When and why was Saul’s name changed to Paul? | GotQuestions.org

Today's question is, when and why was Saul's name changed to Paul?

In this video I'll answer that question from a biblical perspective.

Then afterwards, as always, I'll share some helpful resources, so stick around until the end.

One of the often -thought -of name changes in the Bible is that of Saul to Paul.

The change is commonly linked to Saul's conversion on the Damascus Road, when the Lord Jesus

commissioned him to take the gospel to the Gentiles.

However, at the time of Saul's conversion, Jesus still addressed him as Saul.

Later, Jesus told Ananias to find Saul in Damascus and restore his sight.

Acts 9 goes on to describe Saul as increasing in spiritual strength and

understanding of Jesus as the Messiah.

So, it was not Jesus who changed his name on the road to Damascus.

If it wasn't Jesus' doing, how did the change from Saul to Paul happen, and when?

The answer is that Saul's name was also Paul.

The custom of dual names was common in those days.

Acts 13, verse 9 describes the apostle as Saul who was also called

Paul.

From that verse on, Saul is always referred to in Scripture as Paul.

Paul was a Jew born in the Roman city of Tarsus.

He was proud of his Jewish heritage, as he describes in Philippians 3, verse 5, circumcised on the

eighth day of the race of Israel of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrew

parentage in observance of the law of Pharisee.

So zealous and devout was he that persecuting Christians was the natural way for him to show

his devotion.

He chose to use his Hebrew name, Saul, until sometime after he began to believe in and preach

Christ.

After that time, as the apostle to the Gentiles, he used his Roman name, Paul.

It would make sense for Paul to use his Roman name as he traveled further and further into the Gentile

world.

It is interesting that Paul began using his Roman name on Cyprus when the Roman proconsul on that

island was converted.

This was during Paul's first missionary journey and involved a high -ranking idolatrous Gentile coming

to faith in Christ.

The fact that the proconsul's name was Sergius Paulus had led some to think that Saul took the name

Paulus or Paul as a reminder of this event, but the apostle's name being the same as the

proconsul's is most likely a coincidence.

Using his Roman name was fitting for the man who proclaimed that he would become all things to all

people—a Jew to the Jews in order to win the Jews, a weak to the weak in order to win

the weak, etc .—all for the sake of the gospel, 1 Corinthians 9,

verses 19 -23.

Adopting his Roman name would also allow Paul to approach the Gentiles to whom he was sent and

speak to them in their own language, becoming as one of them and setting them at ease.

It is also possible that Paul gave up the use of his Hebrew name Saul with its regal

connotation and chose to use his Roman name Paul, meaning little or small, because

he desired to become smaller in order to present Christ as greater.

Unlike the changing of Simon's name to Peter, which Jesus did for a specific purpose, there is no

reference in the Bible to Jesus' changing Saul's name to Paul.

Want to learn more?

Subscribe so you don't miss the next video!

Visit GotQuestions .org for more great content.

And check out the details section below this video, there you'll find one book I recommend, along with links to several related questions.

If you'd like to learn about Bible Munch, or if you're interested in Bite -sized devotionals, subscribe to Bible Munch on YouTube, it's linked right here.

Now remember, Got questions?

The Bible has answers, and we'll help you find them!