"A biography of St Paul by his greatest living interpreter: it is a dream come true. This is the book that I had always hoped Tom Wright might write, while doubting that he ever would. And now here it is - and, my goodness, it does not disappoint!" * Tom Holland, author of Rubicon: The Triumph and Tragedy of the Roman Republic * "An enthralling journey into the mind of Paul by one of the great theologians of our time, a work full of insight, depth and generosity of understanding." -- Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks "Wright's excellent book not only brings Paul to life but places that life in the complex and overlapping array of Jewish and non-Jewish communities, all set within the Roman empire. The result provides much to think about both for students of Paul and the early Christian communities of which he was so significant a founder and shaper, but also for anyone interested in the history of the first century of the Christian era." -- John Richardson, Emeritus Professor of Classics, University of Edinburgh "In eloquent and inviting prose, one of the world's leading New Testament scholars retells the story behind the story, the story of the Apostle Paul whose letters have shaped so much of subsequent history. . . A master teacher here communicates Paul in language every reader can understand." -- Craig S. Keener, Professor of New Testament, Asbury Theological Seminary, Kentucky "A compelling portrait." -- Edith M. Humphrey, Professor of New Testament, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary "A vivid and fast-paced biography, tracing Paul's story from Tarsus to Rome (and maybe beyond), and making imaginative and emotional sense of the life behind the letters . . . I warmly commend this book." -- Loveday Alexander, Emeritus Professor of Biblical Studies, University of Sheffield "What makes Wright's work a joy is that he so brilliantly holds his ground as a scholar, yet writes with a storyteller's narrative mastery, employing modern-day vernacular and fine-grained detail . . . Wright illuminates all angles of Paul's humanity." -- Chicago Tribune "Wright is worthy of his protagonist. His prose is also more lucid, his line of thought more direct, and his analogies more telling. Many a reader will be rightly grateful for this book." -- Daily Telegraph