So, Paul had eaten and had gotten strength. Paul then began to Preach About Jesus and His kingdom. by now his conversion was complete but he was still called Saul at this point. I have been calling him Paul, but he was not renamed that yet. wait he never got renamed it was common to have two names in those days. Saul was his Hebrew and Paul was his roman name. During his persecution of the Christians and for a time after he was converted, he used Saul it isn't until Romans that we see the use of Paul His Roman name. but it mentions it in acts 13:9 Then Saul, who also is called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him. I had always thought that Jesus Changed his name but that is not the case. (Side note I learn things alongside you sometimes because I do not know it all and have to look stuff up and learned to write these messages.) So, with that, I always thought his name was renamed by Jesus but as I researched it was not the case.
All the people that heard Paul or Saul at this point heard Him preach the Gospel were amazed and could not believe that it was Paul preaching because they knew him as the destroyer of the faith in Jesus.
21 Then all who heard were amazed, and said, “Is this not he who destroyed those who called on this name in Jerusalem, and has come here for that purpose, so that he might bring them bound to the chief priests?” Saul increased in strength and brought forth the evidence to prove that Jesus is the Christ. Saul baffled the Jews who were there in Damascus. 22 But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, proving that this Jesus is the Christ.
It was soon after that they tried to kill Saul. Why was this I, do not know for sure but can say that it was probably because he was converted to Jesus' kingdom and faith. Remember they wanted nothing to do with Jesus the high priest and such. They are the ones who had Jesus killed remember but He arose on the third day. 23 Now after many days were past, the Jews plotted to kill him. 24 But their plot became known to Saul. And they watched the gates day and night, to kill him. 25 Then the disciples took him by night and let him down through the wall in a large basket. Paul was later killed by beheading at the hands of Nero tradition tells us. But that isn't for some time.
He had arrived in Jerusalem and went and saw the disciples but when he had tried to come and be in their presents the disciples did not believe that he was converted and was a disciple himself now. So, they did not meet with Paul. 26 And when Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, and did not believe that he was a disciple. But then one took him to the disciples and his name was Barnabas. 27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. And he declared to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus. 28 So he was with them at Jerusalem, coming in and going out. 29 And he spoke boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus and disputed against the Hellenists, but they attempted to kill him. 30 When the brethren found out, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him out to Tarsus. (The Bible verses are from acts chapter 9).
This is the beginning of Saul or Paul's ministry. He was given grace By Jesus, converted, and brought many people to Jesus and His kingdom. With all this said what does this have to with my life? we will still discuss that tomorrow.
All Bible verses taken from the NKJV
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