Does Scripture Ever Clearly Say If The Apostle Paul Was Married?

[Galations 2:20]

Was Paul, originally Saul of Tarsus before the Damascus Road experience of salvation, ever married? Does the Bible give a clear cut answer on this?   Furthermore was he named apostle, a member of the Sanhedrin, a judge, a priest as he studied at Gamalieo's feet? 

Please give me answers from scripture passages and not opinions or historical notes.

[Standing Firm In Christ]

To arrive at the answer, one would have to use both Scripture and History.
 

Using the Bible alone, one cannot determine whether Saul/Paul was ever married.  1 Corinthians 7:8 discloses a single man at the time of writing that epistle.

However, Jewish writings reveal that the Sanhedrin had to be married men.  They record that one of the qualifications for a position in that elite crowd, one had to be fertile.  The only way that could be proven would be to have children. 

Paul said that "as touching the righteousness which is in the Law," he was "blameless." (Php. 3:6)  If Jewish writings are correct, this would mean Paul was indeed married at one time  and had a child or children as well. 
 

[Standing Firm In Christ]

Something to think about... Does "unmarried" in 1 Corinthians 7:8 mean "never married"? or possibly "married, then divorced"?

[The Ohio Patriot]

Unmarried.  There is no support that Paul was ever in the Sanhedrin.  The word used in Corinthians means unmarried with only one Greek Lexicon mentioning this could have included widows, all others say unmarried.  But I would agree the only source that can be trusted in inconclusive and it does not make any difference.

[Standing Firm In Christ]

Many historians agree that Saul was a member of the Sanhedrin.  Their "proof-text" is found in Acts 7, when Saul consented to the death of Stephen.  He must have had some position of authority in order to give consent to the stoning of Stephen.

I tend to agree.

[The Ohio Patriot]

Many historians agree that Saul was a member of the Sanhedrin.  Their "proof-text" is found in Acts 7, when Saul consented to the death of Stephen.  He must have had some position of authority in order to give consent to the stoning of Stephen.

I tend to agree.

 

This conclusion is based on the fact that Paul voice his agreement for the stoning.  

 

I believe the argument could be made that was the logical conclusion of his studies, but Paul never makes the claim.  You might be correct I think we will have to wait and ask Paul some day.  More compelling for the argument of Paul being a widow is the requirements that Paul gave for an elder.  I could not fault anyone for holding either position.  

[Standing Firm In Christ]

In Acts 9, Saul was "breathing out threatenings and slaughters against the Church".  This is something that is seen throughout the Gospels in the attitudes of the scribes and Pharisees toward Christ.  Jesus Himself told the Apostles that the religious leaders would put them out of the synagogues and even kill them.. thinking they were doing a service for God by doing so.

Since Saul went to the High Priests for orders for execution in Acts 9:2, it is clear he had some role of authority... not merely a role of Pharisee, but of a higher order even though he was indeed a Pharisee.

[The Ohio Patriot]

Again, this is possible but reading into scripture because it clearly does not say Paul was ever in the Sanhedrin.  One could speculate and say that Paul was hired by the chief priest to persecute "the way" but that also clearly is not in God's Word.

[Standing Firm In Christ]

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[LindaR]

Was Paul, originally Saul of Tarsus before the Damascus Road experience of salvation, ever married? Does the Bible give a clear cut answer on this?   Furthermore was he named apostle, a member of the Sanhedrin, a judge, a priest as he studied at Gamalieo's feet? 

Please give me answers from scripture passages and not opinions or historical notes.

There is nowhere in Scripture that specifically states that Paul was ever married.  Since the Bible is silent about Paul's marital status, we should also remain silent.  If God wanted us to know if Paul was ever married, it would have been clearly stated in Scripture.  Here are a few facts we do know about the Apostle Paul:

 

We do know that Paul's original name was Saul:

 

Acts 13:9 Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him,

 

He was of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews:

 

Philippians 3:5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;

 

He was born in Tarsus, the chief city of Cilicia in Asia Minor.  He was brought up a Pharisee and educated in Jerusalem at the feet of Gamaliel, a celebrated Rabbi:

 

Acts 22:3 I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day.

 

He was acquainted with several of the ancient Greek poets whom he occasionally quotes:

 

Acts 17:28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

 

Titus 1:12 One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies.

 

Like all Jews, he was brought up to a trade, which, in his case, was that of a tent maker:

 

Acts 18:1 After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth;
Acts 18:2 And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came unto them.
Acts 18:3 And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation they were tentmakers.

 

His residence at Jerusalem augmented his natural regard for Judaism, and led him, while yet a young man, to bear his testimony against Christianity, by consenting to the martyrdom of Stephen and by watching over the clothes of those who stoned him :

 

Acts 7:58 And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul.

 

Acts 8:1 And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.

 

Paul was ordained by the Lord Jesus Christ to be the Apostle to the Gentiles (Acts 9:1-28)

 

Source: Excerpts from Way of Life Encyclopedia: Paul

[heartstrings]

1 Corintians 7:6 But I speak this by permission, and not of commandment.

7 For I would that all men were even as I myself. But every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that.

8 I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, it is good for them if they abide even as I.

9 But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.

10 And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband:

 

If widows "abide even as" Paul, it could mean that Paul was once married too but was now a widower; his wife being deceased. But if the "unmarried" "abide even as" Paul, it could mean he was never married. Other than this we do not know and, unless the Bible gives another clue elsewhere, anything else would be speculation..  Either way we know that Paul was not married at the time, was able to "contain" himself, and to remain so for the rest of his life.