Who was Paul in the Bible?

Paul was an Apostle of Jesus Christ, though he was not among Jesus' twelve disciples. Initially, known as Saul, he was a persecutor of those people who believed in and followed the teachings of Christ. However, he later converted after an encounter with Jesus while on the road to Damascus.

After his conversion, Paul preached the gospel throughout Israel. During this time, he faced persecution and a number of tribulations, due to strong resistance against his teachings. Paul is credited with writing as many as fourteen books of the New Testament. He was later martyred after Emperor Nero of Rome ordered his beheading.