The forces of the Roman Empire, Judaism and Christianity roiled the first-century Middle East. One man had a stake in all three camps and through him God changed the world.

This fast-paced, action-packed short story delves into the amazing life of Saint Paul - originally known as Saul.

Saul was born as a Roman citizen into a rich family of Jewish Pharisees in Damascus. Inspired by zeal in the faith of his forefathers, Saul launched a crusade to cleanse Israel of the heresy of the Jesus followers and eventually the Roman conquerors.

The unthinkable happened on the road to Damascus and Saul’s life changed forever. Can Saul bring his new truth to the world without being destroyed by the forces he used to serve?

With impeccable research and vivid detail, Cross: Temple, Empire: Damascus Road is a story of faith and power though an immersive journey through first-century Jerusalem and Damascus.

• Matt Kuntz is an author and nationally recognized veterans mental health activist. Matt previously wrote the thriller Sleeping Giant and the spiritual memoir Looking for Answers Through Dirty Glasses. Cross, Temple, Empire is Matt’s first foray into biblical historical fiction.
• Matt Kuntz spent years researching Saint Paul and first-century Palestine. They are especially thankful for the work of N.T. Wright whose theological analysis was essential to understanding Saint Paul’s journey of faith.

The audiobook harkens to great biblical historical fiction like Taylor Caldwell's Great Lion of God and Tessa Afshar's Daughter of Rome.

Excerpt:

Saul looked down at Stephen. Despite the strife, Stephen’s face wore a gentle, knowing smile which only made Saul angrier.

“The promised Messiah would not have to be risen from the dead. He would be putting Romans on crosses, not the other way around!” Saul glared down at him.

Saul slammed his foot down hard onto Stephen’s chest. “How will we ever demonstrate to the Lord that we are faithful and deserve our freedom if Israelis are focusing on this Jesus, a mockery of the Messiah, instead of the Divine Law given to Moses by God?”

Roman Centurions pushed their way through the crowd, as Saul attacked Stephen. The lead Centurion Terrentius wore a helmet and chain mail over his toga. The scars across his face, arms and legs attested to a life of violence in service to the Empire.

Terrentius grabbed a shepherd staff from a man standing towards the front of the crowd. With a shove, Terrentius broke through the crowd and approached Saul. Terrentius spun the staff and slapped it against the side of Saul’s neck. Terrentius struck Saul again with crisp, studied blows. He launched an upward stroke to the back of Saul’s knees that flipped Saul upside down.

Saul landed hard on Stephen, then rolled to get up. Terrentius stepped onto Saul’s chest. He raised the shepherd’s staff over the two men, then began to swing the point of the staff over their faces in a slow, threatening pendulum.

Terrentius’s tight features calmed as he summed up the crowd and didn’t see any additional threats. The rest of the Centurions were in position to fight and the crowd knew it.

Terrentius shoved the wooden staff into Saul’s face. He pressed the tip of the staff into Saul’s cheek just below the eye socket. Saul tried to squirm away, but the Roman officer was too strong.