Apostle Paul - His timeline

The apostle Paul's timeline covers a time from about 4 AD to 66 AD.

I will list both the historical events surrounding his life and the biblical references about it and the times he wrote the various parts of the Scriptures.

He was born an Israelite, in Tarsus of Cilicia (Acts 22:3; Phil 3:5)during the reign of the Roman emperor Augustus (27BC- 14AD) and he was a Roman citizen by birthright (Acts 22:28) by the time Judea become a Roman Imperial province.

During his teenage years (15-20 AD) he studied at the school of Gamaliel in Jerusalem (Acts 22:3). By that time Tiberius (14-37 AD) comes into power and Pilate is serving as procurator of Judeaa. A number of biblical events take place: The execution of John the Baptist by Herod Antipas and the Crucifixion of Christ. He was a Pharisee (Phil 3:5) concerning the Hebrew faith in his adolescence.

In the early 30's AD he was present at Stephen's stoning (Acts 7:58; 8:1)and a persecutor of the early Christian church (Acts 8:1-3; Phil 3:6).

By the year 34 AD he is converted on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1-9) and he becomes a Christian. He then goes to Damascus (Acts 9:10-19) and from there travels to Arabia and remains there for a few years (Gal 1:17).

Caligula (37-41 AD) becomes emperor of Rome after the death of Tiberius and deposes Herod Antipas who is exiled to Gaul.

By then the apostle Paul returns to Damascus (Gal 1:17; Acts 9:20-25; 2 Cor 11:32-33) and exits the city for safety after a while. At 37 AD he goes up to Jerusalem (Acts 9:26-29; Gal 1:18) and after that back to Tarsus for safety reasons(Acts 9:30).

After Caligula is murdered Cladius is declared emperor (41-54 AD). During those years there is a famine in Rome (42 AD), the campaigns against Britain and the death of Herod Agrippa I (44 AD). During that era in the apostle's Paul timeline his missionary journeys happen.

By the year 46 AD the apostle Barnabas travels to Tarsus in order to seek Saul (Acts 11:25) and they go to Antioch together teaching for a whole year(Acts 11:26). There and then is the first time in history that the disciples are called Christians. (47 AD) :)

The prophet Agabus prophesies a famine (Acts 11:27, 28)and aid is sent to Jerusalem through Barnabas and Saul (Acts 11:29, 30). They both return with John Mark (Acts 12:25) and then they are "separated" by the Holy Spirit and sent out (Acts 13:2, 3).

This is the time he becomes officialy an apostle i.e: a sent one, and his first missionary journey starts.

He travels from Antioch to Seleucia and then to Cyprus (Acts 13:4) On Cyprus they go to Salamis and Paphos (Acts 13:5-12)and from there they go to Perga of Pamphylia. This is the place where John Mark departs for Jerusalem (Acts 13:13).

The year is 48 AD and the ministry is in Antioch of Pisidia (Acts 13:14-50). From there they go to Iconium (Acts 13:51 - 14:6) and then to Lystra and Derbe, where they continue to preach the gospel (Acts 14:6-7). The incident where they are mistaken for gods happens there.(Acts 14:8-18)He is stoned at Lystra, supposed to be dead, but then he re-enters the city (Acts 14:19-20)He together with Barnabas preach the good news to Derbe (Acts 14:20-21) and then they return to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch to strengthen the disciples and appoint elders (Acts 14:21-24).

From Pisidia they return to Antioch and report their journey to the church (Acts 14:24-28). By that time Claudius expels Jews from Rome and the year is 49 AD. The Jerusalem Council happens and Pauls goes there with Barnabas (Acts 15:1-29; Galatians 2:1).Major doctrinal issues are discussed and solved there and Paul and Barnabas return to Antioch (Acts 15:30-35; Galatians 2:11-14)where there is a contention over John Mark and the two apostles split. Barnabas and John Mark sail to Cyprus (Acts 15:36-39) and its sad, but true, that the Bible never mentions them again.

From 49-53 his second missionary journey occurs and Galatians and first and second Thessalonians are written, propably from Corinth. In the meantime the rise of the Zealots happens in Judea (50 AD).

Paul departs, going through Syria and Cilicia to strengthen the established churches there(Acts 15:40-41)He goes again to Derbe and Lystra and there he picks up Timothy (Acts 16:1-5)They go together to Troas and Paul sees a vision of a Greek man, the incident that is reffered to as "the Macedonian Call" (Acts 16:6-10)

After that they sail from Troas to Neapolis (Acts 16:11) and from there to Philippi where Paul meets Lydia, the first European Christian (Acts 16:12-15).

Paul and Silas are imprisoned after casting out a demon from a slave girl (Acts 16:16-25) but the prison doors opened miraculously and the jailer and his family are saved (Acts 16:25-34)

He then departs from Philippi (Acts 16:35-40)and he passes through Amphipolis and Apollonia (Acts 17:1) to arrive finaly at Thessalonica to preach Christ. They had to flee from there too, for the usual reasons... persecution. (Acts 17:1-10)

He then goes at Berea where he leaves Silas and Timothy for a while (Acts 17:10-14).

It is 52 AD by now and he is at Corinth rejoined with Silas and Timothy where he writes the epistles to the Thessalonian churches. (Acts 18:1-17) Next year Paul returns to Antioch after stopping at Ephesus, Caeserea, and Jerusalem (Acts 18:18-22).

His third missionary journey is ready to start.

He travels through Galatia and Phrygia (Acts 18:23)and passes through the upper coast on his way to Ephesus (Acts 19:1) where he stays and ministers (Acts 19:1-41)That is the place and time, 54 AD, where he writes first Corinthians. In the meantime in the secular world Claudius is poisoned by his wife and Nero becomes the Emperor of Rome (54-68 AD).