Paul's Missionary Journeys

Paul was a devoted Christian who spread the message of Jesus Christ during his missionary journeys. However, Paul was not always a committed Christian. He was born with the name Saul, and was a very religious Jew. He was sent to Jerusalem to become a rabbi, where later he heard of Christianity. He regarded the new religion as being a heretic form of Judaism, and naturally it angered him. Paul became one of the first to persecute Christians, also approving of Stephen's execution.

One day, however, Paul's life was altered forever. He was on the road to Damascus, when suddenly experienced a vision, in which Jesus asked why Paul persecutes Him. Jesus requested him to spread His message to the Gentiles, and Paul obeyed. After this conversion, Paul became a faithful Christian, and that caused him to go on his first journey. Approved by Peter and James and accompanied by Barnabas and Mark, Paul set out on his first missionary voyage to Cyprus. Paul's method of preaching was to start first in the synagogues, and so he did in Antioch in Pisidia. He also never forgot to mention his purpose of converting the Gentiles. Paul then travelled to Iconium, Lystra and finally to Derbe, and after each preaching he was expelled from those cities. In his second missionary journey, Paul revisited the churches he had established in Asia Minor, strengthening the faith of the new converts. Paul's final voyage was set to Rome. After experiencing a shipwreck near Malta, he finally made it to Rome. There, after two years of house arrest, Paul was executed during the reign of Nero.

Paul made lasting contributions to Christianity. Throughout his journeys, Paul spread Jesus' message to the Gentiles, helping the Church to grow and expand. He "opened the doors of faith to...