Paul - the Apostle
Paul is one of Christianity's most significant figures. From being a Pharisee who persecuted Christians, he met the risen Christ and became the apostle to the Gentiles. He founded churches throughout the Roman Empire and wrote much of the New Testament.
The Persecutor
Before his conversion, Paul was an eager persecutor of Christians.
1Saul approved of Stephen's execution. That same day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria.
Σαῦλος δὲ ἦν συνευδοκῶν τῇ ἀναιρέσει αὐτοῦ. Ἐγένετο δὲ ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ διωγμὸς μέγας ἐπὶ τὴν ἐκκλησίαν τὴν ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις· πάντες δὲ διεσπάρησαν κατὰ τὰς χώρας τῆς Ἰουδαίας καὶ Σαμαρείας πλὴν τῶν ἀποστόλων.
3But Saul was ravaging the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and threw them into prison.
Σαῦλος δὲ ἐλυμαίνετο τὴν ἐκκλησίαν κατὰ τοὺς οἴκους εἰσπορευόμενος, σύρων τε ἄνδρας καὶ γυναῖκας παρεδίδου εἰς φυλακήν.
1Meanwhile Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest
Ὁ δὲ Σαῦλος ἔτι ἐμπνέων ἀπειλῆς καὶ φόνου εἰς τοὺς μαθητὰς τοῦ κυρίου, προσελθὼν τῷ ἀρχιερεῖ
2and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found anyone belonging to the Way, men or women, he could bring them back to Jerusalem in chains.
ᾐτήσατο παρʼ αὐτοῦ ἐπιστολὰς εἰς Δαμασκὸν πρὸς τὰς συναγωγάς, ὅπως ἐάν τινας εὕρῃ τῆς ὁδοῦ ὄντας, ἄνδρας τε καὶ γυναῖκας, δεδεμένους ἀγάγῃ εἰς Ἰερουσαλήμ.
13You have heard of my former way of life in Judaism, how relentlessly I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it.
Ἠκούσατε γὰρ τὴν ἐμὴν ἀναστροφήν ποτε ἐν τῷ Ἰουδαϊσμῷ, ὅτι καθʼ ὑπερβολὴν ἐδίωκον τὴν ἐκκλησίαν τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ ἐπόρθουν αὐτήν,
14I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my people, and was far more zealous for the traditions of my fathers.
καὶ προέκοπτον ἐν τῷ Ἰουδαϊσμῷ ὑπὲρ πολλοὺς συνηλικιώτας ἐν τῷ γένει μου, περισσοτέρως ζηλωτὴς ὑπάρχων τῶν πατρικῶν μου παραδόσεων.
Meeting Jesus
On the road to Damascus, Paul met the risen Christ.
3As he traveled and was approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.
ἐν δὲ τῷ πορεύεσθαι ἐγένετο αὐτὸν ἐγγίζειν τῇ Δαμασκῷ, ⸂ἐξαίφνης τε αὐτὸν περιήστραψεν⸃ φῶς ⸀ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ,
4He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?"
καὶ πεσὼν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν ἤκουσεν φωνὴν λέγουσαν αὐτῷ Σαοὺλ Σαούλ, τί με διώκεις;
5"Who are you, Lord?" he asked. "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," he replied.
εἶπεν δέ· Τίς εἶ, κύριε; ὁ ⸀δέ· Ἐγώ εἰμι Ἰησοῦς ὃν σὺ διώκεις·
6"Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do."
ἀλλὰ ἀνάστηθι καὶ εἴσελθε εἰς τὴν πόλιν, καὶ λαληθήσεταί σοι ⸂ὅ τί⸃ σε δεῖ ποιεῖν.
15But the Lord said to him, "Go, for this man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel.
εἶπεν δὲ πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁ κύριος· Πορεύου, ὅτι σκεῦος ἐκλογῆς ⸂ἐστίν μοι⸃ οὗτος τοῦ βαστάσαι τὸ ὄνομά μου ἐνώπιον ⸀ἐθνῶν ⸀τε καὶ βασιλέων υἱῶν τε Ἰσραήλ,
16I myself will show him how much he must suffer for my name."
ἐγὼ γὰρ ὑποδείξω αὐτῷ ὅσα δεῖ αὐτὸν ὑπὲρ τοῦ ὀνόματός μου παθεῖν.
17So Ananias went and entered the house. He laid his hands on Saul and said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming, has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit."
ἀπῆλθεν δὲ Ἁνανίας καὶ εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν, καὶ ἐπιθεὶς ἐπʼ αὐτὸν τὰς χεῖρας εἶπεν· Σαοὺλ ἀδελφέ, ὁ κύριος ἀπέσταλκέν με, ⸀Ἰησοῦς ὁ ὀφθείς σοι ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ ᾗ ἤρχου, ὅπως ἀναβλέψῃς καὶ πλησθῇς πνεύματος ἁγίου.
18Immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized,
καὶ εὐθέως ἀπέπεσαν ⸂αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν⸃ ⸀ὡς λεπίδες, ἀνέβλεψέν τε καὶ ἀναστὰς ἐβαπτίσθη,
6"As I was on my way and nearing Damascus, about noon a brilliant light from heaven suddenly flashed all around me.
Ἐγένετο δέ μοι πορευομένῳ καὶ ἐγγίζοντι τῇ Δαμασκῷ περὶ μεσημβρίαν ἐξαίφνης ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ περιαστράψαι φῶς ἱκανὸν περὶ ἐμέ,
7I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?'
ἔπεσά τε εἰς τὸ ἔδαφος καὶ ἤκουσα φωνῆς λεγούσης μοι· Σαοὺλ Σαούλ, τί με διώκεις;
8I answered, 'Who are you, Lord?' And he said to me, 'I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.'
ἐγὼ δὲ ἀπεκρίθην· Τίς εἶ, κύριε; εἶπέν τε πρὸς ⸀ἐμέ· Ἐγώ εἰμι Ἰησοῦς ὁ Ναζωραῖος ὃν σὺ διώκεις.
10So I asked, 'What shall I do, Lord?' And the Lord said to me, 'Get up and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all that has been appointed for you to do.'
εἶπον δέ· Τί ποιήσω, κύριε; ὁ δὲ κύριος εἶπεν πρός με· Ἀναστὰς πορεύου εἰς Δαμασκόν, κἀκεῖ σοι λαληθήσεται περὶ πάντων ὧν τέτακταί σοι ποιῆσαι.
Chosen for Service
Paul was called to bring the gospel to the Gentiles.
2While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them."
λειτουργούντων δὲ αὐτῶν τῷ κυρίῳ καὶ νηστευόντων εἶπεν τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον· Ἀφορίσατε δή μοι τὸν Βαρναβᾶν ⸀καὶ Σαῦλον εἰς τὸ ἔργον ὃ προσκέκλημαι αὐτούς.
3So after fasting and praying, they laid their hands on them and sent them off.
τότε νηστεύσαντες καὶ προσευξάμενοι καὶ ἐπιθέντες τὰς χεῖρας αὐτοῖς ἀπέλυσαν.
1Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God—
Παῦλος δοῦλος ⸂Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ⸃, κλητὸς ἀπόστολος, ἀφωρισμένος εἰς εὐαγγέλιον θεοῦ
5Through him we received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the nations for the sake of his name,
διʼ οὗ ἐλάβομεν χάριν καὶ ἀποστολὴν εἰς ὑπακοὴν πίστεως ἐν πᾶσιν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν ὑπὲρ τοῦ ὀνόματος αὐτοῦ,
15But when God, who set me apart from my mother's womb and called me by his grace, was pleased
ὅτε δὲ ⸀εὐδόκησεν ὁ ἀφορίσας με ἐκ κοιλίας μητρός μου καὶ καλέσας διὰ τῆς χάριτος αὐτοῦ
16to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with flesh and blood,
ἀποκαλύψαι τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ ἐν ἐμοὶ ἵνα εὐαγγελίζωμαι αὐτὸν ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν, εὐθέως οὐ προσανεθέμην σαρκὶ καὶ αἵματι,
Suffering for Christ
Paul suffered greatly for the sake of the gospel.
23Are they servants of Christ? I am out of my mind to talk this way—I am more: in far greater labors, in far more imprisonments, in far worse beatings, often at the point of death.
διάκονοι Χριστοῦ εἰσιν; παραφρονῶν λαλῶ, ὑπὲρ ἐγώ· ἐν κόποις περισσοτέρως, ἐν ⸂φυλακαῖς περισσοτέρως, ἐν πληγαῖς ὑπερβαλλόντως⸃, ἐν θανάτοις πολλάκις·
24Five times I received from the Jews forty lashes minus one.
ὑπὸ Ἰουδαίων πεντάκις τεσσεράκοντα παρὰ μίαν ἔλαβον,
25Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked; I spent a night and a day adrift at sea.
τρὶς ἐραβδίσθην, ἅπαξ ἐλιθάσθην, τρὶς ἐναυάγησα, νυχθήμερον ἐν τῷ βυθῷ πεποίηκα·
26I have been constantly on the move: in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own people, in danger from Gentiles, in danger in the city, in danger in the wilderness, in danger at sea, in danger from false brothers.
ὁδοιπορίαις πολλάκις, κινδύνοις ποταμῶν, κινδύνοις λῃστῶν, κινδύνοις ἐκ γένους, κινδύνοις ἐξ ἐθνῶν, κινδύνοις ἐν πόλει, κινδύνοις ἐν ἐρημίᾳ, κινδύνοις ἐν θαλάσσῃ, κινδύνοις ἐν ψευδαδέλφοις,
27I have labored and toiled, often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst, often gone without food; I have been cold and without clothing.
⸀κόπῳ καὶ μόχθῳ, ἐν ἀγρυπνίαις πολλάκις, ἐν λιμῷ καὶ δίψει, ἐν νηστείαις πολλάκις, ἐν ψύχει καὶ γυμνότητι·
9But he said to me, "My grace is enough for you, for my power is brought to its fullness in weakness." So I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
καὶ εἴρηκέν μοι· Ἀρκεῖ σοι ἡ χάρις μου· ἡ γὰρ ⸀δύναμις ἐν ἀσθενείᾳ ⸀τελεῖται. ἥδιστα οὖν μᾶλλον καυχήσομαι ἐν ταῖς ἀσθενείαις ⸀μου, ἵνα ἐπισκηνώσῃ ἐπʼ ἐμὲ ἡ δύναμις τοῦ Χριστοῦ.
10That is why I am content with weaknesses, with insults, with hardships, with persecutions and distresses for the sake of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
διὸ εὐδοκῶ ἐν ἀσθενείαις, ἐν ὕβρεσιν, ἐν ἀνάγκαις, ἐν διωγμοῖς ⸀καὶ στενοχωρίαις, ὑπὲρ Χριστοῦ· ὅταν γὰρ ἀσθενῶ, τότε δυνατός εἰμι.
7But whatever was to my profit I now regard as loss for the sake of Christ.
Ἀλλὰ ἅτινα ἦν μοι κέρδη, ταῦτα ἥγημαι διὰ τὸν Χριστὸν ζημίαν.
8More than that, I count everything as loss compared to the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have lost it all, and I consider it garbage, in order that I may gain Christ
ἀλλὰ ⸀μενοῦνγε καὶ ἡγοῦμαι πάντα ζημίαν εἶναι διὰ τὸ ὑπερέχον τῆς γνώσεως Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ τοῦ κυρίου μου διʼ ὃν τὰ πάντα ἐζημιώθην, καὶ ἡγοῦμαι ⸀σκύβαλα ἵνα Χριστὸν κερδήσω
10I want to know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to him in his death,
τοῦ γνῶναι αὐτὸν καὶ τὴν δύναμιν τῆς ἀναστάσεως αὐτοῦ καὶ ⸀κοινωνίαν παθημάτων αὐτοῦ, ⸀συμμορφιζόμενος τῷ θανάτῳ αὐτοῦ,
The Race Finished
At the end of his life, Paul could look back with gratitude.
6As for me, I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come.
Ἐγὼ γὰρ ἤδη σπένδομαι, καὶ ὁ καιρὸς τῆς ⸂ἀναλύσεώς μου⸃ ἐφέστηκεν.
7I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
τὸν ⸂καλὸν ἀγῶνα⸃ ἠγώνισμαι, τὸν δρόμον τετέλεκα, τὴν πίστιν τετήρηκα·
8From now on there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but to all who have loved his appearing.
λοιπὸν ἀπόκειταί μοι ὁ τῆς δικαιοσύνης στέφανος, ὃν ἀποδώσει μοι ὁ κύριος ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ, ὁ δίκαιος κριτής, οὐ μόνον δὲ ἐμοὶ ἀλλὰ καὶ πᾶσιν τοῖς ἠγαπηκόσι τὴν ἐπιφάνειαν αὐτοῦ.
21For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.
ἐμοὶ γὰρ τὸ ζῆν Χριστὸς καὶ τὸ ἀποθανεῖν κέρδος.
23I am torn between the two. I long to depart and be with Christ, which is far better;
συνέχομαι δὲ ἐκ τῶν δύο, τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν ἔχων εἰς τὸ ἀναλῦσαι καὶ σὺν Χριστῷ εἶναι, πολλῷ ⸀γὰρ μᾶλλον κρεῖσσον,
12That is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know the one in whom I have put my trust, and I am convinced that he is able to guard what has been entrusted to me until that Day.
διʼ ἣν αἰτίαν καὶ ταῦτα πάσχω, ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἐπαισχύνομαι, οἶδα γὰρ ᾧ πεπίστευκα, καὶ πέπεισμαι ὅτι δυνατός ἐστιν τὴν παραθήκην μου φυλάξαι εἰς ἐκείνην τὴν ἡμέραν.