A Chronology of the Life of Paul | |
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Note: This chronology was constucted as part of a study of Paul's letter to the Galatians. Thus, the references in Galatians are bolded.
Event/Period | Reference(s) |
Birth and Early life | Acts 22:3,28; 23:1,6; Gal 1:14; Phil 3:5,6 |
At the stoning of Stephen | Acts 7:58; 8:1; 22:20 |
Persecuting believers | Acts 8:3; 9:1,2,21; 22:4,19; 26:10; Gal 1:13; Phil 3:6; 1Tim 1:13 |
Conversion events | Acts 9:3-19a; 22:5-16; 26:12-18; Gal 1:15,16ab |
In Arabia | Gal 1:16c,17ab |
Ministry in Damascus | Acts 9:19b-25; Gal 1:17c; 2Cor 11:32,33 |
In Jerusalem (to see Peter) | Acts 9:23-29; 22:17-21; Gal 1:18-19 |
In Tarsus | Acts 9:30; Gal 1:21 |
In Antioch | Acts 11:25,26 |
In Jerusalem (to carry gift) | Acts 11:29,30 |
In Antioch | Acts 12:24,25; 13:1-3 |
First Missionary Journey | Acts 13:4-14:25 |
In Cyprus | Acts 13:4-12 |
In Pamphylia and Pisidia | Acts 13:13-50 |
In Galatia, inc. Iconium and Lystra | Acts 13:51-14:20; Gal 4:12-15 |
Retraces route to Pamphylia | Acts 14:21-25 |
In Antioch | Acts 14:26-15:2 |
In Jerusalem (to attend council) | Acts 15:3-29; Gal 2:1-10 |
In Antioch | Acts 15:30-35 |
Second Missionary Journey | Acts 15:40-18:18 |
Revisits Syrian and Cilician churches | Acts 15:40,41 |
Revisits Galatian churches | Acts 16:1-6 |
Goes over to Macedonia | Acts 16:7-11 |
In Philippi | Acts 16:12-40 |
In Thessalonica | Acts 17:1-9 |
In Berea | Acts 17:10-14 |
In Athens | Acts 17:15-34 |
In Corinth | Acts 18:1-18 |
(1 & 2 Thessalonians written) | |
In Ephesus | Acts 18:19-21 |
In Jerusalem | Acts 18:22ab |
In Antioch | Acts 18:22c,23a; Gal 2:11-14 [*] |
Third Missionary Journey | Acts 18:23b; 19:1-21:14 |
Revisits Galatian churches | Acts 18:23b |
In Ephesus | Acts 19:1-41 |
(1 & 2 Corinthians and Galatians written) | |
Revisits Macedonian churches | Acts 20:1-5 |
(Romans written) | |
In Troas | Acts 20:6-12 |
In Miletus | Acts 20:13-38 |
In Tyre | Acts 21:1-14 |
In Jerusalem | Acts 21:15-23:22 |
With brethren | Acts 21:15-17 |
Meeting with James | Acts 21:18-26 |
Arrest events | Acts 21:27-23:22 |
Caesarean imprisonment | Acts 23:23-26:32 |
Voyage to Rome | Acts 27:1-28:10 |
Imprisonment in Rome (house arrest) | Acts 28:30; Phil 4:22; Phe 23 |
(Ephesians, Colossians, Philemon, and Philippians written) | |
Final travels | Phe 22; Phil 2:24; 2Tim 4:13,20; Tit 3:122 |
(1 Timothy and Titus written) | |
Imprisonment in Rome (final) | 2Tim 4:11,16-18 |
(2 Timothy written) | |
Death | 2Tim 4:6,7 |
[*] While it seems best to place Paul’s rebuke of Peter here, it could have occurred just after the Jerusalem council before the 2nd MJ. In that case the event would be associated with Acts 15:30-35. However, in support of it being after Paul’s 2nd MJ recall that Paul and Barnabas were together after the council up until the beginning of their 2nd MJs (Acts 15:35). They separated at that point, Paul going one way and Barnabas another (Acts 15:36-40). It seems from the description in Galatians 2:11-14 that in Paul’s absence (perhaps still on his 2nd MJ) Peter and Barnabas, having completed his 2nd MJ, had acted wrongly in separating from the Gentiles. When Paul came on the scene (at the end of his 2nd MJ), he addressed the situation. Note that if this timing is correct, it also argues for a later date for writing of the letter, that being during the 3rd MJ sometime after Paul had revisited the churches in Galatia.
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