Why did Jesus change Saul's name to Paul? Do you know what Paul means?

Answer 1

Saul in Greek=Paul and means small. It is hilarious that some have answered and said Jesus never met Paul/Saul. I guess they have never read the 9th chapter of Acts, or Acts 18:9 and 10, Acts 22:18 and 21, Acts 23:11, and 2 Corinthians 12:9.

Grace and Peace

Answer 2

It wasn't necessary a change of name and there is no evidence that anyone at all directed Saul to change his name. The first time he is referred to as Paul is in Acts 13:9 and even then both names are given: "Saul, who was also called Paul." Saul is a Hebrew name meaning "asked" or "prayed for" and Paul a Greco-Latin name, meaning "small" or "humble". It was quite common in those days for people to have adopted names as well as given names and it may well be that Paul, who described himself as "the least of all the apostles", might have felt it more fitting to drop the kingly name of Saul and adopt the humbler name of Paul. It might, on the other hand, have seemed easier to go by a Roman-Hellenistic name which was easier to use among non-Jews than his Hebrew name of Saul. Interestingly enough, the shift from Saul to Paul took place at the time when Paul preached very successfully to a proconsul named Sergius Paulus. Could there possibly be a connection?

Answer 3

Saul never changed his name and neither did Jesus. the name Saul and Paul are the same. Its just the way it ws pronounced and spealt in different parts of the world.

Answer 4

We don't know for sure whether Jesus changed Saul's name. I think he changed his name after he'd met Jesus on the way to Damascus. Could be he wanted a complete change in life & therefore by changing his name it made the change complete. Paul is a fully Romanized name (meaning "small").

Answer 5

Saul means borrowed

and Paul means little, small

why did Saul make up the lie should be the question

why did David Koresh and Joseph Smith both claim to hear from Jesus today but a variant of the same and claim a new relevation only they recieved, supposedly making them special

I personally doubt the whole bible as edited and limited, written by man and edited by man to control the masses based on thier beliefs without proof, citing the same as necessary for status as Believer vs Knower

Answer 6

Maybe he just thought Paul sounded a lot better then Saul.

Answer 7

As Saul, the Apostle Paul was a highly learned man in the Jewish faith. What he did was in complete keeping of the teachings of Judaism. After Christ ascended to Heaven, he exist only in unapproachable light, so when he appeared to Saul, it instantly blinded him\, as it would anyone. When he learned the "truth" of the teachings of Christ, and became an Apostle, the name change would have been justifiable.

Many Jews knew him by Saul, and knew what he was doing to protect the Jewish faith, so the change showed a complete separation from his old ways, and his old life.

Of interest, they ask many of the same question asked today. How do you know your faith is truer than mine?

Answer 8

Saul changed his own name to Paul when he became 'good'. Paul also means small.

Answer 9

Saul was his Jewish name. Paul is Greek/ Roman translation of it. And yes Christ did know Paul.

Answer 10

Read the passage again; Jesus didn't change his name, the other Christians did. Because Saul had such a bad rep vis a vis the church they wanted to show their acceptance of his change.