The story of Saul’s name change to Paul is found in Acts 13:9 in the Bible. Saul was a Pharisee and a persecutor of the early Christian church. However, on the road to Damascus, Saul had an encounter with the risen Christ that dramatically changed the course of his life (Acts 9:1-19). Jesus commissioned Saul, who would become known as Paul, to take the gospel to the Gentiles.
The name change itself is recorded in Acts 13 during Paul’s first missionary journey. While on the island of Cyprus with Barnabas, Saul and his companions encountered a Jewish false prophet named Bar-Jesus. When this sorcerer attempted to turn the proconsul Sergius Paulus from faith in Christ, Saul rebuked him and struck him blind. Acts 13:9 then states, “Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him.” From this point forward in Acts, Saul is referred to as Paul.
There are a few possibilities as to the significance of the name change:
- It represented the new mission given to him by Christ – taking the gospel to the Gentiles. His Hebrew name Saul (“asked for”) reflected his Jewish heritage, while his Roman name Paul (“small” or “humble”) facilitated ministry in the Greco-Roman world.
- It associated him with the proconsul Sergius Paulus, his first Gentile convert, indicating his primary apostolic call.
- It may have been a customary practice for people living in a Greco-Roman environment to have both a Hebrew and Roman name.
While the exact reason is not given, the context indicates that his name change represented his new identity and calling in Christ to be the “apostle to the Gentiles” (Romans 11:13). Just as Abram became Abraham and Simon became Peter, Saul’s name change to Paul symbolized the radical transformation in his life and purpose.
The rest of the book of Acts consistently refers to the former Pharisee as Paul. When Paul refers to his own conversion later in the book of Acts, he says, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting” (Acts 9:5). This indicates that his identity is now found in Christ rather than in his former life.
Paul’s Epistles were written under his Roman name as well, establishing his authorship and authority as the pioneer missionary to the Gentiles. Though the details of when and why the name change occurred are sparse, it clearly marked a turning point in Paul’s life and calling to bring the gospel across the Roman Empire.
In summary, Saul’s name was changed to Paul in Acts 13:9 when he was filled with the Holy Spirit and pronounced judgment on the Jewish sorcerer Bar-Jesus. This represented his new identity and calling in Christ to be the apostle to the Gentiles. The name change from his Hebrew name Saul to the Roman name Paul symbolized his dramatic conversion and commission by Christ. From this point on in Scripture, he is consistently referred to as Paul as he spreads the gospel and writes the Epistles that bear his name.
Background on Saul/Paul
To better understand the significance of Saul’s name change to Paul, it is helpful to examine his background before and after his conversion.
Saul before his conversion
Saul was born in the city of Tarsus and was brought up as a Pharisee, one of the most devout Jewish sects (Acts 22:3, Philippians 3:5). He described himself as “circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee” (Philippians 3:5). As a Pharisee, Saul would have been very zealous for the Jewish law and customs (Acts 26:5).
Saul was a persecutor of the early Christian church. After the stoning of Stephen, the first Christian martyr, Acts 8:3 describes Saul as “ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.” He persecuted Christians in Jerusalem and sought to destroy the church (Acts 8:1-3, Acts 22:4, Galatians 1:13). Saul believed he was serving God by trying to stamp out what he saw as a heretical Jewish sect in Christianity (Acts 26:9-11).
Saul’s conversion
Saul’s life was radically changed when he encountered the risen Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus. As Saul was approaching Damascus to persecute more Christians, a bright light from heaven shone around him and he fell to the ground. Saul heard the voice of Jesus say, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” (Acts 9:4). When Saul asked who was speaking, Jesus replied, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting” (Acts 9:5).
Saul was blinded and led into Damascus where he fasted and prayed for three days (Acts 9:9). The Lord spoke to a disciple named Ananias, telling him to go lay hands on Saul that he may regain his sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 9:12,17). Saul’s sight was restored and he was baptized as a sign of his conversion and new life in Christ (Acts 9:18).
This encounter turned Saul from a persecutor of the church into an apostle of Christ. The one who once imprisoned Christians was now preaching in synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God (Acts 9:20-22). Just as Jacob became Israel and Simon became Peter, Saul’s conversion represented a new identity in Christ.
Paul’s ministry as the apostle to the Gentiles
After his conversion, Saul (now referred to as Paul) immediately began proclaiming Jesus, confounding the Jews in Damascus who knew of his former persecution of Christians (Acts 9:20-25). His life was now dedicated to preaching the gospel.
Later, Paul was called by God to take the gospel to the Gentiles just as Peter had been commissioned to take it to the Jews (Galatians 2:7). Acts 9:15 records Jesus telling Ananias about Paul, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.” Much of the book of Acts records Paul’s missionary journeys across the Roman Empire to preach salvation through Jesus Christ to the Gentiles.
Paul wrote 13 letters that are included in the New Testament. In these letters, his depth of knowledge of the gospel shines through in his teachings about salvation, sanctification, the Holy Spirit, the resurrection, and other essential Christian doctrines.
After his conversion, Paul considered everything he had valued before – his pedigree, achievements, and zeal as a Pharisee – as loss compared to the surpassing worth of knowing Jesus Christ (Philippians 3:7-9). The dramatic change in his life after his encounter with Jesus was reflected in his new identity and name – Paul the apostle to the Gentiles.
The Significance of the Name Change
As we have seen, the change from Saul to Paul represents a key turning point in his story. Let’s explore the significance of this name change in more detail:
It signified a new identity in Christ
Saul’s former identity was destroyed – he considered his prestigious background as a Pharisee as “rubbish” after meeting Christ (Philippians 3:8). His new identity was now in Jesus. Like the converts in Antioch who were first called “Christians” at Antioch (Acts 11:26), Saul’s new name signified his new life in Christ.
It accompanied his commission to reach the Gentiles
Saul’s Hebrew name reflected his Jewish heritage. But his new Roman name Paul enabled his ministry to the Greco-Roman world. Just as Peter was assigned to be the apostle to the Jews, Paul was commissioned to be the apostle to the Gentiles (Galatians 2:7). The name change occurs in Acts 13 during his first missionary journey to bring the gospel to the Gentiles.
It marked his separation from Judaism
Saul’s former life was grounded in Judaism – he was zealous for the law and the Jewish traditions. But he traded his Jewish privileges for the sake of knowing Christ (Philippians 3:4-7). Taking a Roman name distanced him from his former Hebrew identity.
It conferred his authority as an apostle
Though Paul was not one of the original 12 apostles, Christ himself appointed Paul as an apostle when He appeared to Him (Acts 26:16-18). As the pioneer apostle to the Gentiles, his letters were written under his new name Paul, establishing his authority and authorship.
It coincided with a spiritual infilling
Acts 13:9 says Saul was “filled with the Holy Spirit” at the time his name change is mentioned. Being filled with the Spirit empowered him for his new ministry reaching the lost.
It symbolized his dramatic conversion
Just as the conversion of Abram to Abraham and Simon to Peter represented a total life change, so did Saul’s transition to Paul. His inner transformation resulted in an outward change in identity.
In summary, though Saul’s name change is stated matter-of-factly in Scripture, it signified the radical reorientation of his life. He left behind his old identity to embrace a new calling as the apostle Paul, filled with the Spirit and authorized to preach Christ among Gentiles across the Roman Empire.
Other Biblical Examples of Name Changes
While there are many examples in the Bible of names being changed, a few worth noting in light of Saul becoming Paul are:
- Abram to Abraham – God changed Abram’s name, meaning “exalted father”, to Abraham, meaning “father of many nations”, when establishing His covenant with him in Genesis 17. This signaled the special calling and destiny God had in store for him.
- Sarai to Sarah – Similarly, Abram’s wife had her name changed from Sarai, “my princess”, to Sarah, “mother of nations”, by God in Genesis 17. This accompanied the promise that she would bear Abraham’s son in their old age.
- Jacob to Israel – After wrestling with God in Genesis 32, Jacob was renamed Israel, meaning “he struggles with God”. This new name marked the patriarch’s spiritual maturity.
- Simon to Peter – When Simon was called to be a disciple of Jesus, Christ gave him the name Peter, meaning “rock”, to signify the prominent role he would have in the early church (John 1:42).
In each case, a name change denoted a new calling, identity or spiritual condition. Similarly, Saul becoming Paul signaled his conversion, his specific commission as apostle to the Gentiles, and his authority as an author of New Testament Scripture.
Lessons We Can Learn from Paul’s Name Change
While the story of Saul transitioning to Paul is extraordinary, his example can provide some helpful principles for followers of Christ today:
- Our identity comes from Christ alone. Like Paul, we must consider all worldly credentials as loss compared to knowing Jesus (Philippians 3:8).
- God can dramatically redirect anyone’s life. Just as Christ turned Paul from persecutor to preacher, He can use anyone for His glory.
- Obedience to Christ may require leaving comfort zones. Paul had to leave behind his Jewish community and traditions.
- Fulfilling our calling may necessitate change. Paul adopted a Roman name to effectively minister across the Empire.
- God’s power is perfected in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). He used Paul mightily despite his flaws.
- Our spiritual growth should lead to change. Like Paul’s name change, our inner transformation should produce outward evidence.
The story of Saul becoming Paul stands as a testament to the power of the risen Christ to utterly transform a life. This dramatic new identity in Jesus is available to all who believe in Him. As Charles Spurgeon said of Paul’s conversion, “The lion of hate became the lamb of love.” By God’s grace, such miraculous change is possible for each of us.