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forever Paul

Acts 22:15&16
"15 For thou shalt be His witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard.
16 And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord."

This shows that Paul’s transformation was never meant to be private. God appointed him as a witness to testify about his encounter with the risen Christ, especially to the Gentiles. The phrase “to all people” underscores the universal reach of his mission, which many Jews found scandalous.

“Wash away your sins” symbolizes spiritual cleansing and public identification with Christ. Baptism came after Saul’s conversion as an outward sign of the inward change already wrought by faith. The command to call on the Lord’s name emphasizes sincere faith and prayer (see Acts 2:21; Romans 10:13).

Contrary to popular belief, Saul did not undergo a dramatic name change after conversion. He had carried both names from birth: Saul (his Hebrew name) and Paul (his Roman name, from Latin Paulus, meaning “small” or “humble”). As a Roman citizen and Jew from Tarsus, this was common. He was known as Saul during his early persecution of Christians and in Jewish settings (Acts 9; 22:7), but from Acts 13:9 onward, especially as his ministry focused on Gentiles, the Scriptures consistently call him Paul. He is remembered forever as Paul the Apostle.
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