The Bible records Paul’s persecution of Christians (his original name was Saul).

• The book of Acts in the New Testament records Saul approving of Stephen’s death (a follower of Christ) and persecuting the church.

  • Saul agreed with putting him to death. On that day a severe persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout the land of Judea and Samaria. But devout men buried Stephen and mourned deeply over him. Saul, however, was ravaging the church, and he would enter house after house, drag off men and women, and put them in prison. (Acts 8:1-3 CSB emphasis added)

• Paul includes in one of his letters what appears to be an early oral tradition about himself circulating in Judea.

  • I remained personally unknown to the Judean churches in Christ; they simply kept hearing: "He who formerly persecuted us now preaches the faith he once tried to destroy." (Galatians 1:22-23 CSB emphasis added)

Paul’s conversion to Christianity is recorded in Bible, both in the book of Acts as well as Paul’s own letters.

• The book of Acts in the New Testament records Saul’s conversion to Paul in 3 chapters in Acts (9; 22; 26).

  • As he traveled and was nearing Damascus, a light from heaven suddenly flashed around him. Falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?" "Who are You, Lord?" he said. "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," He replied. (Acts 9:3-5 CSB)

• Paul also records his conversion in his letters (1 Cor 15:9-10; Gal 1:11-13; Phil 3:6-7).

  • Now I want you to know, brothers, that the gospel preached by me is not based on a human point of view. For I did not receive it from a human source and I was not taught it, but it came by a revelation from Jesus Christ. For you have heard about my former way of life in Judaism: I persecuted God's church to an extreme degree and tried to destroy it; (Galatians 1:11-13 CSB)

Paul was willing to suffer and die for these beliefs. His suffering is recorded in the Bible and his death by early church fathers.

• The book of Acts in the New Testament records Saul being stoned, almost to the point of death.

  • Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and when they had won over the crowds and stoned Paul, they dragged him out of the city, thinking he was dead. (Acts 14:19 CSB)

• Paul refers to his sufferings in one of his letters to the church of Corinth.

  • Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. I have spent a night and a day in the depths of the sea. On frequent journeys, [I faced] dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my own people, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the open country, dangers on the sea, and dangers among false brothers; labor and hardship, many sleepless nights, hunger and thirst, often without food, cold, and lacking clothing. Not to mention other things, there is the daily pressure on me: my care for all the churches. (2 Corinthians 11:25-28 CSB)

• Paul’s willingness to suffer and his death are recorded by early church fathers.

  • Clement of Rome, Polycarp, Tertullian - (See evidence of disciples willingness to suffer).