Is there any historical evidence to support the story of Saul (Paul) of Tarsus other than the Bible? Is there evidence that he was a Jew who persecuted Christians and then coverted to Christianisty. Was it a sudden conversion?
Paul’s (Saul’s) own account in Acts 22:6-16 should provide the answer.
A confrontation of moments changed Saul from a persecuter of Christ to a person ready to obey Him. Just three days later he was baptized and ready to preach the Gospel.
The OP did say other than the bible, so Acts 22 doesn’t help here.
Not a mention of Paul per se, but a mention of an event affecting Paul that really happened. It “supports the story” of paul in that it was an even t that really happened
The Edict of Claudius: When the Roman Emperor Claudius expels Jews from the city of Rome (probably in 49 AD):
Iudaeos impulsore Chresto assidue tumultuantis Roma expulit (G. Suetonius Tranquillus, De Vita Caesarum 5.25.4).
“Since the Jews were constantly causing disturbances at the instigation of Chrestus, he [Claudius] expelled them from Rome” (Suetonius, Lives of the Caesars, Claudius 5.25.4)
Acts 18
1 After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth;
2 And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came unto them.
“from Rome ]” - end paren – I have no idea where smiley came from
“The OP did say other than the bible, so Acts 22 doesn’t help here.”
Reread OP, last sentence. " Was it a sudden conversion?"
Saul/Paul in his own words, such as would not be expected to be found in secular history.
Reread it yourself, spingears. The OP clearly asked if there was any evidence other than the Bible to support Saul’s story.
monty, monty, monty…
the op asked 3 questions (although the second did not
actually end with a question mark)
Springears answered the 3rd (as indicated by the small
bold writing at the top of his post).
pjd: spingears just ran with the 3rd but only by ignoring what preceded it.
yes. that is correct ! now … on with the music.
Question 3 has been answered above. Now consider the work of Sir William Ramsey.
See the following links and sources.
http://www.tektonics.org/tekton_02_03_06.html
http://www.christian-thinktank.com/quirinius.html
http://www.christian-thinktank.com/qtheudy.html
Book of Acts in the Setting of Hellenistic History>
by Colin J. Hemer, Conrad H. Gempf (Editor)>
Evidence and Paul’s Journeys
by Jefferson White
This is not a direct historical link from leteratue of the first century but a study of Paul, Acts, and the civilization of first century in East Mediterrean areas.
Just three days later he was baptized and ready to preach the Gospel.
Um, no, spingears.
After his conversion, it was a good 14 years before Paul started preaching.
Will try to find a cite later.
Acts 9:1-18 recount the conversion of Saul. Now read v. 18-30.
Acts 9:28 “And when he had received meat, he was strengthened. Then Was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Damascs. 20 AND STRAIGHTWAY HE PREACHED CHRIST IN THE SYNAGAGOGUES, THAT HE IS THE SON OF GOD.”
Doesn’t read like 14 years to me!
Also see N. T. Chronology at:
It’s a huge stretch to intrepret the OP to seriously be asking for Biblical references to any of the three questions. Hopefully Hydrocortisone will be along shortly to make this clear.
The problem with trying to find non-Biblical evidence for such stories is the enormous impact that the Bible has had on thought and scholarship for the last two thousand years. From my own experience, I know that what seems like an overwhelming preponderance of information on a subject can vanish once everything that traces it’s sole source [ultimately] to the Bible is removed.
This author says that:
Okay my bad.
It was 14 years before his first missionary journey.
http://www.kolumbus.fi/hjussila/rsla/Paul/paul08.html
Hey spingears: you seem like the kinda guy who likes to look up Bible trivia. So here’s one for ya:
Who prayed for Paul, before he even got saved?
Sorry everybody, I thought I added a response saying I was looking for information about Saul (Paul) that does not come from the Bible or that taken from the Bible.
Is there any non-Biblical/non-Christian evidence that Saul(Paul) existed?
Is there any non-Straight-Dope/non-Chicago-Reader evidence that Cecil exists? 
On a more serious note, it is important to keep in mind how little historical record there is at all for the entire region at that time. Only the most significant events and the most prestigious people are found in any kind of record at all. When Paul was preaching, he was a pissant on a mountain. Had his preaching not been remarkably effective, there would not even be a Bible (New Testament).
Your asked: “Who prayed for Paul, before he even got saved?”
In a work Stephen. Acts 7:58-60 , 8:1.
When was Salul acceptable unto God, i.e. when was he saved?