# Paul — Jesus the Son of Man character guide

> Paul in Jesus the Son of Man by Kahlil Gibran.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Saul of Tarsus, Saul

**First appearance:** 0011-luke

## Snapshot

Once Saul of Tarsus, persecutor of the Nazarene's friends, now a halting Greek preacher forging chains for tomorrow in a name he never knew.

## Who they are

Paul arrives in the story as a strange, hunted man whose soul is not the soul of a free man, preaching a Messiah of the ancient prophets rather than the Jesus his hearers actually walked with. He was present at Stephen's stoning and carries that satisfaction like a wound. Those who knew Jesus find him building laws where their master gave breath to the breathless dead — a tension that turns the book's later chapters into an argument about what the Nazarene's freedom really meant.

## Relationships

### [Luke](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/jesus_the_son_of_man_se/characters/luke)

_professional_

Luke works alongside Paul as a fellow missionary and scribe, documenting Paul's journeys and teachings.

### [Rumanous](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/jesus_the_son_of_man_se/characters/rumanous)

_professional_

Paul and Rumanous are colleagues in spreading the gospel, though they sometimes clash over methods.

### [Stephen](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/jesus_the_son_of_man_se/characters/stephen)

_friendship_

Paul and Stephen are close friends, with Stephen serving as a mentor to Paul before his conversion.

## In the story

### [Saba of Antioch](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/jesus_the_son_of_man_se/chapters/saba-of-antioch)

Paul preaches the Christ in Antioch, but Saba criticizes his message as lacking the freedom Jesus taught.

### [Naaman of the Gadarenes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/jesus_the_son_of_man_se/chapters/naaman-of-the-gadarenes)

Saul of Tarsus, present at Stephen's stoning and approving of it; later reported to be preaching Jesus, though Naaman dislikes him.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/jesus_the_son_of_man_se/characters/paul
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/jesus_the_son_of_man_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/jesus_the_son_of_man_se/characters