Paul was a man of firm convictions. When he was confronted with what he took to be a heresy to Judaism, he worked with all his might to quell it. This heresy would one day come to be known as Christianity and Paul was among the foremost of its persecutors. He participated in a general persecution including, "going from house to house, he dragged out the believers, both men and women and threw them into jail."  He then undertook a mission to Damascus. There he intended to continue attacking Christians. However, on the way, he had a vision of Jesus. Jesus converted Paul into a Christian. Searching his soul, he undertook the mission to preach in Damascus, which he did for three years.