Dr. Mark's Annotated Chronology of Paul

All dates for Paul's career must be approximate, and those followed by a question mark in the table below are especially speculative.  The dates from 36 C.E. onward are largely based on Bo Reicke, Re-examining Paul's Letters (Harrisburg: Trinity, 2000), though I occasionally demur.  I reviewed this posthumous book for Review of Biblical Literature, and I find its chronology based on both Acts and the letters mostly plausible.  (That does not mean it is perfect; only that it is one of the few possible ways of accounting for most of the evidence from both sources.)  Note that Reicke argues for the authenticity of all the disputed letters.  For what it is worth, my current position on which letters are pseudonymous is as follows: 2 Thessalonians probably, Colossians more probably, Ephesians very probably, and the Pastorals almost certainly.  (I say "almost" to be fair since absolute certainty is impossible in such matters, even for those of us who are convinced that the Pastorals are a poor attempt at imitating Paul.)

Year Historical Events Saul/Paul's Life Undisputed Letters Disputed Letters References and Notes
9 B.C.E. -40 C.E. Aretas rules Nabataea      

 

14-37 C.E. Tiberius emperor        
ca. 5-15?   1) Birth of Saul/Paul in Tarsus

2) His double name.

   
1) If Saul was a young man when Stephen was stoned, then based on the dating adopted below, ca. 10-15 C.E. might be preferable to the often guessed 5-10.

2) Many Jews from the Diaspora had both a Hebrew and Greco-Roman name, so Saul probably had both names from birth.  He certainly did not receive a new Latin name, Paul, when he joined the church!  Acts continues to call him Saul for quite some time after that.  Then, without the slightest explanation, Acts says that Saul is "also known as" Paul and switches (Acts 13:9).  It is possible that Saul always used the name Paul in Greek-speaking contexts because Saul sounds like a Greek adjective used to describe a funny or seductive way of walking.

ca. 21-29?   Education in Tarsus?     Acts 21:39; 22:3. It is quite possible that Saul learned good Greek and basic rhetoric in Jerusalem, but it seems more likely in Tarsus.  On being "brought up" in Jerusalem, see below.
30 Death of Jesus
 

 
  Some prefer 33 C.E., but 30 is the majority dating.
31?   1) Arrival in Jerusalem

 

2) Student of Gamaliel, a famous Pharisee

    1) 1 Cor 15:8 is usually taken to mean that Saul only met Jesus "in an abnormal way," i.e., after his death; 2) Even with this late arrival in Jerusalem, Saul could still have been "brought up" in the sense of "trained" (Acts 22:3) by Gamaliel for as much as 5 years before his "conversion."
ca. 34 Gamaliel, a revered Pharisee, advises the Sanhedrin not to  persecute the Apostles       Acts 5:33-39.  Later in Acts, we find out that some Pharisees are also Nazarenes. According to Luke, Jesus had friends among the Pharisees (e.g., Luke 13:31).
36 Pilate resigns procuratorship

Jonathan is High Priest

1) Trial and stoning of Stephen; persecution of Hellenist believers

Saul witnesses and approves of Stephen's execution.

2) Saul "converted" while pursuing Hellenists to Damascus


 
  1) Acts 6:8-8:3. Reicke suggests that the interregnum of the procurators in 36 gave the newly appointed high priest Jonathan the opportunity to execute Stephen. Perhaps Saul agreed with Gamaliel on tolerating the "Hebrews." The "Hellenists" were another matter. Note that "youth" (neanias; 7:58) can bear the connotation of impetuous or headstrong.  2) Acts 9:1-22; Gal 1:12,15-17
36-38   Brief trip to Arabia and return to Damascus     Acts 9:20-22; Gal 1:17; 2 Cor 11:32-33
37-41
 
Caligula emperor

Marullus procurator of Judea 

 
 
  Click here for a list of the procurators of Judea and their coins.
39 Herod Antipas exiled by Caligula First trip to Jerusalem to meet the Apostles


Return to Tarsus (in Cilicia)


 
  Acts 9:23-29; Gal 1:18-24; 2 Cor 11:32-33.
41-44 Herod Agrippa I rules Judea        
41-54 Claudius emperor        
42-43 Founding of Church at Antioch (disciples called Christians for the first time)       Acts 11:19-24
44 1) Herod Agrippa I's persecution of the church in Jerusalem

2) Death of Herod Agrippa I (Judea again a procuratorial province)

Assistant to Barnabas at Antioch in Syria
 
 
1) Acts 12:1-19. 

2) Acts 11:25-26

46-48 Tiberius Alexander procurator of Judea        
46-47 Famine in Judea Second trip to Jerusalem; this time for famine relief     Acts 11:27-30. Barnabas and Saul  take a famine relief offering to Jerusalem.  According to the "traditional" way of coordinating the chronology of Acts and the letters, Paul simply omitted this trip in Gal 2.
 

First Journey (47-48 C.E.) and Aftermath

Acts 13-14

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47-48
 
From Antioch to Cyprus, Pamphylia, Pisidia, Lycaonia, and back to Antioch with Barnabas
 
  Acts 13-14
48-53 Herod Agrippa II rules parts of Judea (also Cumanus procurator of Judea 48-52)        
49 Expulsion of Jews from Rome by Claudius Third trip to Jerusalem for "the Jerusalem conference"
 
  Acts 15; Gal 2:1-10. The Acts version of the conference resulted in the "apostolic decree" that circumcision not be required of Gentiles, but that they were to abstain from idol meat, food not properly drained of blood, and immorality. The absence, and, on the subject of food, clear defiance of the decree in Paul's letters is important.
50   "The Antioch incident"     Recounted later by Paul in Gal 2:11-21. Paul's heated confrontation with Peter ("the Antioch incident") could conceivably have happened in 54 as Reicke prefers, but the absence of Barnabas in 1 Thess, and especially Paul's breaking of the agreement that he would go to the Gentiles and Peter to the Jews on the second journey favors 50. See item 3 at the bottom for more on this.
 

Second Journey (50-54 C.E.)

Acts 15:36-18:22

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50   From Antioch to Cilicia, Lycaonia, Phrygia, Galatia, and Macedonia.     "We" passages begin in Acts 16:10, just after Paul passes through Galatia.  In Gal 4:12-15, Paul says he preached to them because he was sick.  Did Doctor Luke join him at this point?
51   In Greece at Athens and Corinth.      
51-2 Gallio proconsul of Greece
 
1 Thessalonians (from Corinth) 2 Thessalonians (actual date late 60s or late 1st cent.?) Acts 18:12. Reicke thinks 2 Thess precedes 1 Thess.
52-60 Felix procurator of Judea       Acts 18:22
54   Return to Antioch via Caesarea     Acts 18:22-23
 

Third Journey (54-58 C.E.)

Acts 18:23-21:17

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54 Nero emperor From Antioch to Galatia and Phrygia
 
 
 
55   In Ephesus 1) Lost letter to the Corinthians (from Ephesus)

 

2) Galatians (from Ephesus)

  Acts 19:1-20. 1) 1 Cor 5:9. A fragment may be preserved in 2 Cor 6:14-7:1. 2) The dating of Galatians is very difficult.  In the chronology presented here it could be as early as 51, but 55 is more likely if 4:13 implies two prior visits. Using the South Galatian theory, some date Galatians to ca. 48, right before the Jerusalem Council, but I find the North Galatian theory more convincing.  (See discussion at the bottom.) Also, some date Galatians right before Romans.
early-56     1 Corinthians (from Ephesus)   Note that Paul's advice on food offered to idols does not mention the Apostolic Decree of Acts 15, and could be understood to differ from it (1 Cor 10:25-26).
mid-56?   Second visit to Corinth     2 Corinthians speaks of a painful visit to Corinth that Acts does not include. This seems odd since the author appears to have detailed information about this period of Paul's career. Given the author's tendency to omit or significantly alter events that could weaken his leading characters (e.g., his "revisions" of Mark), perhaps he omitted this embarrassing episode intentionally.
late-56   In Ephesus; then Troas 1) Lost "painful letter" to the Corinthians (from Troas) 2) 1 Timothy (from Ephesus; actual date early 2d cent.?) 1) The lost "painful letter" was in regard to the painful second visit spoken of in 2 Cor 2:1-4.  Paul says he was "testing" their obedience with it (2 Cor 2:9). 2) Reicke makes an strong case that the circumstances presupposed in 1 Timothy place it about here.  (So also Johnson.)
mid-57   In Macedonia 2 Corinthians (from Macedonia)   While a majority of critical scholars regard 2 Corinthians to consist of two or more letters of Paul combined by a scribe, strong rhetorical-critical arguments can be made for the essential unity of the letter.
57-58
 
1) Second visit to Corinth in Acts, but third according to Paul

2) Trip to Jerusalem via Troas and Miletus

Romans (from Corinth) Titus (from Corinth after Romans; actual date early 2d cent.?) Acts 20; 21:1-14; 2 Cor 13:1
58   1) Arrival in Jerusalem and Temple Ritual

2) The Offering

   
1) Acts 21:17-26

2) One of the curiosities of Acts is its silence concerning the offering until after Paul is arrested and defending himself (24:17), even though the Paul of Acts speaks of the importance of generosity while on the way to Jerusalem (20:35).  Is this another case of the author of Acts modifying something that could make Paul look bad, i.e., that Paul might appear to have been trying to buy the acceptance of the Jerusalem church? 

 

Arrest, Imprisonment, Trials (58-62 C.E.)

(Acts 21:27-28:31)

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58-59
 
Arrest in Jerusalem and imprisonment at Caesarea;
Trial before Felix
Philemon (from Caesarea) Colossians (actual date late 1st cent.?)

1) "Ephesians"  (actual date late 1st cent.?)

Acts 21:27-24:27

1) Some the earliest and best manuscripts of Ephesians do not have Ephesus or any other place as the destination of this letter.

60-61 Festus procurator of Judea Trial before Festus;
Appeal to Caesar;
Appearance before Agrippa;
Departure for Rome;
Winter on Malta; arrival at Rome

 
2 Timothy; (shortly after arriving in Rome; actual date early 2d cent.?) Acts 25:1-28:15
61-2
 
Under house arrest in Rome Philippians (from Rome)   Acts 28:16-31
62 1) Hanan becomes High Priest

Death of Festus

Execution of James the brother of Jesus

Albinus procurator of Judea

2) Paul probably executed by Nero    
1) Hanan, a Sadducee, used the time between procurators to execute James and some others.  The Pharisees were shocked and protested this action (Josephus, Antiquities 20.199-201).

2) Note that contrary to many fictional paintings of a very elderly Paul, he was probably less than 60 years old when executed.

 

64-7 Nero's persecution of Christians in Rome Paul possibly executed by Nero.     Eusebius (4th cent.) claims to have information that Paul was released after his first hearing, continued traveling, and was later arrested and executed during the Neronian persecution.  But the only evidence he gives is a highly questionable interpretation of a passage in 2 Timothy, a letter of highly questionable authenticity.  Therefore, many scholars suspect Paul was never released.

 

Why Choose the North Galatian Theory?

For a full discussion of the long list of reasons that could be given, see Richard Longenecker's commentary on Galatians, although he himself subscribes to a form of the South Galatian theory.  Here I only list three of the reasons that I find most decisive.

1) The author of Acts reserves the term Galatia for a region in North-central Asia Minor.  Even though a significant part of Acts deals with Paul and Barnabas' travels in what the Roman government included as southern Galatia (Acts 13-14), the author does not use the term Galatia until later when it is paired with Phrygia as Paul travels into the North-central regions of Asia Minor (16:6).  This is in keeping with the more historically accurate meaning of Galatia.  The Galatians were a displaced Celtic ethnic group who lived in that region.  Although the Roman government decided for administrative purposes to include Lycaonia in southern Asia Minor as part of Galatia, the author of Acts knew that Galatia was still Galatia, not Lycaonia.  (Note also that the "we" passages in Acts begin at 16:10, right after Paul passes through Phrygia and Galatia, raising the possibility that the author of Acts, or the "we-source", is a native of the region and is inclined to use the more traditional designations.)

2) Paul addresses his audience as Galatians in Galatians.  This is most appropriate for addressing the ethnic group by that name.  It would be strange to call Lycaonians in southern cities like Lystra and Derbe Galatians since they were only called that by Roman administrative fiat.  At least one would have expected him to address them as the churches or believers in the region of Galatia.

3) It does not make Paul and Barnabas outright liars!  According to Paul in Gal 2:1-10, an agreement was made at a meeting in Jerusalem that he would go to the Gentiles and Peter to the Jews.  In the North Galatian theory, Gal 2:1-10 equates with Acts 15, and "the Antioch incident" could have happened very soon after the Jerusalem Council where this agreement was made.  One can then argue that Paul's break with Peter was so severe that he felt no responsibility to honor the agreement on the Second Journey (50-54 C.E.).  For all intents and purposes, it was never put into effect.  Indeed, one could argue that this whole episode convinced Paul that distinguishing between a mission to the Jews and one to the Gentiles was fundamentally wrong--there is only one gospel (1 Cor 15:11).  The South Galatian theory, however, involves making Gal 2:1-10 equivalent to "the famine visit" of Acts 11.  That would mean that without the slightest provocation, Paul and Barnabas almost immediately launched into the First Journey (Acts 13-14), preaching the gospel to Jews in synagogue after synagogue in flagrant violation of the agreement.