Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land - 29/04/2001 info: custodia@netvision.net.il

Paul of Tarsus: a chronology

  1. PAUL'S EARLY LIFE [Prior to 32 AD]
    1. Born at Tarsus, a city of Cilicia - Acts 21,39; 22,3
    2. Of the House of Israel - 2Cor 11,22
    3. Of the Tribe of Benjamin - Phil 3,5
    4. Circumcised on the eighth day - Phil 3,5
    5. Named Saul ("Asked For") - Gal 1,15
      Known as Saul to the Jews,
      as Paul ("Little") to the Gentiles
    6. His father had acquired Roman citizenship,
      so Paul was a "Roman-at-Law" - Acts 16,37; 22,25-28

  2. PAUL'S EDUCATION
    1. Brought up as a Pharisee - Acts 23,6
    2. At about age 14, he was sent to Jerusalem to the school of Gamaliel - Acts 5,24; 22,3
    3. Becomes a self-righteous Pharisee and a patriotic zealot - Acts 22,3
    4. He becomes a persecutor of Christians - Acts 7,58; 8,3-22; 26,9-11
    5. By trade a tent-stitcher; every Jew had to teach his son a trade by which he could live - Acts 18,3-20; 1Cor 4,12
    6. After "graduation," he returns to Tarsus

  3. PAUL'S CONVERSION AND FOLLOWING EVENTS [31-45 AD]
    1. Conversion takes place on road to Damascus and in the city - Acts 9,1-19
      1. Paul seeks to arrest Christians - vv. 1-2
      2. Blinded by light from heaven; hears Jesus' voice - vv. 3-9
      3. Paul visited by Ananias; sight restored - vv. 10 - 19
    2. Paul's account to the Jews - Acts 22,1-16
    3. Paul's account to Agrippa - Acts 26,12-20
    4. Preaches in the synagogues - Acts 9,20-22
    5. Three years in Arabia - Gal 1,11-17
    6. Return to Damascus - Acts 9,23
    7. At Jerusalem - Acts 9,26-29
    8. Flees to Tarsus - Acts 9,30
    9. One year at Antioch - Acts 11,25
    10. Second visit to Jerusalem - Acts 11,30

  4. PAUL'S FIRST MISSIONARY JOURNEY [46-August 48 AD]
    1. Paul and Barnabas are commissioned by the Church in Antioch, Syria as foreign missionaries; John Mark goes along in the capacity of "vicar" - Acts 13,1-3
    2. Embarks from Seleucia to Cyprus - Acts 13,4-12
      1. At Salamis they preach to Jews - Acts 13,4-5
      2. At Paphos, Sergius Paulos is converted - Acts 13,6-12
    3. To Perga; desertion of John Mark - Acts 13,13
    4. To Antioch, Pisidia - Acts 13,14-50
      1. First recorded sermon of Paul
        1. Historical part - vv. 16-37
        2. Doctrinal part - vv. 38-41
      2. Disciples made among the Jews - v. 43
      3. Disciples made among the Gentiles - v. 48
      4. Paul and Barnabas are persecuted and expelled - v. 50
    5. To Iconium - Acts 13,51-14,6
      1. Jews and Gentiles converted
      2. Because of persecution, they flee to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia
    6. At Lystra, Lyconia - Acts 14,8-20a
      1. Healing of the cripple - vv. 8-10
      2. Worship refused - vv. 10-18
      3. Paul stoned - vv. 19-20a [Timothy, Eunice and Lois acquainted with Paul]
    7. At Derbe - Acts 14,20b-21a
    8. Visiting congregations founded - Acts 14,21b-25a
    9. From Attalia, return to Antioch - Acts 14,26-27
    10. Mission report at Antioch - Acts 14,27-38
    11. Council or Synod at Jerusalem - Acts 15,1-35
      1. Mission report - v. 4
      2. Doctrinal matters - vv. 5-15
      3. Report to the congregations - vv. 22-25

  5. PAUL'S SECOND MISSIONARY JOURNEY [Autumn 49-52 AD]
    1. At Antioch - Acts 15,36-41
      1. Paul's refusal to take Mark - v. 38
      2. Joined by Silas - v. 40
      3. Through Syria and Cilicia - v.41
    2. To Derbe and Lystra - Acts 16,1-7
      1. Joined by Timothy - vv. 1-4
      2. Visits various places - vv. 5-7 [Winter of 49-50 AD]
    3. To Troas - Acts 16,8-11 [Vision and Macedonian call - v.9]
    4. To Philippi - Acts 16,12-40
      1. Lydia and others converted - vv. 14-15
      2. Healing of damsel possessed - vv. 16-18
      3. Paul and Silas imprisoned - vv. 19-24
      4. Philippian jailor and others converted - vv. 25-34
      5. Release - vv. 35-40
    5. To Thessalonica - Acts 17,1-9
      1. Disciples made - v. 4
      2. Persecution, arrest, and release of Jason - vv. 5-9
    6. To Berea - Acts 17,10-14
      1. Disciples made - v. 12
      2. Persecution - vv. 13-14
    7. To Athens - Acts 17,15-34
      1. Altar to "the unknown god" - vv. 23-31
      2. Certain men and women believe - vv. 32-34
    8. To Corinth - Acts 18,1-18
      1. Aquila and Priscilla - vv. 2-3
      2. Disciples made - v. 8
      3. Paul is strengthened by the Lord - vv. 9-10
      4. Insurrection against Paul - vv. 12-18
    9. To Ephesus and Caesarea during return home - Acts 18,19-23
    10. To Jerusalem, report on work - Acts 18,22a
    11. To Antioch - Acts 18,22b-23a

  6. PAUL'S THIRD MISSIONARY JOURNEY [Acts 18,23-21,17]
    1. Paul begins his third missionary journey - Acts 18,23
    2. Meets Apollos - Acts 18,24-25
    3. Paul spends about three years at Ephesus - Acts 19,1-41
      1. Preaching the Gospel and working miracles - vv. 1-12
      2. Sons of Sceva (exorcists); burning of magic books - vv. 13-20
      3. Timothy and Erastus sent to Macedonia - vv. 21-22
      4. Demetrius, shrines of Diana, the mob - vv. 23-41
    4. Paul revisits Macedonia - Acts 20,1-5
    5. Paul at Troas; Eutycus restored to life - Acts 20,6-12
    6. Paul to Miletus - Acts 20,13-38
      1. Paul to Miletus - vv. 13-35
      2. Bids them farewell - vv. 36-38
    7. Journey to Jerusalem - Acts 21,1-16
    8. Reception at Jerusalem - Acts 21,17

  7. LAST YEARS OF PAUL'S LIFE [58-66 AD]
    1. At Jerusalem - Acts 21,18-23,22
      1. Paul's vow and the mob in the Temple 21,18-31
      2. Rescued by the Roman army - 21,31-40
      3. Paul addresses the mob - 22,1-21
      4. Paul a prisoner - 22,22-30
      5. Paul's defense - 23,1-10
      6. A vision of good cheer - 23,11
      7. Conspiracy against Paul's life - 23,12-22
    2. To Caesarea - Acts 23,23-26,32
      1. Paul sent to Felix - 23,23-35
      2. Trial before Felix - 24,1-22
      3. Two years in prison - 24,23-27
      4. Accused before Festus - 25,1-9
      5. Paul's appeal to Caesar - 25,10-12
      6. Consultation with King Agrippa II - 25,13-27
      7. Paul's defense before Festus - 26,1-32
    3. To Rome - Acts 27,1-28,31
      1. Voyage and shipwreck on Malta - 27,1-44
      2. On the island of Malta - 28,1-10
      3. From Malta to Rome - 28,11-14
      4. Reception at Rome - 28,15-16
      5. Conference with the Jews at Rome - 28,17-29
      6. Two years a prisoner - 28,30-31
    4. Paul's release, missionary journey to Europe, second imprisonment and martyrdom - Romans 15; 1 Timothy; Titus; 2 Timothy; Writings of the Early Church Fathers and Church tradition
      1. Paul expresses wish to go to Spain - Rom 15,24-28
      2. Reference to Timothy speaks of being freed - 2Tim 4,17
      3. Church tradition speaks of his Spanish trip - Muratorian Canon; Clement of Rome
      4. Some historians have him also visit Great Britain
      5. From Spain [and England?] Paul returns to Ephesus
      6. From Ephesus visits churches in Greece
      7. From Greece Paul writes first letter to Timothy - 1Tim 1,3 [63 AD]
      8. From Greece, takes ship to Crete
      9. Return to Ephesus, where he writes to Titus - Tit 1,5
      10. Paul tells Titus he intends to winter in Nicopolis - Tit 3,12
      11. Paul taken prisoner by Romans in Troas - 2Tim 4,13
      12. Leaves some belongings behind in Troas - 2Tim 4,13
      13. This imprisonment much harder - 2Tim 1,15; 4,11
      14. The execution of Paul by decapitation is supported by various traditions of the early Church


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Created / Updated Sunday, April 29, 2001 at 09:21:17 by John Abela ofm
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