The Conversion of St Paul

The Conversion of St Paul - January 25, 2026

Acts 9:1-22

Galatians 1:11-24

Matthew 19:27-30

27 Then Peter answered and said to Him, "Behold, we have left everything and followed You; what then will there be for us?"

 28 And Jesus said to them, "Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

 29 "And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or farms for My name's sake, shall receive many times as much, and shall inherit eternal life.

 30 "But many first will be last; and last, first.

Collect for the Conversion of St. Paul  [January 25]

Almighty God, You turned the heart of him who persecuted the Church and by his preaching caused the light of the Gospel to shine throughout the world. Grant us ever to rejoice in the saving light of Your Gospel and, following the example of the apostle Paul, to spread it to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ, Your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Paul, set apart for the Gospel

Saul of Tarsus, later known as Paul, was an unlikely candidate to be converted and made an apostle of our Lord Jesus Christ. He was learned in the way of manmade works concocted from the twisting of the Old Testament into a rule book by which one might supposedly save oneself. He was devoted to that way, which would have led him and those who followed with him perhaps to riches and power here but to the darkness of death and destruction eternally. In his spiritual zeal, Paul pursued followers of the Way of Jesus Christ to arrest and imprison them. An earthly encounter with the apostles or their ordained assistants like Stephen (Acts 7) was not about to change his heart, anymore than any intersection with Jesus in Jerusalem had. Paul was acting according to his understanding of the Word of God and with the authority of the high priest and governing Sanhedrin. He had papers to make arrests in far away Damascus. He was exercising power to the ultimate degree, as demonstrated by the stoning of Stephen.

Then the crucified, risen and ascended Lord Jesus began appearing to him and the truth of the Holy Scriptures of the Old Testament began to be revealed to him. Having refused the baptism of John as was common among the Pharisees, Jesus gave to Paul the blessed admonition to enter Damascus and to do what he was told. Paul was taken to a house owned by a man named Judas, on a street called Straight, where he awaited without eating or drinking for three days, a man named Ananias to come and lay hands on him. Like Zachariah in Luke 1 who was struck mute by the angel Gabriel until he saw the fulfillment of the Word in the birth of his son John, Paul—who had come to bind Christians and bring them to Jerusalem to imprison them—was struck blind by Jesus until Paul himself was bound to Christ by the laying on of hands by Ananias. In that moment he regained his sight, arose and was baptized being filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 9).

Paul describes this scene in Acts 22. We learn there that when Ananias lay his hands on Saul of Tarsus, he said, “Brother Saul, receive your sight.” Then Ananias who was well spoken of by all the Jews who lived in Damascus said to Paul, “The God of our fathers appointed you to know His will, to see the Righteous One, and to hear a voice from His mouth; for you will be a witness for Him to everyone of what you have seen and heard. And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on His name.”

When Paul returned to Jerusalem years later, Jesus appeared to him and he saw Jesus saying to him, “Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, for they will not accept your testimony about Me.” Paul said to Jesus, “Lord, they themselves know that in one synagogue after another I imprisoned and beat those who believed in You. And when the blood of Stephen Your witness was being shed, I myself was standing by and approving . . .” Then Jesus said to Paul, “Go for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.”

Paul was converted. He was baptized and received the forgiveness of his sins. He was now one of the regenerate like you and me (Titus 3), but like the Twelve he was made a witness by divine revelation of the things which Jesus suffered as well as what He did and taught. Paul was bound to Jesus by the laying on of hands and thereby made an Apostle to the Gentiles. Having been darkened three days and three nights, Paul’s eyes were created new to see the Holy Scriptures of the Old Testament as given and revealed by Jesus Himself, rather than according to his own understanding. In holy Baptism, Paul died and was raised with Jesus and began to walk in newness of life (Rom 6). He who was dead in trespasses and sins—even the sin of seeking to destroy the work of Christ Jesus and of putting His followers to death or imprisoning them—was made alive (Eph 2:1-3)!

Oh the riches of the love of God in Jesus, the Son of God and Mary’s Son. He has forgiven our sins. He has made us alive who were dead in our sins. God has made us His children by the waters of holy Baptism and has given us the knowledge of the truth, with greater knowledge and understanding in the Word of God both of the Old Testament and of the New Testament. And so much of the NT is given us by the hand of St. Paul. Oh the fruit that has flowed from the conversion of Paul. And now what fruit the Lord Jesus is producing through each of you, His dear brothers and sisters. For you have been created in His image—declared righteous and holy through faith in the Righteous One who is the very image of the Father. And you are exhibiting His likeness—filled with the Holy Spirit your new heart overflows with mercy and compassion for your fellow man.

Repent and believe in Jesus, whose death for the salvation of all you proclaim in your reception of His body and blood each week. Trust in Jesus for forgiveness and know that:

Chief of sinners though I be, Jesus shed His blood for me,
Died that I might live on high, Lives that I might never die.
As the branch is to the vine, I am His and He is mine.

Only Jesus can impart  Balm to heal the wounded heart,
Peace that flows from sin forgiv’n, Joy that lifts the soul to heav’n,
Faith and hope to walk with God  In the way that Enoch trod.

O my Savior, help afford  By Your Spirit and Your Word!
When my wayward heart would stray, Keep me in the narrow way;
Grace in time of need supply  While I live and when I die. LSB  611  1, 3, 5