethren helped him escape to the city of Caesarea (Acts 9:30), which was located in the province of Samaria northwest of Jerusalem. This was not the city Caesarea Philippi of Matt. 16:13, but was another city located between Joppa and Mt. Carmel on the Mediterranean coast where Philip the Evangelist lived (Acts 21:8).

HIS VISIT TO REGIONS OF SYRIA Gal. 1:21 Upon Paul’s departure from Caesarea Luke tells us in Acts 9:30 that he was sent forth to Tarsus. It would be logical to conclude on the basis of his route that on his way back home to Tarsus this is when he stopped by different cities and visited brethren in the Roman province of Syria. Paul referred to this in Gal. 1:21.

BACK HOME TO TARSUS Acts 9:30 Paul’s reference to the region of Cilicia in Gal. 1:21, without a doubt corresponds to Luke’s reference to the city of Tarsus in Acts 9:30. It is reasonable to reach this conclusion being that Tarsus was located in the Roman region of Cilicia in what is now known as southern Turkey.

PAUL’S STAY AT ANTIOCH Acts 11:25-26 After the persecution of the church at Jerusalem and the martyrdom of Stephen the Gospel began to rapidly spread throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria (Acts 8:1).

When news of the acceptance of the Gospel by the Grecians of Antioch had reached the church at Jerusalem, they sent Barnabas to Antioch to verify the reports and he therefore was instrumental in increasing the number of converts there (Acts 11:19-24).

Paul was in his hometown of Tarsus for approximately three years while this Gospel expansion was taking place. When Barnabas, who had not forgotten Paul, realized that the church in Antioch had grown too big for him to handle alone, "departed for Tarsus, for to see Saul" (Acts 11:25). Paul returned with Barnabas to Antioch and remained a whole year with the church (Acts 11:26). The Antioch referred to here was the city in the Roman province of Syria and not the one located in Asia Minor, which is modern Turkey.

RELIEF MISSION TO JERUSALEM Acts 11:27-30 In response to the prophetic message of Agabus, a prophet from Jerusalem, concerning the coming of a great dearth, the Antioch church decided to send some relief to the saints in Jerusalem. This dearth took place during the days of Claudius Caesar who reigned between A.D. 41-54 (Acts 11:27-28).

Barnabas and Paul were the ones chosen to take the relief offering to the brethren at Jerusalem which was approximately eight years after Paul’s conversion.

PAUL RETURNS TO ANTIOCH Acts 12:24-25 Upon the completion of their relief mission to Jerusalem, Barnabas and Paul returned to the church at Antioch, Syria.

While certain prophets and teachers were ministering to the Lord, the Holy Spirit spake and clearly indicated that Barnabas and Paul should be separated to the work of the ministry, to which they had been called (Acts 13:1-2).

PAUL’S FIRST MISSIONARY JOURNEY Acts 13 and 14 From the city of Antioch, Syria Paul and Barnabas with John Mark, launched their first missionary journey. They departed to Seleucia, Syria, a seaport on the Mediterranean coast and sailed to the island of Cyprus. They then went to many places in Asia Minor before returning to Antioch in Syria. They were gone for about four years between A.D. 45-49.

CHURCH COUNCIL AT JERUSALEM Acts 15:1-34 Between Paul’s first and second missionary journeys, he and Barnabas were sent as delegates of the church at Antioch to the council at Jerusalem. Undoubtedly, it was this same trip to which Paul makes reference to in Gal. 2:1-14, because circumcision was the issue of contention in both the Acts and Galatian accounts. Upon a close examination, it is evident that both the Acts and Galatian texts are referring to the same event.

PAUL’S SECOND MISSIONARY JOURNEY In Acts 15:35-18:22 is recorded the journey of Paul, Silas and Timothy on their preaching tour which covered approximately four years between A.D. 50-54. Their journey took them form Antioch, Syria to the Roman regions of Cilicia, Lycaonia, Phrygia, Galatia, Mysia in modern Turkey, westward across the Aegean Sea to Macedonia, turned south into Greece, Achaia (southern Greece), sailed eastward across the Aegean Sea to Asia Minor, then to Samaria, Jerusalem and back home to Antioch, Syria.

It is very interesting and extremely significant to note that the Holy Spirit forbid the Apostle Paul and his companions from traveling further east into Asia and Bithynia. Instead, God divinely directed them by a dream to travel westward in answer to the Macedonian call (Acts 16:6-12).

The Roman province of Macedonia included the modern regions of northern Greece, parts of Bulgaria, Albania and southern Yugoslavia. Thus by divine directive God had ordained for the Gospel message to penetrate the European Continent.

PAUL’S THIRD MISSIONARY JOURNEY In Acts 18:23-21:17 is recorded the journey of Paul, Timothy and others on their third preaching tour which covered approximately four years from A.D. 54-58. Their journey took them from their home church in Antioch, Syria to retrace the steps which Paul had covered on his first two journeys.

Starting in the province of Syria by land route they visited many churches in the region of Asia Minor, on to Macedonia, and then returning by a land and sea route came to Caesarea, Samaria with their final stop in Jerusalem.

PAUL DEFENDS HIS FAITH While Paul was at Jerusalem "the Jews which were of Asia" (Acts 21:27) saw him in the temple and forthwith made accusations against him. They said that Paul:


Taught all men everywhere, that is throughout the Roman world, against the people (the Jews)


He taught against the law of Moses


He taught against this place (the temple)


He polluted the holy place by bringing non-Jews into the Temple

(Acts 21:28)

From this incident in Jerusalem was sparked a furor of religious hatred, bitterness and conspiracies in which Paul would be required to give six different defenses for his faith in Christ. He made his formal public defenses before:


The angry mob in Jerusalem (Acts 22:1-24)


The Sanhedrin in Jerusalem (Acts 22:30-23:10)


Felix the Governor in Caesarea, Samaria (Acts 23:23-24:27)

Paul was sent to Felix by Claudius Lysia, the Roman procurator’s legate who was responsible for law and order in Jerusalem. Felix was the governor or procurator of Judea from A.D. 52-60 with headquarters in Caesarea. Paul was then kept in custody in Caesarea for two years (Acts 24:27).


Festus in Caesarea (Acts 25:1-27) Festus was the successor of Felix as the procurator of Judea beginning A.D. 60.


King Agrippa in Caesarea (Acts 26:1-32)


Caesar in Rome (Acts 23:11; 25:12; 27:24)

Even though there is no Biblical account of Paul’s defense before Caesar, without a doubt, it must have taken place because of the message of the angel of God given to him enroute to Rome saying, "fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar". In Rome Paul remained in his own hired house for two years (Acts 28:30). This stay in Rome is considered by many scholars to have been Paul’s first Roman imprisonment. It was during this time that he wrote his four prison epistles of Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians and Philemon in approximately 64 A.D.

THE PERIOD BETWEEN PAUL’S TWO ROMAN IMPRISONMENTS, A.D. 65-68 In II Tim. 4:16-17 it is generally regarded that Paul was referring to his release from Roman imprisonment when he said the he "was delivered out of the mouth of the lion". After his release by the Roman authorities Paul spent approximately four or five years