St. Paul the Traveller and the Roman Citizen

****This edition has been meticulously reproduced from the original. It is NOT produced from an OCR copy - it is a true 100% word by word copy (English, Greek) of the original.


The built-in table of contents includes links down to each chapter and chapter section! This is the ultimate e-version of Ramsay's prolific biography of the Apostle Paul.**** 


Sir William Mitchell Ramsay (1851-1939) was a Scottish archaeologist and New Testament scholar, as well as Professor of Classical Archaeology at Oxford University. He is now probably most remembered for his studies (in what is now Turkey and Asia Minor) of St. Paul's missionary journeys and of Christianity in the early Roman Empire, and for his endorsement of the historical accuracy of Luke and the Book of Acts.


In this 1895 book, Ramsay begins by saying, "The aim of our work is to treat its subject as a department of history and of literature. Christianity was not merely a religion, but also a system of life and action; and its introduction by Paul amid the society of the Roman Empire produced changes of momentous consequence, which the historian must study." He added, "It is, therefore, unnecessary to touch on the authenticity of the Epistles; but the question as to the date (of) the composition, and the author of the Acts must be discussed. If the main position of this book is admitted, it will furnish a secure basis for the Epistles to rest on."


He states later, "I began with a mind unfavorable to (Acts) ... It was gradually borne in upon me that in various details the narrative showed marvellous truth. In fact, beginning with the fixed idea that the work was essentially a second-century composition, and never relying on its evidence as trustworthy for first-century conditions, I gradually came to find it a useful ally in some obscure and difficult investigations."


Ramsay stresses the supernatural character of the books he discusses: "You must make up your own minds to accept it or to reject it; but you cannot cut out the marvellous from the rest, nor can you believe that either Paul or this writer was a mere victim of hallucinations." He added, "when Luke or Paul use such language as 'the Spirit suffered them not,' they refer to some definite and clear manifestiion, and not to a guidance which became apparent only through the results."


This book, like all of Ramsay's works, remains in print today as a testimony to its continuing value to students of the New Testament.