Have you ever wondered about the sequence of events for Paul’s letters?
I hope you find this helpful as you continue your never-ending, rewarding study of God’s living word.
51 AD – 1 Thessalonians
Paul was answering questions for the Thessalonians about the rapture and the Day of the Lord. Paul only spent 3 Sabbaths with these new believers; Silas and Timothy became the Pastors of this local church. The Thessalonians had questions, specifically if the martyrs who had already died for Jesus. Did they miss the “harpazo” or rapture of the church? Paul answers this question in the first letter to the Thessalonians.
52 AD – 2 Thessalonians
- Paul writes a second letter to the church of Thessalonica. It seems that when they received Paul’s first letter, they had more unsettling questions that Paul addressed in the second letter. This church had received false information saying that the Day of the Lord had already come. Paul reassures the people of this church that this by no means has happened. He informed them that the Day of the Lord won’t come until after the man of lawlessness is revealed, satan himself.
57 AD – Galatians (possibly written in Ephesus during his two years of living there)
- Galatia was a vast area that Paul and Barnabas trekked across to preach the Gospel. In one of the cities, Paul healed a man crippled from birth. The people of that area thought Paul and Barnabas were Hermes and Zeus, and they wanted to make sacrifices to them. These people were fickle; one day, they tried to make sacrifices, and the next day they stoned Paul.
55-57 AD -1&2 Corinthians (Written most likely from Ephesus during his residence there)
- Corinth was the place where the Lord met Paul one night and told him, “Do not be afraid but go on speaking and do not be silent, for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people.” Paul could preach and teach in Corinth for a year and six months without fear of being tortured.
57 AD – Romans (Most scholars believe Paul wrote this letter in his time in Corinth)
- Paul gives this book or letter a lot of information. Paul is specifically writing to those in Rome who are called by Christ. Fellow believers. Paul gives a ton of information in this letter. You can spend a lifetime in this letter, and the Holy Spirit will continue to provide you illumination on God’s word.
58 AD – Paul says his goodbyes to the Ephesian church – the fellow believers who he deeply loves. He is going back to Jerusalem to be back in time for Pentecost.
58 AD – Paul is back at the Temple in Jerusalem, and the Jews notice him and try to kill him there. However, the Roman guards save Paul’s life, bound him with two chains, and physically carry him to the castle.
58 AD – Paul arrested in Jerusalem
59 AD – Paul imprisoned in Rome
Ephesians – 60-62 AD (Prison Letter)
- Paul’s dear friend Tychicus delivered this letter to the Ephesian church. One of the key verses that Paul wrote in this book is Ephesians 2:8-9. It will bless you if you look it up.
60-62 AD – Colossians (Prison letter)
- Paul’s dear friend and co-laborer in Christ, Epaphras, delivered this letter to the church members in Colossee.
60-62 AD – Philippians (Prison Letter)
- Paul’s friend and co-laborer in the Gospel, Epaphroditus, delivered this letter to the church members in Philippi. This is the city where there was a possessed slave girl who was following Paul around and he rebuked the evil spirit and saved this girl. Her owners were upset and had Paul thrown in jail. However, Paul shared the Gospel, and the jailer and his family believed on the Lord Jesus Christ and were saved.
60-62 AD – Philemon (Prison Letter)
- Paul met a runaway slave named Onesimus. Onesimus heard the Gospel from Paul and asked Paul what he should do. Paul said to return to your master, Philemon, and give him the letter I wrote. This is quite a personal letter.
64 AD – Rome burns for 6 days, 7 nights, and then again for 3 days straight. Historians have said that Nero had his people burn up the city so he could redesign it. Historians also mention that Nero blamed the Jews and the Christians, which caused a huge uproar, and Jews and Christians were put to death.
63-65 AD – 1 Timothy
Paul writes to Timothy, giving Timothy instruction on how to pastor the local church and how Christians should behave.
63-65 AD – Titus
- Paul sends a letter to Titus, who is in the city of Crete. Just like Paul sent Timothy a letter on Christian disciplines and pastoring the local church, he sent Titus a similar letter.
2 Timothy – 67 AD – (Paul was in Prison)
- This is Paul’s final letter. Paul did not back down. He gave his life freely to worship and praise the almighty King Jesus. It is a very personal heart-felt letter. Paul knew that he had given his all for Jesus. He was going to see Jesus very soon.
68 AD – Paul beheaded in Rome
70 AD – Jesus’ prophecy FULFILLED – Matthew 24:1-2 Jesus told his disciples that no stone of the Jewish temple would be upon one another, which means the temple would be destroyed. In 70 AD, Emperor Titus laid waste to Jerusalem, again proving that Jesus is God.