1. Paragraph Revisions

2. The author, Paul, has an interesting background. Although he appears to have been a lifelong Christian, the early years of his life were not as pleasing to God as latter years. His story is found in the ninth chapter of Acts. Luke, the author of Acts, describes him as a man who would persecute Christians. Paul would hunt Christians and kill them for their beliefs. He was a member of a religious and political group called Pharisees. They thought that rituals and being apart from sinners would make God happy and help get ready for His return. Mark 3:6 states that they did not accept Jesus as the true Messiah (Dockrey 183).

3. Thesis of the Paragraph Characteristics of Paul’s life before he became a Christian

4. 1.The author, Paul, has an interesting background. 2.Although he appears to have been a lifelong Christian, the early years of his life were not as pleasing to God as latter years. 3.His story is found in the ninth chapter of Acts. 4.Luke, the author of Acts, describes him as a man who would persecute Christians. 5.Paul would hunt Christians and kill them for their beliefs. 6.He was a member of a religious and political group called Pharisees. 7.They thought that rituals and being apart from sinners would make God happy and help get ready for His return. 8.Mark 3:6 states that they did not accept Jesus as the true Messiah (Dockrey 183).

5. Outline the Paragraph Persecuted Christians. –How did he persecute Christians? Hunted them down Killed them –Why did he persecute Christians? Because of their beliefs. Member of the Pharisees –Practices Held to rituals Being apart from the world –Beliefs Did not accept Jesus as the Messiah

6. Although most Christians today recognize the apostle Paul as the key leader of the church of the first century, Paul was, during his pre-conversion days, the key enemy of the church (Acts 9:1-2). As a prominent Pharisee, Paul passionately rejected Jesus’ claim as the Messiah, blindly followed man- made rituals over the Word of God, and avidly practiced segregation from all non- Jews (Sources needed for each point). Consequently, Paul’s beliefs and practices drove him to pursue, arrest, and seek death for anyone holding contrary beliefs to the Pharisees.

7. Sentence Revisions

8. You have several closely related ideas. On the day of Pentecost, Peter preached Christ’s incarnation, he proclaimed the crucifixion, and he explained the ascension. On the day of Pentecost, Peter preached Christ’s incarnation, crucifixion, and ascension. On the day of Pentecost, Peter preached Christ’s incarnation, Christ’s crucifixion, and Christ’s ascension.

9. You have two contrary ideas. –God speaks truth; Satan speaks lies. –God speaks truth; however, Satan speaks lies. –(however, hence, therefore, thus, then, moreover, nevertheless, likewise, consequently, accordingly)

10. You want to provide an explanation, definition, or example of an idea. –Jesus asked the adulterous woman a profound question: Did no one condemn you? –Christianity and Judaism have one thing in common: Both religions are monotheistic. –Christianity and Judaism have one thing in common—monotheism. –He recognized that smell—his mother’s beef stew—and it immediately comforted him.

11. You want to place a lot of information into one sentence. –The depressed, the stressed, the lonely, the fearful—all have trouble coping with problems. –The blind, the lame, the deaf, the demon- possessed, even the dead—experienced the miraculous healing power of Jesus.

12. You want to place an emphasis on an important word or idea. –He was a cruel brutal man—brutal to his family, brutal to his friends, even brutal to himself. –Jesus prayed in the wilderness, prayed on the mountain, prayed on the cross.

13. You want to provide suspension by delaying the main idea until the end of the sentence. –Adjusting to a new job requires one quality above all others—a sense of humor. –Many traditional philosophers echo the ideas of one man—Plato.

14. You want to provide secondary information related to a main idea. –Although Jews were not to associate with non-Jews, Jesus stopped to talk to the Samaritan woman. –While the disciples were crossing the Sea of Galilee, Jesus was praying on the mountain.