Paul

In the Urantia Book

Life

• Paul, the tentmaker, unknowingly influenced the teachings of Christianity with his personal views on sexual gratification and marriage, leading to a distorted perception of women and a potential threat to the institution of marriage. 89:3.6
• Paul, previously known as Saul, was ultimately inspired by Stephen's boldness in preaching the early gospel to become an aggressive and indomitable founder of the Christian religion. 128:3.6
• Paul, a Greek-speaking Hebrew and Roman citizen, spread the message of a Jewish Messiah in the Greek language. 121:1.2
• Paul of Tarsus grew up in a city where Mithraism was the dominant religion, unknowingly laying the foundation for his letters to be revered as scripture by future Christians. 98:7.9
• Paul witnessed Stephen being stoned, which later inspired him to become the aggressive and indomitable founder of the Christian religion. 128:3.6
• Paul's spectacular conversion with Jesus on the Damascus road exemplifies the potential for sudden spiritual awakening in the pursuit of God-consciousness. 100:5.3 196:2.1
• preached in many places, as:
• * Antioch. The Apostle Paul spent over two months in Antioch, learning and working, before preaching to his followers years later. 134:7.3
• * Athens. The Hellenization of Christianity truly began in Athens when Paul shared the gospel with the Athenians at the Areopagus. 195:1.1
• * Corinth. Paul organized a Christian church in Corinth, where Crispus and his family, taught by Jesus and Ganid, became loyal supporters of his teachings. (133:3.2-3,11-12)
• * Ephesus. Paul played a crucial role in establishing Christianity in Ephesus during his two-year residency. 133:6.3
• Paul made the bulk of his early converts to Christianity among the fringe of gentile proselytes in Jewish synagogues and in Antioch. 121:2.5
• Paul's successors continued the impressive organization he established. 195:0.6
• Paul, a great religious teacher alongside Jesus and Philo, played a dominant part in the evolution of the faith of Christ in the first century after Christ. 92:5.13 108:6.3 121:6.4
• Paul, the indomitable philosopher and founder of the Christian religion, was inspired by Stephen's boldness in preaching the early gospel and eventual martyrdom. 128:3.6
• Anaxand perished during Paul's imprisonment at Caesarea while ministering to the suffering and dying. 130:2.5
• Luke wrote the Gospel after Paul's death prior to A.D. 82. 121:8.8

Accomplishments

• Paul built one of the most progressive societies ever, drawing on Jesus' teachings and Greek and Persian beliefs of eternal life, creating a shadow of the kingdom of heaven on Earth. 170:5.16-17
• Paul played a crucial role in spreading the Christian message to the gentiles. 195:0.1
• Paul did most to establish the kingdom and send its messengers to the four corners of the earth. 139:2.9
• Paul founded Christianity through his teachings and beliefs that blended Jewish, Zoroastrian, and Greek influences into a system of theology and philosophy based on the teachings of Jesus. 92:6.18 121:7.6-8 128:3.6 132:0.7 170:5.3-7 195:0.18 196:2.6
• Paul founded a religion of faith, hope, and charity, inspired by Jesus' love for humanity. 196:3.19

Associates

• Jesus taught Angamon, the leader of the Stoics, during an all-night talk in Rome, who then became a great friend of Paul and a strong supporter of the Christian church. 132:1.1
• Paul remained estranged from Abner due to their philosophical and theological differences that ultimately led to their separation. 166:5.4-5
• Gaius, a loyal supporter in Corinth, met Jesus and Ganid in the home of Crispus, leading to his support of Paul and the growth of the Christian community. 133:3.11
• Paul lived in Corinth with Justus, Aquila, and Priscilla, where Jesus and Ganid were often guests in Justus' home. (133:3.5,12)
• Luke, a gentile convert of Paul, followed him beginning in A.D. 47, where he learned about the life and teachings of Jesus which influenced his writing of the Gospel later on. 121:8.8-9
• Paul later sent Titus to Crete to reorganize their churches, despite Jesus' love and efforts to elevate the Cretans' thinking and living. 130:5.1
• Paul spent a meaningful winter in Nicopolis with the son of Jeramy during his third missionary journey. 133:2.5
• Paul and Peter worked together harmoniously for the upbuilding of the churches, despite their differences in temperament and theology. (139:2.7,11)

Teachings

• Paul adapted Jesus’ teachings to render them more acceptable, a shrewd compromiser. 89:9.3 121:5.13-16 166:5.4-5 194:0.3 195:1.4-5
• Paul declared that God reconciled the world to himself through Christ, emphasizing love and sonship over anger and atonement. 98:7.1
• Paul's letters, intended to bring the teachings of Jesus to certain groups, unknowingly became regarded as the “word of God” by later Christians, despite his well-meaning intentions. 98:7.9 149:2.2
• Paul's doctrine of Christ as the second Adam signifies a fresh beginning for all humanity. 140:8.24
• Despite early man's fear of sprouting grain, the Apostle Paul drew spiritual lessons and founded religious beliefs on it. 85:2.2
• Paul ended the doctrine of redemption through animal sacrifice, shifting Christianity away from blood rituals towards a new understanding of Christ's all-sufficient sacrifice. 89:9.3
• Despite the advancements in the treatment of women within Christianity, Paul found it difficult to consider women as equals. 84:5.6 150:1.3
• Paul formulated a theology combining Greek philosophy, Roman law, Hebrew morality, and his gospel of personality sanctity and spiritual liberty, carried by a unique group to the world. 121:7.6
• Paul incorporated the continence cult into Christianity, despite knowing that teachings were not part of Jesus’ gospel. 89:3.6
• Paul's cult of Christianity was influenced by Jesus, Plato, Philo, Stoics, and Cynics, blending various teachings to form a system of moral and spiritual beliefs. 121:4.3-4 121:6.3-5 121:7.6-11
• Paul recognized the Paradise Trinity but confused Jesus as the Second Person of Deity. 104:1.11 121:6.5
• Paul knew the fate of Lucifer and his followers, who were imprisoned after failing to overthrow Michael and rule Nebadon. 53:9.2
• Like the Apostle Paul, we are convinced that nothing can separate us from the love of God, leading to a deep and unshakable inner peace. 100:6.6
• Paul's personal viewpoint greatly influenced Christian theology. 5:4.14 98:7.9
• Jesus, unlike Paul, viewed mankind positively as the sons of God with a magnificent and eternal future, not sharing a pessimistic view but instead seeing them as weak rather than wicked. 196:2.9
• Paul's refusal to subject gentiles to Jewish practices exemplifies the universality of the religion of Jesus, liberated from its inherited Jewish fetters. 194:3.9
• Paul taught the doctrine of atonement and original sin, drawing inspiration from both Hebrew ritual and Philo's philosophy, but also incorporating Mithraic elements. 63:6.4 121:6.5

Special experiences

• Paul's spectacular conversion on the Damascus road was a sudden and eventful experience, contrasting with the gradual growth of many believers' spiritual awareness. 100:5.3 196:2.1
• Paul concluded that the tentmaker of Antioch was the scribe of Damascus, a belief that was indirectly shared by Peter and the other Christian teachers in Rome. 132:0.10
• Paul had a vision of the ascendant-citizen corps on Jerusem and learned of the reality of morontia worlds and materials. 47:10.3 48:1.7 48:6.23

Bible parallels

Passages that the paragraphs cited above parallel, quote or reinterpret, from Duane Faw’s Paramony cross-references. Hover a reference to read it.

• Marriage, the lesser evil 89:3.6 — 1 Co 7:2,9.
• Man not touch woman 89:3.6 — 1 Co 7:1.
• Paul would like all men be single as he is 89:3.6 — 1 Co 7:7.
• Good for singles & widows 89:3.6 — 1 Co 7:8.
• Paul speaks by permission 89:3.6 — 1 Co 7:6.
• Stoning of Stephen 128:3.6 — Acts 6:8-7:60.
• Saul of Tarsus 128:3.6 — Acts 7:58.
• Paul, a Hebrew of Hebrews 121:1.2 — 2 Co 11:22; Phil 3:5.
• Paul spoke in Greek tongue 121:1.2 — Acts 21:37-40; Acts 22:2-3.
• Paul was a Roman citizen 121:1.2 — Acts 16:37-39; Acts 22:24-29.
• Paul's conversion 100:5.3 — Acts 9:1-9,20.
• Author and finisher of our faith 196:2.1 — Heb 12:2.
• Pauline Christianity 196:2.1 — Acts 9:1-20.
• Peter tells of Jesus' life 196:2.1 — 1 P 2:21-23.
• Paul in Antioch 134:7.3 — Acts 11:25-26.
• Greek Christianity began 195:1.1 — Acts 17:22-23.
• Paul's version of gospel 195:1.1 — Acts 17:24-31.
• Christianity started at Ephesus 133:6.3 — Acts 19:1-10.
• “Devout” gentiles 121:2.5 — Acts 10:7; Acts 17:4,17.
• “God-fearing” gentiles 121:2.5 — Acts 10:2,22.
• First called “Christians” in Antioch 121:2.5 — Acts 11:26.
• Renewed in spirit of minds 108:6.3 — Eph 4:23-24.
• Image of God 108:6.3 — Gn 1:26-27; Gn 9:6.
• Philip's harvest 130:2.5 — Acts 8:40.
• Cornelius' conversion 130:2.5 — Acts 10:1-48.
• Paul's imprisonment 130:2.5 — Acts 23:31-24:27.
• Grace of Lord Jesus Christ 121:8.8 — Lk 2:40; Acts 11:23; Acts 13:43; Acts 14:3,26; Acts 15:11,40; Acts 18:27; Acts 20:24,32; 1 Co 13:14.
• Friend of publicans, sinners 121:8.8 — Lk 5:29-30; Lk 7:29,34; Lk 15:1-2; Lk 19:2-6.
• Following afar off 139:2.9 — Mt 26:58; Mk 14:54; Lk 22:54.
• Stephen's stoning 132:0.7 — Acts 6:8-7:60.

Where it appears

Paul is linked in 47 paragraphs of the text; the first 40 are listed.

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