Apostle Paul, Roman Citizen
Apostle Paul was a Roman citizen, and as such, had a Latin name. However, his original Hebrew name was Shaul, probably after the first King of Israel, who was also from the Tribe of Benjamin. It’s highly meaningful that on the Road to Damascus, Jesus called him by his Hebrew name: "Shaul, Shaul, why do you persecute Me" (Acts 9:4)? Later, when Ananias of Damascus came to pray for him, he called him "Brother Shaul" (Acts 9:17).
Shaul, who also is called Paul
In Acts 13:9, Shaul is called "Paul" for the first time. Luke indicates that the names were interchangeable: "Shaul, who also is called Paul. " From this point on, the New Testament calls him Paul (Pavlos in Greek). The Church has always asserted that Shaul gave up his old name and took a new Christian name in order to identify himself as no longer a Jew, but a Christian. Was that really the case?
Uncovering Biblical Misconceptions
Shaul did no such thing. We find abundant proof of his Jewish identity even after he became a follower of Jesus. It is typical for Jews of Diaspora to have two names; Shaul used his Hebrew name with his “brethren according to the flesh,” and his Gentile name while reaching to Gentiles. Enroll in our Jewish Background of the New Testament course and learn the truth of common misconceptions such as this.