The Apostle Paul: A Chronology of His Life and Journeys

The chronology of Paul’s life can only be a matter of approximate dating. Internally, Acts is often vague when it comes to relating matters of time. Externally, there are two sources that allow us to establish exact dates in relation to the events recorded in Acts.

We know that the Emperor Claudius expelled the Jews from Rome about 50 AD and that Gallio served as Proconsul of Corinth in 51 AD. These two events are also recorded in Acts and occurred during Paul’s second journey. From these two dates we can reconstruct the following chronology:

Year (AD)	Event
30	Jesus’ resurrection
33-35	Paul’s conversion / sojourn in Damascus (Acts 9)
35	Paul’s first post-conversion visit to Jerusalem
35-45	Paul’s years in Cilicia, Syria and Antioch (Gal 1.21-2.1, Acts 9.30 / 11.25)
46	Paul’s second post-conversion visit to Jerusalem (Acts 11.30)
47-48	The First Journey (Acts 13-14)
48	Letter to the Galatians
49	The Jerusalem Council (Acts 15)
49-52	The Second Journey (Acts 16-18)
50	Letters to the Thessalonians
52	Return visit to Jerusalem and Antioch
52-57	The Third Journey (Acts 18-21)
54	First Letter to the Corinthians
56	Second Letter to the Corinthians
57	Letter to the Romans
57-59	Paul’s Judean arrest and trial (Acts 21-26)
59-60	Voyage to Rome and shipwreck (Acts 27-28)
60-62	House arrest in Rome and Early Prison Letters
62	Hearing before the Emperor and acquittal
62-64	Journey to Spain, Corinth, and Ephesus
65	Paul’s re-arrest, Later Prison Letters, and execution in Rome