saul
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Proper noun:
- A historical and biblical figure: In the Old Testament, Saul was the first king of the Israelites, chosen to unite and defend the tribes against their enemies.
- The pre-conversion name of the Apostle Paul: In the New Testament, Saul was the original name of Paul before his transformative experience on the road to Damascus, after which he became a leading Christian missionary.
Usage Examples
- Proper noun:
- The prophet Samuel anointed Saul as the first king of Israel.
- In the Book of Acts, Saul was present at the stoning of Stephen before his conversion.
Advanced Usage
- "A Saul-like transformation": Refers to a profound, radical change in someone's beliefs or character, akin to the conversion of Saul to Paul.
- His renunciation of violence represented a Saul-like transformation.
Variants and Related Words
- Paul (proper noun): The name adopted by Saul of Tarsus after his conversion to Christianity.
- Saul of Tarsus (proper noun): A specific designation for the New Testament figure, identifying his city of origin.
Synonyms
- Monarch (for the Old Testament king): A sovereign head of state.
- Persecutor-turned-evangelist (for the New Testament figure): Describes the dramatic shift in Saul/Paul's role.
Related Phrases
- From Saul to Paul: An idiom describing a complete and fundamental change in someone's life, especially in their beliefs or moral character.
- His recovery and advocacy work was a real journey from Saul to Paul.
Noun
- (New Testament) a Christian missionary to the Gentiles; author of several Epistles in the New Testament; even though Paul was not present at the Last Supper he is considered an Apostle
- Paul's name was Saul prior to his conversion to Christianity
- (Old Testament) the first king of the Israelites who defended Israel against many enemies (especially the Philistines)