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CONGRUITIES AND INCONGRUITIES BETWEEN THE BIBLE AND THE QUR'AN |
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Paul's efforts were directed to the pagans; his influence was felt from Antioch to the Hellenic World. Paul stayed in Antioch with Barnabas the Nazarene, and converted a great mass of people into Christianity. « And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.» (Acts 11/26)
Mircea Eliade described as follows Paul's efforts to spread Christianity: “The confrontation of a Jewish messianic movement with Greek thought and religiosity will have decisive consequences for the development of Cristianity. Is Saint Paul's inestimable contribution that he rightly grasped the elements of the problem and had the courage to fight untiringly for the only solution that he considered just and consistent.” “Become the “The Apostle of the Gentiles” Paul undertook long missionary journeys through Asia Minor, Cyprus, Greece and Macedonia. He preached in many cities, founded churches, spent a long time in Corinth and in Rome.” (Ibid, 9.346)
Paul's Arrestation and Death
The second letter to the Corinthians describes the suffering of Paul. « Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft.» (2 Corinthians 11/23) As described in the Acts, Paul was arrested in Jerusalem. After some time spent in prison he was dispatched to Rome where he lived under surveillance for two years and was sent to the gallows in 62-64 A.D.
Having gone through baptism, Paul strove for thirty years in spreading his religion. At long last, despite the opposition of the Nazarenes, he ended up by being the author of Christianity. Today the backbone of Christianity may be considered as the Letters of Paul.
THE NEW TESTAMENT