None of Paul’s epistles contain an inspired date of authorship. When they were written during Paul’s ministry must be reasoned from circumstantial evidence (names, places, and events).
Consequently, there will always be a certain amount of storytelling, speculation, and uncertainty involved in determining when the epistles were written for at least three reasons:
- Certain events (imprisonment, capture) happened more than once.
- Paul took multiple journeys to the same places, often with similar people.
- Our history of Paul’s activities is not exhaustive (neither during nor after Acts).
If your theology depends solely upon the timing of one or more of Paul’s epistles (e.g. Acts 28ers), then you are standing on the weak foundation of higher criticism, and you would do well to change your theology.
The Bible believer would do well to remember that what is clear is always more important than what is not.
What Paul said is always more important than when he said it. God inspired Paul’s epistles, but did not directly tell us when.
What We Know
Meanwhile, there are plenty of things we can know about when the epistles were written based on scripture alone.
We can clearly chronicle a handful of Paul’s epistles based on their internal clues. Those books that include strong evidence are 1 Thessalonians, 1 Corinthians, Romans, Philippians, and 2 Timothy.
Comparing these epistles with the history in the book of Acts, we can get a clear chronicle of when Paul wrote them.
The remaining epistles have too little information in themselves to be certain beyond a doubt exactly when they were written. The unclear epistles (unclear regarding their date) are frequently coupled with the clearer epistles based on assumptions of similar circumstances, or upon similar doctrinal content.
We know that each book was inspired by God, written by Paul, and faithfully preserved in the church throughout history.
Proposed Order of Paul’s Epistles
Below is a chart with a proposed chronology based upon internal evidence of the scripture in relationship to the history book of Acts. It is noted which are clearly understood and which are not.
| Book | When in Acts | Clear | Unclear |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Thessalonians | Acts 18:5 |  |
|
| 2 Thessalonians | Acts 18:11 | |
|
| Galatians | Acts 19:10 | |
|
| 1 Corinthians | Acts 20:1 | |
|
| 2 Corinthians | Acts 20:1-2 | |
|
| Romans | Acts 20:2-3 | |
|
| Philemon* | Acts 24:23-27 | |
|
| Colossians* | Acts 24:23-27 | |
|
| Ephesians* | Acts 24:23-27 | |
|
| Philippians* | Acts 28:30 | |
|
| 1 Timothy | After Acts | |
|
| Titus | After Acts | |
|
| 2 Timothy* | After Acts | |
* Indicates a book written in bonds or prison
Scriptural Evidence for the Order of the Epistles
Paul mentions going to Athens alone but leaving Timothy behind (1 Thess 3:1-3). This event occurred in Acts 17:14-15.
By the time Thessalonians was written, Timothy had returned to Paul (1 Thess 1:1; 1 Thess 3:6).
Therefore, the earliest that it could be written would be in Acts 18:5 when Timothy returns to Paul.
Paul stayed in Corinth for 1.5 years (Acts 18:11). It would make sense that he might have heard something of the ministry in Thessalonica during that time in Macedonia and Achaia (1 Thess 1:7-8).
2 Thessalonians is assumed to be written shortly after the first epistle due to the same names mentioned in 2 Thess 1:1.
No one knows for certain when Galatians was written, although there are strong opinions in both directions.
It is generally agreed that it was written after Acts 15 where Paul went to Jerusalem to meet with Peter, James, and John, which Paul mentions in Galatians 2:1-9.
Its similar doctrinal content to Romans invites some to couple it with Romans written from Corinth in Acts 20:3, but there is no further evidence for this.
Paul says they are “so soon removed” (Gal 1:6), which may identify it as an early writing in Paul’s ministry to the Galatians, or it could be placed after any one of his travels to the area in Acts 15:41, Acts 16:6, or Acts 18:23.
Apollos had already ministered in Corinth by the time Paul writes to them (1 Cor 3:6). Apparently, Apollos was not at that time in Corinth (1 Cor 4:6; 1 Cor 16:12) which places this epistle after Acts 19:1.
Paul mentions staying at Ephesus with many adversaries in 1 Cor 16:8-9. He also mentions the “beasts at Ephesus” in 1 Cor 15:32, which at least in part is described in Acts 19.
He also mentions his purpose to go to Jerusalem through Macedonia in 1 Cor 16:3-5 which he first purposed in Acts 19:21-22.
Timothy is sent by Paul to Corinth (1 Cor 4:17) when he wrote the epistle, but Timothy is back in Paul’s company in Acts 20:3-4 when Paul goes to Greece himself. So it must have been written after Acts 19:21-22 and before Acts 20:1.
2 Corinthians is assumed to be written shortly after 1 Corinthians based on the mention of forgiving the repentant brother that was rebuked in 1 Corinthians (2 Cor 2:6-7). However, some time had passed, because Paul had left Ephesus and was then writing from Macedonia (2 Cor 7:5, 2 Cor 9:4; cf. Acts 20:1).
Paul mentions it is the third time he is ready to come to Corinth (2 Cor 12:14; 2 Cor 13:1). This leads some to the uncertain conclusion that this is either the third epistle he writes, or that he has been to Corinth twice before.
A question arises from the presence of Timothy in 2 Cor 1:1 that could place this epistle at even a later date on a subsequent trip to Macedonia.
Romans is most certainly written from Corinth (Cenchrea) evidenced by Paul staying with Gaius in his house, along with the presence of Erastus and Phebe (Rom 16:1, 23).
Also the same company of people found in Romans 16:21 is also found in Acts 20:4 when Paul was leaving Greece to return to Jerusalem (also mentioned in Romans 15:25-26).
Colossians, Philemon, and Ephesians were all written while Paul was in bonds (Eph 6:20, Col 4:3, Phm 1:1). For this reason, it is assumed all three were written from Rome along with Philippians.
However, Paul was in prison multiple times, and so it is unclear exactly which imprisonment produced these epistles.
Philemon must precede, if only shortly, Colossians since it is in Philemon that Onesimus is saved while in bonds with Paul (Phm 1:10). Paul sends Onesimus as a faithful brother to Colosse in Col 4:9 and in Philemon 1:12.
It can be shown that Philemon, the man, was a Colossian, because of his association with Archippus and Onesimus (Phm 1:2, Col 4:17).
Philemon and Colossians are linked in time primarily because the same companions with Paul are mentioned in both epistles, which would mean Tychicus traveled with Onesimus with both epistles to Colosse (Col 4:7).
There is not much information to date Ephesians, except that Tychicus delivered the letter (Eph 6:21). For this reason alone, it is assumed Ephesians was written at the same time as Colossians and Philemon, although Tychicus may have traveled to Ephesus multiple times (2 Tim 4:12).
It is possible that Philemon, Colossians, and Ephesians were written while Paul was in bonds at Caesarea where he spent two years in bondage with relative liberty (Acts 24:23-27).
If this were so, it would be fatal to the Acts 28ers that teach the mystery was revealed only after Acts 28:28. That it is a possibility means the Acts 28 position is highly suspect to say the least.
Philippians is counted among Paul’s epistles written while in prison since he mentions being in “bonds” (Phil 1:7, Phil 1:14-16).
Though Paul was in prison many times, his mention of “the palace” (Phil 1:13), and greetings from “Caesar’s household” (Phil 4:22) fit nicely with Paul’s imprisonment in Rome upon his appeal to Caesar (Acts 28:16, Acts 28:30).
No one knows for certain exactly when 1 Timothy was written (albeit before 2 Timothy), nor whether Paul was in bondage while he wrote it (1 Tim 3:14).
Paul says Timothy was abiding in Ephesus while he went into Macedonia (1 Tim 1:3). There are many possibilities during the Acts record that would allow Timothy to abide in Ephesus, but none at the same time that Paul would be in Macedonia.
For this reason, it is assumed that it was written after the history of Acts.
No one knows when Titus was written (albeit before 2 Timothy for the reasons stated above).
That Titus was “left in Crete” would indicate it was after the history recorded in Acts (Titus 1:5). The only time it is mentioned that Paul traveled to Crete was during his trip to Rome in Acts 27:12.
Titus 3:12 indicates Paul was not in bonds and was traveling to Nicopolis by his own determination.
Though we cannot place 2 Timothy very well into the history of the book of Acts, the content shows clearly it is Paul’s last epistle written at the end of his life.
He records the turning away of all in Asia, which would be later in his ministry (2 Tim 1:15). He commends Onesiphorus who helped him while he was in Rome in the past (2 Tim 1:16-17).
That Titus was no longer in Crete, but Dalmatia places 2 Timothy after the epistle to Titus 1:5. Since Paul was free when he wrote Titus (Titus 1:12), this proves that Paul was imprisoned again after he was released from his bonds in Rome.
He mentions his own execution in 2 Tim 4:6, and finishing his course in 2 Tim 4:7.
Why it Matters
If what Paul wrote, and to whom he wrote, is most important, then why does it matter when he wrote?
It does not matter greatly, except to those whose doctrine depends upon a proper dating of Paul’s epistles (e.g Acts 28ers).
It is not necessary to know when the epistles were written to believe what they say. In the same way, we do not need to know the day or year a law was passed in order to be subject to it now.
However, knowing where in the history of Acts Paul wrote his epistles may help shed some light on the surrounding circumstances, persecutions, and opposition that Paul mentions throughout his ministry.
Paul’s ministry to unbelieving Israel stopped in Acts 28, along with the supernatural powers the Holy Ghost provided. Knowing when Paul wrote would explain why we find more writing about Israel and spiritual gifts during his earlier epistles.
To benefit from a scriptural chronology the best method to date Paul’s epistles is by studying the scripture rightly divided, and not by the speculative methods of unbelieving higher criticism.
What God would have us know with certainty about Paul’s ministry, he has inspired and preserved in the Bible.
“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” – 2 Timothy 2:15
Article Index Published: February 22, 2014
Last Modified: March 15, 2018