Have you ever wondered, as I have, about Paul’s sudden conversion to Christ on the main road to Damascus? Well there are two snippets of information about Paul (or Saul,if you prefer the Hebrew form) before that momentous even took place.It comes at the end of a remarkably detailed account of the execution by stoning of Stephen, the first Christian Martyr. Those hurling great rocks at Stephen laid their coats at the feet of a young man, called Saul.
Now stoning was a messy execution.None of your little pebbles from the beach.These were great slabs of granite, hurled onto the victim, crushing and smashing him to pulp.And the account says in Acts: “And Saul was there giving approval to his death”
Imagine, Saul, the impassioned little Pharisee, so devoutly Orthodox, a Jew, a fine scholar of Hebrew Law, a part of an investigatory team which the Germans would later copy and call the Gestapo. This Saul, this fanatical Jew, fiercely opposed to the Jesus Messiah cult, was dedicated to stamping it out. He was there when Stephen died and saw a fine Christian man die, radiant in his faith, that Jesus is the Messiah.Surely this experience burned itself into the teeming mind of Saul. ‘If a man can die like that for his mistaken beliefs’ (he may well have mused) ‘there may just be something in this faith after all’. ‘But how can Jesus of Nazareth be the Messiah-he’s dead, buried, finished. How far is it to Damascus?’ Then Jesus met him – alive, glorious, mysterious, risen – and a new man began life that day:a man the world calls Saint Paul.
“As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”
“Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.
“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting” he replied. “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” Acts 9:3-6Acts 9:3-6
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: ⁴ And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? ⁵ And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. ⁶ And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.  

WP-Bible plugin

Now a later prayer of Paul: Philippians 1:21Philippians 1:21
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.  

WP-Bible plugin and 3:10
“For me, living is Christ.To die is gain.I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and share in his sufferings and become like him”

Now read Philippians 1: 12-30Philippians 1: 12-30
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
12 But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel; ¹³ So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places; in Christ: or, for Christ the palace: or, Caesar's court in all other...: or, to all others ¹⁴ And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. ¹⁵ Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will: ¹⁶ The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds: ¹⁷ But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel. ¹⁸ What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice. ¹⁹ For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, ²⁰ According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death. ²¹ For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. ²² But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not. ²³ For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: ²⁴ Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you. ²⁵ And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith; ²⁶ That your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again. ²⁷ Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; ²⁸ And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God. ²⁹ For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake; ³⁰ Having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me.  

WP-Bible plugin.