The Books of Paul
The books of Paul to the Christian church are 13 “books.” They constitute the “Pauline Authorship.” Scholars argue that the book of Hebrews could be also attributed to him. The following are his books and the approximate date of their writing:
- Galatians (47 AD)
- 1 and 2 Thessalonians (49—51 AD)
- 1 and 2 Corinthians and Romans (52—56 AD)
- Ephesians, Philemon, Colossians, and Philippians (60—62 AD, Paul’s 1st Roman imprisonment)
- 1 Timothy and Titus (62 AD)
- 2 Timothy (AD 63—64, Paul’s 2nd Roman imprisonment)
Who Was Paul?
Although Paul was not one of the twelve apostles, he was certainly an outstanding apostle of the Lord. He is regarded as one of the most important figures of the Apostolic Age as he spread the gospel of truth to many parts of the world during the first century.
The apostle was born as Saul in Tarsus, Cilicia around A.D. 1–5. He was of Benjamite lineage and Hebrew ancestry (Philippians 3:5–6). His parents were Pharisees who adhered strictly to the Law of Moses. He was also a Roman citizen (Acts 22:27).
At a very early age, he mastered the Jewish faith under rabbi Gamaliel (Acts 22:3). After his early training, Saul set to become a lawyer and a member of the Sanhedrin. He was very zealous for the Jewish faith and was present at the stoning and death of Stephen, the first martyr of the church (Acts 7:58). Later on, Saul took an active role in persecuting the early church using brutal violence (Acts 8:3).
Thankfully, the grace of God changed Saul’s life when he met Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1-22). Saul saw a bright light from heaven. And he heard Jesus saying, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” He responded, “Who are you Lord?” Jesus answered directly and clearly, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting” (verses 4-5). After this encounter, he gave his life to the Lord and the Holy Spirit converted and changed his life completely. From that point on, his name became known as Paul (Acts 13:9).
The apostle spent the rest of his days preaching the risen Jesus Christ throughout the Roman world, during which he faced great trials and persecutions (2 Corinthians 11:24-27). His ministry was directed to the Gentiles. And in the mid-30s to the mid-50s AD, he established several churches in Asia Minor and Europe.
Despite the great difficulties that he faced, the apostle praised the Lord always and spoke the truth boldly wherever he went (Acts 16:22–25; Philippians 4:11–13). He declared, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21). His existence was comprehended in, and bounded by His Lord (Romans 6:11; 2 Corinthians 5:15; Galatians 2:20). It is believed that the apostle died, in Rome, a martyr’s death in the mid-to-late 60s A.D.
In His service,