Paul has always attracted controversy. Born a Jew of the tribe of Benjamin, son of a Pharisee, he attended the Pharisee School of Gamaliel in Jerusalem and became chief persecutor of the new Nazarene sect – until his vision on the Damascus Road. Thereafter he proclaimed Jesus Christ as the son of God and the Messiah promised in Jewish scripture. Considered a heretic by orthodox Jews committed to Mosaic Law, he was accused of treachery to his race and religion and vilified by those who disagreed with him. He has since been called a masochist and a misogynist, with some critics claiming that he actually distorted the teachings of Jesus Christ. Beaten, stoned, shipwrecked, and imprisoned, Paul suffered many hardships to proclaim the simple truth that God made us to be charitable to each other. His letters reveal that he was not perfect. He lost patience, got angry, made errors in judgment, and was critical of co-workers. But his strength was derived from his belief in God and the teaching of his Son, Jesus, which, thanks to his fellow apostle Peter, he heard word for word and spread as widely as possible. In so doing, he walked some ten thousand miles, tirelessly teaching, preaching, organising new churches and maintaining contact with them. It is a story of courage and conviction, which led to Christianity becoming a world wide religion.