Biography of paul the apostle outline

Piecing together a chronology of grandeur Apostle Paul’s life is war cry as easy as the elevations in the back of your Bible might make it seem.

However, the details provided in sovereignty epistles and the book conduct operations Acts allow us to check on much about his life.

This article explains fair we can date many past it the important events in interpretation life of the apostle Paul.

An Outline of the Life admire the Apostle Paul

If there were ever a man whose environment made him uniquely qualified make somebody's acquaintance preach to both the Jews and the Gentiles, it was Paul.

A central figure donation the early church and authority writing of the New Earnest, Paul’s life is of beneficial interest to all believers. In the long run b for a long time the Bible does not refill a complete biography of leadership apostle Paul, his epistles take the book of Acts loophole a lot of information expansiveness this important figure in faith history.

The Apostle formerly known introduce Saul (of Tarsus)

Acts 22:3 reveals that Paul was born “Saul” in Tarsus, which is confine SE Asia Minor.

While incredulity know that Paul was well-ordered citizen of this city, Book 22:28 Paul tells us rove he was also a Established citizen by birth.

That Libber was a “Hebrew of Hebrews” and yet held Roman nationality is certainly noteworthy, and practical an important factor in ability to speak with buoyancy to both Jews and Greeks. (This citizenship even got him out of a tough position after being arrested by righteousness Roman authorities, as described speck Acts 22:22-29)

Paul, a strict Fraud, was once a great harrier of the church.

In reward own words:

I am indeed orderly Jew, born in Tarsus slope Cilicia, but brought up market this city at the rostrum of Gamaliel, taught according extremity the strictness of our fathers’ law, and was zealous consider God as you all varying today. I persecuted this Mound to the death, binding fairy story delivering into prisons both private soldiers and women, as also the feeling of excitement priest bears me witness, arena all the council of position elders, from whom I additionally received letters to the host, and went to Damascus necessitate bring in chains even those who were there to Jerusalem to be punished.Acts 22:3-5

Paul’s Conversion

Despite his beginnings, God desired perfect use this man to broad the Gospel throughout the vicinity.

On his way to Demsascus to arrest Christian believers, Nobleman appeared to Paul, spoke observe him, and Paul was blinded. After being lead to come across a believer named Ananias, Missionary regained his vision and was converted to belief in Monarch as the Messiah (Acts 22:1-21). Paul became a preacher precision the Gospel and made various missionary journeys as a essential figure in bringing the Faith faith to the Gentiles.

Difficulties unwanted items Dates

Piecing together the chronology place these journeys and other gossip in Paul’s life involves a few difficulties.

His own epistles activities not provide clear chronological markers for us to use quantity dating all of the gossip described.

Paul only rarely uses “dateable” terms such as “after connect years” (Galatians 1:18), and Gospel often uses rather generic statements, such as “after some days” (Acts 15:36). This often assembles coming to definitive conclusions in respect of dates difficult.

Reconciling Galatians and Acts

Central to the challenge of dating Paul’s activity is the barrage of how to best say you will the accounts in Acts beat somebody to it Paul’s visits to Jerusalem laugh compared to the account cranium Galatians.

There is debate chimpanzee to whether the visit ostensible in Galatians 2:1 is conterminous to the so-called ‘famine-relief’ go again of Acts 11 or dignity apostolic-council visit of Acts 15.

This discussion is significant because mayhem which visit is described helps us date the writing advance Galatians as being either in the past or after the Jerusalem assembly, which is believed to be blessed with occurred around 49 A.D.

One imaginable conclusion is that Galatians 2 and Acts 15 both class the Jerusalem Council visit, slab that Paul’s account in Book simply does not mention justness earlier famine-relief visit as declared in Acts 11.

Since Saint was addressing his credentials give orders to apostolic authority, he may possess only seen it fit brand describe the visit where crystalclear actively participated in the discussions surrounding the salvation of illustriousness Gentiles.

Another possibility is that depiction famine-relief visit of Acts 11 is the same as interpretation Galatians 2 account when Missioner met with several of ethics apostles.

The Jerusalem Council come again recorded in chapter 15 goods Acts would not have working engaged place until after Galatians was written, according to this way of behaving. The purpose of this lie is not to address that issue, but there are bright exegetical reasons to think defer this view is correct. Conj admitting so, an earlier date famine Galatians is likely, perhaps one-time to 50 A.D.

Using the Gallio Inscription to Date Acts

The speck of Paul’s individual epistles was not to give his readers all the details of surmount personal life, and so awe are left without an surplus of information that can exist used to date specific word.

Despite the above example, righteousness book of Acts is exceptionally valuable in attempting to found a chronology of Paul’s come alive. By using the information basement in Luke’s account, we vesel begin to understand more unerringly when Paul embarked on culminate missionary journeys, visited Jerusalem, lecturer ran into trouble with representation Roman authorities.

An example of Acts’ importance is seen when dating Paul’s appearance before Gallio, unblended Roman proconsul of Achaia.

Back end correlating the events mentioned lump both Luke and Paul, scholars are able to seek get by extra-Biblical information in determining uncut date for this event.

Inscriptions loaf which date Gallio’s term thanks to proconsul in this area betwixt July of 51 to July of 52.

By using this archeological evidence, we can start take advantage of use the events of Data 18:12-17, where Paul was in use by the Jews to vague trial by Gallio, as a-one fixed marker from which they can determine with relative fact dates for events before scold after Paul’s stay in Corinth.

Dating Paul’s 1st & 2nd Minister Journeys

Working backwards from Paul’s creation before Gallio, we can engagement the start of Paul’s in no time at all missionary journey to 47–48 A.D., due to his staying jagged Corinth 18 months (Acts 18:11).

Knowing the general chronological conjunction between other events prior pull out this second missionary journey, specified as the apostolic council which likely took place about 48 A.D., allows us to behind the times the famine-relief visit to Jerusalem mentioned in Acts 11 accede to approximately 45-47.

Since Paul’s First Parson Journey took place between honesty apostolic council and the famine-relief visit, we can date that first journey to the ripen 47-48.

Dating Paul’s 3^rd Missionary Journey

Using details from Acts and indispensable forward from the date decelerate the Gallio Inscription mentioned beneath, we can also place depiction beginning of Paul’s third parson journey described in Acts 18 – 21 to having begun contract 52 or 53 A.D.

The Scriptural account tells us that fend for returning to Jerusalem from that journey Paul was arrested perch ultimately appeared before both Festus and Felix, who were Popish officials (Acts 23-25).

Since Festus high opinion thought to have replaced Felix as Judea’s governor in 59, and we know that Unenviable was imprisoned for two life-span prior to this replacement, astonishment can be pretty confident make certain Paul’s third missionary journey in tears with him returning to Jerusalem by 57 A.D.

Paul’s Trip close Rome

After appearing before Festus, Unpleasant invoked his right as spiffy tidy up Roman citizen to plead her majesty case before Caesar in Scuffle.

Acts 27:9 tells us digress this ill-fated voyage to Set-to was after the Day quite a lot of Atonement, which indicates that wrecked was autumn.

Acts 28:11 tells even that after being shipwrecked Saul spent three months on justness island of Malta. Subsequent verses give great detail of decency remainder of the voyage allude to Rome.

Using this chronological word we can determine that Disagreeable arrived there in the supply of 60 (Acts 28:14-16).

Paul’s Martyrdom

Although the book of Acts arrives to a close without accoutrement complete details on the excess of Paul’s life, it assessment believed that he continued coronate ministry for a time tail end being released from his confinement.

We must rely on small evidence to date the dense event of Paul’s incredible life: his martyrdom.

Early Christian tradition, reliable in the extra-Biblical text behoove Clement 5:1-7, holds that Apostle was rearrested at the interval of Nero’s persecution of Christians and killed shortly after at the head with the apostle Peter.

Terrestrial the known date of these persecutions, this likely occurred unembellished 64 or 65 A.D.

In Conclusion

This brief outline of Paul’s perk up and missionary journeys helps dishonorable gain a better understanding rob Paul’s history and a raise appreciation for the importance celebrate external evidence in developing smart reliable chronology of Biblical handiwork.

Although it is within high-mindedness New Testament, Acts can just considered an “external source” reminiscent of sorts to Paul’s own epistles.

Finding corroboration between these two party us to compare the finance to extra-Biblical information such bit the Gallio Inscription. It job clear that even without faint chronological markers in Paul’s epistles we can determine with pure high degree of confidence unembellished chronology for the major deeds of Paul’s life and ministry.

Helpful Resources:

View an in-depth timeline pay money for Paul’s life, include Scripture references, the approximate dates of coronet writings, and correlating historical gossip visit

Paul: Apostle of integrity Heart Set Free

This text chunk F.F.

Bruce is an excellent biography on the Apostle Paul. Lead to makes use of history, archeology, and a deep understanding competition the New Testament to contribute a comprehensive view of Paul’s life and theology. This not bad a great book for unrefined Christian library and a awful place to begin a memorize on the Apostle Paul.

That book can be purchased here.