Very interesting read:

Name Change Myth: Saul Never Became Paul

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You've heard the story: Saul became Paul.
It is a powerful story.

A Jewish man once hell-bent on the destruction of Christianity became convinced that his life was nothing without Christ. The name change from Saul (old identity) to Paul (suffering for Jesus / new identity) is a reminder for many people that our lives are never the same after we embrace Jesus as Messiah and Lord.

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Perhaps you remember the well-known story of Paul traveling on the Road to Damascus. The author of Luke-Acts tells this story (that Paul recounts in his own way in Galatians 1) with narratival gusto. It truly is a powerful story about Jesus transforming and calling Saul.

But that is the kicker it is about Saul. In fact, when Jesus addresses him directly he says: "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?" (Acts of the Apostles 9.4).

And you would think that by the end of this experience that Jesus, or other followers of Messiah, would start saying "Paul, Paul," but this never happens. In fact, after this event in Acts 9, Paul is referred to as "Saul" 11 more times: without qualification.

Nothing in the New Testament says that he dramatically changed his name.
Not even Acts.

The key transition point in Acts comes a few chapters later when Saul and Barnabas are commissioned and sent out as missionaries to the non-Jewish nations / nations-people.

• Acts 13.2 cites the Apostle as Saul (without qualification).
• Acts 13.9 tells us that "Saul, who was also called Paul" was full of the Spirit. Saul is used with a disclaimer that sometimes he is known as Paul.
• Acts 13.13 then uses the name Paul without qualification as they sail out to proclaim God's good news to non-Jewish people-groups.

The pattern seems pretty clear. As a rule of thumb, at least in Acts: Paul is Paul in gentile contexts. Paul is Saul in Judaean contexts. There is no moment in the Bible where a name-change takes place (which is completely distinct from Jesus adding the name Peter to Simon).

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Paul had a similar situation. He was in a world, much like the North American context, where a great empire had assimilated many cultures (after conquering them, mostly). This forced him to live in 2, if not 3, worlds (perhaps 2.5): his Jewish world, the Greek-speaking Hellenistic world, and the Roman world which had annexed the latter two into their dominion.

Thus, the Apostle had 3 names (more like 2.5 names):

• Saul: his Hebrew/Aramaic name. The name he most easily recognized and the one that spoke deeply of his Jewish identity. This Jewish teacher took joy in being from the tribe of Benjamin, the same tribe from whom emerged the king he was named after!
• Paul: his Greek name (Paulos) and his Roman name (Paulus). He chose a close "equivalent" to his Jewish name from the known Greco-Roman names of the time.

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Paul's Greco-Roman name was necessary for navigating the world, one where he was forced into a dual identity. It is not unlike your neighbors who might not be US born (or Canada, UK, etc. since I realize that not all of you are from here) who, for similar reasons forgo their cultural story to 'anglicize' their name or choose a completely different one to navigate the tumultuous cultural waters of dominant culture.

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Most of this is good except, Paul was not called Saul in Acts nor his letters after Acts 13. It is used in ch 22 but only to tell the story of Acts 9. So he is not known as Saul in Jewish contexts and Paul in Gentile contexts. For the most part Paul was going synagogues throughout his ministry which would have been headed by and included many Jews.

I had understood that he inherited Roman citizenship from his father and thus had the name "Paulus" (in addition to "Saul") from birth. He simply used "Saul" when interacting with other Jews.

AggieFrankTX said:

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I had understood that he inherited Roman citizenship from his father and thus had the name "Paulus" (in addition to "Saul") from birth. He simply used "Saul" when interacting with other Jews.

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I agree. I tend to think Paul used whatever title was relevant when necessary to fit who he was talking to.

AgLiving06 said:

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AggieFrankTX said:

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I had understood that he inherited Roman citizenship from his father and thus had the name "Paulus" (in addition to "Saul") from birth. He simply used "Saul" when interacting with other Jews.

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I agree. I tend to think Paul used whatever title was relevant when necessary to fit who he was talking to.

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It reminds me of Paul's passage in 1 Cor 9:

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19 Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

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