Q&A: How did Paul know so much about Jesus if he did not personally follow him?

Mike identifies three sources Paul drew on for his knowledge of Jesus: (1) Personal/private revelation — the Damascus Road encounter and subsequent direct divine communication (Galatians 1:12: 'I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ'). (2) Contact with the Apostles — Paul met with Peter and James (Galatians 1:18–19) and later with all available apostles; they shared oral traditions and eyewitness testimony about Jesus. (3) Broader oral tradition — encounters with early Christians throughout his ministry who passed on stories and teachings of Jesus. Paul may have had limited or no contact with Jesus before the crucifixion (though this is uncertain), but his access to eyewitness sources and direct revelation gave him substantial knowledge.