So, did Saul become Paul because of a name change like Abram to Abraham or Simon to Peter?
Not exactly.
Let’s break it down:
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1. Saul and Paul are both his names
• Saul (Hebrew: Sha’ul) was his Hebrew name, fitting for a Jew from the tribe of Benjamin (like King Saul).
• Paul (Latin: Paulus) was his Roman name, appropriate for his Roman citizenship and his mission to the Gentiles.
• It was very common in the Roman world for people, especially Jews in Roman territories, to have dual names—a Hebrew name for Jewish contexts and a Greek or Latin name for the wider Greco-Roman culture.
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2. There was no dramatic moment where God changed Saul’s name to Paul
• In Acts 13:9, we read:
“Then Saul, who was also called Paul…”
This is the first time he is called Paul in Scripture, and from that point on, Luke (the author of Acts) consistently calls him Paul.
• There is no record of Jesus or anyone else renaming him (unlike Abram or Simon).
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3. Why the shift in Acts 13?
• Acts 13 is a key turning point: Paul is sent out on his first missionary journeyto the Gentiles.
• From that point forward, he is operating mainly in Gentile (Greek/Roman) settings, so using “Paul” (his Roman name) fits the context.
• It’s less a name change, more a change of audience and mission focus.
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4. Is Paul ever called Saul again after Acts 13?
• Yes! Paul refers to himself as Saul in the retelling of his conversion:
• Acts 22:7 (Paul speaking):
“I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, ‘Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?’”
• And again in Acts 26:14, he recounts the same moment.
• These are flashbacks to when Jesus first spoke to him, and Jesus used the name Saul.
• So even though Luke (the narrator of Acts) switches to using Paul, Paul himself refers to Saul when recounting his past—especially his life before encountering Christ.
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Bottom line:
Paul didn’t get a “new name” the way some biblical figures did. He used both names, depending on context.
• Saul = Jewish name
• Paul = Roman name (used for Gentile mission)
It’s a subtle but beautiful example of how God used Paul’s background—his Jewish heritage and Roman citizenship—for the sake of the Gospel.