Paul McKinney

Paul "The Chosen Vessel" Paul McKinney

Originally called "Saul", later known as Paul, was born as a Roman citizen in Tarsus, Cilicia, known as modern-day Turkey, and who was ethnically Jewish. He was sent to Jerusalem when approximately fourteen and studied under Gamaliel. Paul, being at least trilingual, because of his knowledge of Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic could have known other languages also. Saul had a very hostile attitude against the messianic following of Jesus Christ, and was in charge of the stoning of Stephen and securing authority of the high priest at Jerusalem, where he heads to Damascus to round up the believers and bring them bound back to Jerusalem for trial and punishment. Paul was converted on the road to Damascus and became that chosen vessel to carry the Gospel to the Gentile world. He journeyed from Damascus to Arabia, back to Damascus, then to Jerusalem and back to Tarsus, where Barnabas finds him and takes him to Antioch where he works and teaches until separated with Barnabas for the mission field. It was on this first journey that Saul's name was changed to Paul. After his third journey, Paul traveled to Jerusalem where he was arrested and sent to Caesarea. After two years of incarceration there he was shipped to Rome to stand trial before the court of Nero. Being freed for a short time, Paul traveled and taught and preached. The reconstruction of his movements is limited. He is afterwards arrested again and returned to Rome where he would later be martyred.