A study of Paul

Saul of Tarsus

Saul was one of the witnesses, and he agreed completely with the killing of Stephen.

A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem; and all the believers except the apostles were scattered through the region of Judea and Samaria. ( Some brave men came and buried Stephen with great mourning.)

But Saul was going everywhere to destroy the church. He went from house to house, dragging out both men and women to throw them into prison Acts 8:1-4

From Chapter 9

Meanwhile Saul was uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lords followers. So he went to the high priest . He requested letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of the Way he found there. He wanted to bring them - both men and women - back to Jerusalem in chains.

How did he get to this place?

I am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, a Benjamite, and I was brought up and educated here in Jerusalem under Gamaliel. As his student, I was carefully trained in our Jewish laws and customs. I became very zealous to honor God in everything I did, just like you all of you today.

The high priest and the whole council of elders can testify that this is so. For I got the letters from them to our Jewish brothers in Damascus, authorizing me to bring the followers of the Way from there to Jerusalem, in chains, to be punished.