Saint Paul - Sources

Sources

Further information: Historical reliability of the Acts of the Apostles

The main source for information about Paul's life is the material found in his epistles and in the book of Acts. However, these epistles contain little information about Paul's past. The book of Acts also recounts Paul's career but leaves several parts of Paul's life out of its narrative, such as his probable but undocumented execution in Rome.

Sources outside of the New Testament that mention Paul include:

  • Pope Clement I's epistle to the Corinthians (late 1st/early 2nd century)
  • Ignatius of Antioch's letter To the Romans (early 2nd century)
  • Polycarp's letter to the Philippians (early 2nd century)
  • The 2nd century document Martyrdom of Polycarp

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