The following italicized text was extracted from an article at Exploring the Bible.
Paul was arrested in Jerusalem and spent two years in prison there while the authorities decided what to do with him. Eventually, St. Paul was sent to Rome for trial and arrived in Rome in 60 A.D. There he remained under arrest but was allowed to stay in a rented house and could receive visitors. He remained in captivity for two years until he was acquitted of the charges against him and released in 62 A.D. The next we know of Paul’s situation is four years later when he is again arrested and put into prison in Rome. This time he does not get a rented house, but instead is likely placed in the notorious Mamertine Prison. St. Paul remained in prison until his martyrdom in approximately 67 A.D. Between St. Paul’s release from prison and his second arrest, there is a four-year period of silence in which Paul could have visited Spain.
Traveling between Italy and Spain was quite common in the first century. A trip by boat, depending on the time of year, from Italy to Spain would have taken 4 to 10 days. While the Bible ends before telling us what St. Paul did during these years, there are several early writings that make a direct mention of a possible visit to Spain.
- Clement of Rome writes of Paul’s travels and tells us Paul went to the “Furthest limits of the west” which in the first century would have been Spain. (1 Clement 5:5-7)
- The Muratorian Canon also records St. Paul’s travels. “Departure of Paul from the city (of Rome) when he journeyed to Spain.”
- In his writings, Cyril of Jerusalem also puts St. Paul in Spain. “And carried the earnestness of all preaching as far as Spain.”
- Chrysostom – the Archbishop of Constantinople also wrote of St. Paul. “For after he (Paul) had been in Rome, he returned to Spain…”
- St. Jerome states in a very matter-of-fact tone, as if it were common knowledge, that St. Paul had indeed visited Spain. “St. Paul having been in Spain, went from one ocean to another.”
Each of these writings mentions St. Paul having been in Spain. While not scripture, these early writings are considered reliable by most and must be considered as strong evidence of a fourth missionary trip by St. Paul. In addition to these writings, there are ancient traditions regarding St. Paul not only traveling to Spain, but preaching there as well.
- In the city of Tarragona (Barcelona) stands a monument to St. Paul which affirms the tradition St. Paul once preached there. See here for info on the Chapel of St. Paul
- The small village of Ecija (Seville) also has a monument to St. Paul. The monument is said to mark the spot where St. Paul preached from during his time there.
From ChatGPT4o Mini
Critical historical Bible scholars hold differing views on whether Paul actually visited Spain, and much of the debate stems from the interpretation of certain passages in the New Testament, along with the lack of direct evidence confirming his visit. Here’s a summary of the key points in this discussion:
1. Romans 15:24, 28
- Paul’s Plan: In Romans 15:24, Paul mentions his intention to travel to Spain after visiting Rome. He writes, “I hope to see you in passing as I go to Spain.” In Romans 15:28, he also refers to his plans to go to Spain once he has delivered aid to Jerusalem.
- Scholarly Interpretation: Some scholars argue that this indicates Paul did indeed have plans to visit Spain, but there is no direct evidence in the New Testament that he ever actually made the journey. These scholars suggest that his plans were either delayed or unfulfilled for various reasons (e.g., arrest, execution).
Romans 15:23-29 (NRSV): But now, with no further place for me in these regions, I desire, as I have for many years, to come to you 24 when I go to Spain. For I do hope to see you on my journey and to be sent on by you, once I have enjoyed your company for a little while. 25 At present, however, I am going to Jerusalem in a ministry to the saints; 26 for Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to share their resources with the poor among the saints at Jerusalem. 27 They were pleased to do this, and indeed they owe it to them; for if the Gentiles have come to share in their spiritual blessings, they ought also to be of service to them in material things. 28 So, when I have completed this, and have delivered to them what has been collected, I will set out by way of you to Spain; 29 and I know that when I come to you, I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ.
2. The Book of Acts
- Acts 28:30-31: Acts concludes with Paul under house arrest in Rome, where he continues to preach the gospel. There is no mention of his trip to Spain.
- Scholarly Views: Some scholars point to the silence in Acts about Paul’s visit to Spain as significant, suggesting that the visit did not occur, or that it occurred after the events recorded in Acts. Others posit that Acts may have been written before Paul’s potential trip, or that it may have been deliberately left out because it was not considered essential to the story of the early church’s history.
3. Later Christian Tradition and Writings
- Evidence from Early Sources: Some early Christian traditions, such as those in the writings of Irenaeus (c. 180 CE) and Clement of Rome (c. 96 CE), suggest that Paul did indeed travel to Spain. However, these writings are indirect and do not provide firsthand accounts.
- Apocryphal Writings: Some apocryphal texts, like the Acts of Paul (2nd century CE), also claim that Paul visited Spain, but these texts are not considered reliable historical sources.
4. The Case for Paul Having Visited Spain
- Supporters of the Visit: Some scholars propose that Paul did eventually make it to Spain, perhaps after his release from the first Roman imprisonment, as suggested in some early church writings. They point to the fact that Paul expressed a strong desire to spread the gospel to the westernmost parts of the Roman Empire, which would include Spain.
- The Importance of Spain: There was a strategic importance in Spain for early Christians because it was seen as the farthest western point of the known world at the time. Paul’s desire to take the gospel there could reflect both personal ambition and the expansion of Christian missions.
5. The Case Against Paul Having Visited Spain
- Absence of Direct Evidence: The lack of any specific references in later, reliable sources (including the Acts of the Apostles and the Pastoral Epistles) raises questions about whether Paul ever actually made it to Spain. The silence about such a significant journey in early Christian documents may suggest it was either a plan that never materialized or one that was not considered important enough to record.
- Paul’s Imprisonment and Death: Some scholars argue that Paul’s journey to Spain was delayed or interrupted by his imprisonment. If Paul was executed in Rome (as many scholars believe), this would have prevented him from ever reaching Spain.
Conclusion
While there is no conclusive historical evidence to affirm that Paul visited Spain, it remains a plausible possibility based on his expressed plans and the traditions of early Christianity. Critical historical scholars tend to focus on the fact that, while Paul had the intention, we lack the definitive proof to confirm that his journey to Spain ever took place. Some lean toward the view that he did not visit Spain, while others believe he might have done so after his release, but the absence of records leaves the matter unresolved.
From OpenAI. (2025). ChatGPT [Large language model]. https://chatgpt.com
The presence of monuments in Spain commemorating the Apostle Paul’s preaching, such as the Chapel of St. Paul in Tarragona and a monument in Écija, Seville, is rooted in local traditions. However, critical biblical scholars generally view these monuments as expressions of medieval or later piety rather than as evidence of Paul’s actual presence in Spain.
The New Testament records Paul’s intention to visit Spain (Romans 15:24, 28), but it does not confirm that he fulfilled this plan. Early Christian writings, such as 1 Clement 5:5–7, suggest that Paul may have reached “the farthest bounds of the West,” which some interpret as Spain. Nonetheless, there is no definitive historical evidence to confirm his journey to the Iberian Peninsula.
Therefore, while these monuments reflect longstanding traditions, critical scholars do not consider them as substantiating historical evidence of Paul’s missionary activities in Spain.
