Click here for an extensive Timeline of Jewish History. Note the dates and events from ChatGPT below have not been reconciled with those in the link timeline. Differences will surely exist.
The initial/base table is from ESV.org. Changes are identified in the footnotes. Note that many of the events are based on Acts. When Acts conflicts with Paul’s authentic letters then I do not consider Acts as authoritative even though the references have not been removed.
| A.D. 5–10? | Born in Tarsus, an Israelite from the tribe of Benjamin and a Roman citizen (Acts 22:3, 28; Rom. 11:1; Phil. 3:5); raised in either Jerusalem (Acts 22:3?) or Tarsus |
| 15–20? | Trained as a Pharisee by Gamaliel I (Acts 22:3; 26:5; Gal. 1:14; Phil. 3:5–6) |
| 30/33? | Death, resurrection of Christ |
| 31–34 | Present at Stephen’s stoning; persecuted Christians (Acts 7:58; 8:1; 22:4a; 26:9–11; 1 Cor. 15:9; Gal. 1:13; Phil. 3:6) |
| 33/34* | Converted, called, and commissioned on the way to Damascus (Acts 9:1–19; 22:6–11; 26:12–18; Gal. 1:15–16) |
| 33/34–36/37 | Stays in Damascus a short time (Acts 9:19b); leaves for Arabia (2 Cor. 11:32; Gal. 1:17); returns to Damascus (Gal. 1:17; Acts 9:20–22?); escapes through city wall to avoid arrest (Acts 9:23–24; 2 Cor. 11:32–33) |
| 36/37* | Three years after conversion meets for 15D with Peter in Jerusalem; sees James (Acts 9:26–30; Gal. 1:18) Hellenists seek to kill him; flees to Tarsus (Acts 9:28–30; Gal. 1:21) |
| 37–45 | Ministers in Syria/Cilicia (2 Cor. 11:22–27?) |
| 44–47* | Ministers with Barnabas in Antioch (Acts 11:25–26) Second Visit to Jerusalem; time of famine (Acts 11:27–30; Gal. 2:1–10) |
| 45-46 | Famine in Judea (Acts 11:28). |
| 46 | Paul’s second visit to Jerusalem to bring money collected for famine relief. |
| 46–48 | First Missionary Journey (Acts 13:4–14:26): 1.5 years? |
| 48* | With Barnabas, spends “no little time” in Antioch (Acts 14:28; Gal. 2:11–14); writes Galatians |
| 48–49* | Jews were expelled from Rome by order of Claudius Caesar (Acts 18:2). |
| 48/49–51* | Second Missionary Journey (Acts 15:36–18:22): 2.5 years? |
| 49 | Paul imprisoned by Felix in Caesarea for two years until Festus takes over and ordered him transported to Rome (Acts 23:23 – 26:32). |
| 49 | Paul and Silas travel to southern Galatia through Asia Minor, on to Macedonia (Philippi [1 Thess. 2:2]); Thessalonica [1 Thess. 2:2; Phil. 4:15–16]; and Berea [Acts 17:10–15]), and then to Achaia (Athens [1 Thess. 3:1] and Corinth [2 Cor. 11:7–9]) |
| 50 | Paul visits Jerusalem with Barnabas and Titus for an apostolic conference (Gal 2:1, Acts 15:2-29). |
| 49–51* | Spends 1.5 years in Corinth (Acts 18:11); appears before Gallio (Acts 18:12–17); writes 1 and 2 Thessalonians |
| 51 | Returns to Jerusalem? (Acts 18:22) |
| 52–57* | Third Missionary Journey (Acts 18:23–21:17): 5 years? |
| 52 | Travels to Antioch, spends “some time”; travels through Galatia and Phrygia (Acts 18:23) |
| 52–55 | Arrives in Ephesus (Acts 19:1; 1 Cor. 16:8); ministers for three years (Acts 20:31) and writes 1 Corinthians; makes brief, “painful visit” to Corinth (2 Cor. 2:1), then returns to Ephesus and writes “severe letter” (now lost) to Corinth (2 Cor. 2:3–4; 7:8–16) |
| 54 | Nero becomes Emperor |
| 55–56* | Travels north to Macedonia, meets Titus (Acts 20:1; 2 Cor. 2:12–13); writes 2 Corinthians |
| 55-56 | Per Tabor – Paul’s confrontation with James, Peter & Jerusalem apostles. 2 Corinthians 10-13. Note his “complete repudiation of the Jerusalem apostles” |
| 57* | Winters in Corinth (Acts 20:2–3; 2 Cor. 9:4), writes to the Romans from Corinth; travels to Jerusalem; is arrested (Acts 21:27–36) |
| 57–59 | Under house arrest in Rome (Acts 28:30–31). Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon are written in his name. |
| 60* | Voyage to Rome; shipwrecked, spends three months on Malta (Acts 28:11); finally arrives in Rome |
| 60-62 | Preaches the gospel without hindrance for two years in his rented house (Acts 28:30-31). |
| 62* | Under house-arrest in Rome (Acts 28:30–31). Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon are written in his name. |
| 62 | James is Killed. Peter is also killed in early 60s |
| 62–67 | Released from house-arrest in Rome. 1 Timothy and Titus is written in his name; is rearrested, 2 Timothy written in his name from Rome |
| 64 | The Great Fire in Rome; Major persecution of Christianity begins. |
| 66-73 | The beginning of the Jewish Revolt against Rome. Second imprisonment and martyrdom under Nero. |
| 67 | Paul is beheaded in Rome |
| 68 | Nero commits suicide then 3 emperors failed before Vespasian. |
| 69-79 | Vespasian prevails as the Emperor amidst civil war. His reign brought stability and reform to the Roman Empire after a period of chaos. |
| 70 | Destruction of Jerusalem and the temple under Titus |
| 73 | Masada, the Herodian fortress taken over by Jewish Zealots after the fall of Jerusalem in 70 C.E. and finally taken by the Romans in 73 C.E. (Tabor here) |
* denotes approximate date; / signifies either/or
All text in red was added to the ESV.org timeline. Most came from here unless otherwise noted.
All Text in blue was added to the ESV.org timeline and is from the article by Schachterle cited below. Links in blue are from the template except for the scripture links that are blue per the plug in.
All Text in green was added or edited by me.
The Story of Paul in the Bible (Verses & Timeline!) by Joshua Schachterle, Ph.D, April 19th, 2024
This is a very good article with a timeline that includes related events. The above timeline was edited my me to include the items in Joshua’s timeline that added to the value. Those added items are shown in blue text except for the scripture links that are blue per the plug in.
