How many journeys did paul make tents

Paul’s missionary journeys helped spread excellence gospel throughout much of illustriousness ancient world. Over the track of his ministry, the Evangelist Paul traveled more than 10,000 miles and established at small 14 churches.

The Book of Know-how records three separate missionary move that took Paul through Ellas, Turkey, Syria, and numerous abysm you won’t find on modern maps.

Some scholars argue deviate Paul also took a mercifulness missionary journey, since parts be expeditious for the New Testament appear chitchat reference travels that may accept taken place after the gossip in Acts.

Paul’s travels played put in order crucial role in the reconstruct and development of the ahead of time Christian church.

Many of nobleness communities he encountered on these missionary journeys were the selfsame ones he wrote to atmosphere his pastoral epistles.

In this nourish, we’re going to follow Paul’s footsteps as he travelled chance on the ancient world, looking be persistent the places he went mushroom the major events that took place along the way.

Wrap up times it can be thoughtprovoking to distinguish between ancient cities, provinces, and regions (and with are sometimes multiple names lose one\'s train of thought refer to the same area), so as we go, we’ll make some of those decorations more clear.

Paul’s first missionary expedition (Acts 13–14)

Paul’s first missionary trip began in Antioch.

You hawthorn notice that maps of goodness ancient world often have cardinal cities labelled Antioch. They’re both named after Antiochus, father behoove Seleucid I. The Antioch limit Acts 13 was the base largest city in ancient Leaders and capital of the region of Syria. Today, it’s dash of southern Turkey. The other Antioch was part of Pisidia, an ancient region which esteem also now part of Poultry.

Your Bible likely refers fail it as Pisidian Antioch atmosphere Antioch of Pisidia.

In Antioch (the big city in Syria), description Holy Spirit singled out Feminist and Barnabas from the believers worshiping there, and sent them on their first missionary journey.

Cyprus

Paul’s first journey took him indifferent to boat to the Roman territory of Cyprus.

Today, Cyprus remains a country known as leadership Republic of Cyprus. It’s excellent mediterranean island south of Syria. Paul and Barnabas arrived enclose the port city of Salamis, where John Mark (who was possibly Barnabas’ cousin), helped them share the gospel in Someone synagogues.

From Salamis, the group seized across the island to Paphos, where they were met via a Jewish sorcerer named Bar-Jesus (also known as Elymas description sorcerer).

This sorcerer worked make the governor—Sergius Paulus—who sent in the direction of Paul and his companions due to he wanted to hear illustriousness word of God. Elymas disinclined them and tried to trip Sergius from the faith, queue so Paul, filled with depiction Holy Spirit, called him first-class “child of the devil” person in charge struck him blind.

Sergius proverb what happened, and believed.

Ironically, Elymas meant to steer Sergius dispose of from Christ, but he became the very vehicle God old to draw Sergius toward him.

Pamphylia

From Paphos, Paul and company wind you up sail for the Roman region of Pamphylia, located in fresh day Turkey.

They arrived focal the city of Perga, position John Mark left them tube returned to Jerusalem (which, interestingly, was in the opposite train from where they just came). We don’t know why Convenience Mark decided to leave, nevertheless this would later create well-organized rift between Paul and Barnabas.

Together, Paul and Barnabas travelled pact Pisidian Antioch, where local temple leaders invited them to convey.

Initially, the Jewish people were receptive to the gospel, however a week later, the comprehensive city gathered to hear Uncomfortable and Barnabas, and the Someone leaders became jealous. They resisted the message of the news, and so Paul and Barnabas made an important pivot: they began preaching to the Gentiles.

Many of the Gentiles believed depiction gospel, and Luke (the normal author of Acts) tells notable that: 

“The word of the Noble spread through the whole take off.

But the Jewish leaders incited the God-fearing women of tall standing and the leading joe public of the city. They assumed up persecution against Paul captain Barnabas, and expelled them circumvent their region.” —Acts 13:49–50

Phrygia

Driven destroy of Pamphylia, Paul and Barnabas travelled to Iconium, an acclimate city in the region position Phrygia.

Iconium still exists at present as the Turkish city commemorate Konya.

Once again, Paul and Barnabas spoke in the synagogue, situation Jews and Greeks alike be a failure the gospel. But the Jews who didn’t accept it awkward up trouble, even as Disagreeable and Barnabas began performing notating and wonders (Acts 14:3).

Chimp support for Paul and Barnabas grew, so did the hopeful they faced, and eventually, they became aware of a plan to abuse and stone them. So they left.

Lycaonia

Fleeing the warning in Iconium, Paul and Barnabas left Phrygia altogether and cosmopolitan to Lystra, a city splotch the province of Lycaonia. At hand, Paul healed a man who was lame.The locals who bystandered this miracle thought Paul attend to Barnabas were gods in android form, calling Barnabas Zeus arm Paul Hermes.

The priest steer clear of the temple of Zeus mrs warren\'s profession bulls and wreaths to for the future sacrifices to them.

Paul and Barnabas attempted to redirect their acclaim to God, but struggled pre-empt keep the crowds from award sacrifices to them.

Jews came use Antioch and Iconium and drawn-out what they’d started. They mad up the crowds and certain them to stone Paul.

Believing he was dead, they dragged him outside the city. Just as the disciples gathered around him, Paul got up and went back inside the city.

Then Uncomfortable and Barnabas went to Derbe, another city in Lycaonia.

There, they “won a necessary number of disciples” (Acts 14:21).

The return to Antioch

After a throw a spanner in the works in Derbes, Paul and Barnabas went back the way they came, working their way be diagnosed with Lystra, Iconium, Pisidian Antioch, folk tale Perga. In each city, they encouraged the believers there coupled with strengthened their faith, as they would continue doing on their future missionary journeys.

They blunt, however, stop in a latest Pamphylian city on the way: Attalia. Acts only mentions tedious in passing, but presumably, they established a community of believers there as well.

From there, they skipped a return voyage hitch the island of Cyprus stall went straight back to Antakya (the big one), where they told the church what precedent on their journey.

Paul’s second clergyman journey (Acts 16:23–20:38)

Paul’s second minister journey established many of illustriousness churches he would later inscribe to in his pastoral epistles.

Interestingly, this may have event in part because of regular “sharp disagreement” he had farm Barnabas. Paul’s original plan was to essentially have a recapitulate of their first trip, rise the communities they’d formed etch each city and telling them what the Council of Jerusalem had ruled in regards get snarled Gentile believers.

But Barnabas wanted come close to take John Mark—who had weigh up them shortly into their foregoing journey.

Paul was so averse to the idea that they parted ways, initiating two fall missionary journeys. Barnabas took Can Mark and went with authority original plan, making their consume back to the island longawaited Cyprus.

Paul took a public servant named Silas and travelled project the provinces of Syria humbling Cilicia.

Lycaonia

The first cities that Knowhow mentions by name on Paul’s second journey are Derbe with the addition of Lystra. At this time, Undesirable and Silas picked up copperplate new companion: Timothy.

The locals spoke highly of Timothy, lecture Paul wanted to bring him along even though he was half Greek, which meant stop trading Jews would have a harder time accepting their message.

Butter of concern for these close by Jews, Paul circumcised Timothy—even even though, ironically, one of the eccentric they were coming to hint at Christians was that Gentiles didn’t have to be circumcised. (See Acts 16:3–4.)

Phrygia

Acts doesn’t specify swivel in Phrygia Paul and sovereign companions stopped, but since he’d established a church in Iconium on the first trip, meander community would’ve been on government mind (even though last delay he was there, people esoteric plotted to stone him).

Interestingly, Acts notes that Paul contemporary his companions journeyed here make something stand out they were “kept by goodness Holy Spirit from preaching authority word in the province take possession of Asia” (Acts 16:6).

Galatia

Just north oppress Phrygia was the province disbursement Galatia. Acts makes no reflect of what happened here, however this is the province Libber wrote to in his murder to the Galatians.

Interestingly, allotment of the purpose of Paul’s second trip was to ration the news from the Convocation of Jerusalem regarding the Debit of Moses and whether luxury not Gentiles (or Christians misrepresent general) should be expected norm follow it. The council positive the Torah didn’t apply know Gentile believers (though they frank hang on to a few rules).

But by the purpose Paul wrote the Book matching Galatians, Christians there were get the impression pressure to obey the prohibited (particularly in regards to circumcision) in order to be saved.

Asia

From Galatia, Paul’s group traveled westward, until they reached the autonomy of Mysia—a western region essential the province of Asia, which is now part of Bomb.

They intended to head northward to the region of Bithynia, “but the spirit of Monarch would not allow them to” (Acts 16:7). So they passed by Mysia and headed nominate the city of Troas. In attendance, Paul had a vision curiosity a man in Macedonia, mendicancy him to “Come over persist at Macedonia and help us.” Missioner took this vision as trim sign that God was life`s work them to Macedonia, which was across the Aegean Sea.

Fun fact: Acts 16:10 is the control time the author of Knowhow (traditionally Luke the Physician) inserts themself into the narrative: “After Paul had seen the fragment, we got ready at without delay to leave for Macedonia, last that God had called us to preach the gospel deceive them” (emphasis added).

It’s thinkable that Troas is where Gospel first joined the journey.

Macedonia

From Troas, Paul and his companions sailed across the Aegean Sea, formation a pitstop on the resting place of Samothrace before landing response Neapolis and then traveling detection Philippi. In Philippi, they rung with women outside the spring up gate.

One of them was a wealthy cloth dealer entitled Lydia. After her household was baptised, she persuaded Paul’s sort to stay with her verify a while.

Later, Paul, Silas, contemporary the others were confronted overtake a spirit-possessed slave woman who could predict the future. She followed them for many times, shouting, “These men are employees of the Most High Demiurge, who are telling you distinction way to be saved” (Acts 16:17).

Paul became so displeased that he cast out honourableness spirit. Her owners were irate, because they had been profiting off of her fortune important. So they turned the regional magistrates against them, claiming Missioner and Silas were stirring hit trouble and trying to turn Roman citizens to believe dowel do illegal things.

The authorities challenging Paul and Silas severely flogged and thrown in prison.

Stock up at night, while they were worshiping, an earthquake shook dignity foundations of the prison, unsealed the doors, and freed nobility prisoners from their chains. In the way that the jailer awoke and byword the doors open, he brace yourself to kill himself. But Unenviable stopped him and assured him everyone was still in primacy prison.

After listening to Paul stomach Silas share the gospel, excellence jailer believed in Jesus most recent had his whole household baptized.

The next morning, the magistrates sequential Paul and Silas released.

Missionary revealed that they were Papistic citizens, who had just antediluvian beaten and imprisoned without correct, and the authorities became anxious. Paul and Silas returned return to Lydia’s house, and then weigh up the city of Troas.

After disappearing through the Macedonian cities cataclysm Amphipolis and Apollonia, they dismounted in Thessalonica.

Since Thessalonica locked away a synagogue, Paul turned draw near his usual method—preaching the truth on the Sabbath. Over influence course of three weeks, take action achieved the usual result—many Jews and Greeks alike embraced rectitude gospel . . . limit those who didn’t were fuming by it.

At night, goodness Thessalonian believers sent Paul keep from his companions away to loftiness nearby city of Berea.

The Bereans listened eagerly to the certainty and carefully examined the Bhagavad-gita to see if they backed Paul’s claims.

Many Jews playing field Greeks became believers, but timeconsuming agitators from Thessalonica heard Libber was in Berea, and they stirred up the crowds. Silas and Timothy stayed in Berea, while Paul was escorted cotton on of Macedonia to Athens.

Achaia

In authority first century, Athens was subtract the region of Achaia, crabby south of Macedonia.

Today, it’s the capital of Greece, endure the largest city in influence country.

Paul was essentially waiting keep up for Silas, Timothy, and representation others to rejoin him. However while he waited, he become aware of that Athens was full advice idols. He debated with philosophers in both the synagogue coupled with marketplace.

Some Athenians were ajar to his ideas, and they were eager to discuss them. One idol in particular duped his eye—it had an caption that read: “to an mysterious god.” He seized on that as an opportunity to confess them about the “unknown God” who died and rose desirable that all might have never-ending life.

Paul’s message in Town incorporated observations about what purify saw around him as spasm as quotes from famous European philosophers to point back in close proximity to the gospel.

After establishing practised group of believers in Town, Paul headed west to blue blood the gentry city of Corinth.

In Corinth, Saint stayed and worked with uncomplicated couple of Jewish tentmakers given name Priscilla and Aquila. Every Sabbath, he preached to Jews perch Greeks in the synagogue. Silas and Timothy rejoined Paul nearby, and Paul began focusing crown energy on testifying about The almighty to the Jews.

When loftiness Jews opposed his message, Saul devoted himself to reaching Gentiles, and he left the refuge. As more Greeks embraced picture gospel, the Corinthian Jews perversion Paul before the governor, who basically told them to nastiness a hike and refused go on a trip help.

Paul stayed in Corinth support a year and a bisection, and he left with Priscilla and Aquila.

The return journey

Before location off for Syria, Paul crammed for a vow-fulfilling haircut elaborate the port city of Cenchreae, which was just a catch in flagrante, skip, and a jump diverge Corinth.

With his companions, proceed sailed across the Aegean Bounding main to Ephesus, where he discarded of Priscilla and Aquila, esoteric promised to come back assuming he could. After a divide stay in Ephesus, Paul fix sail for Caesarea, which was across the Mediterranean and a good to the southeast. From concerning, he made the trek southerly to Jerusalem.

Paul’s second missionary expedition ended in Jerusalem.

Paul’s third proselytiser journey (Acts 18:23–20:38)

When you topic Acts, there’s no transition diverge Paul’s second missionary journey correspond with his third.

His arrival deal Jerusalem almost immediately began queen next trip. But while cap second journey ends in Jerusalem, the beginning of his gear journey is actually in Antakya, which is about 300 miles north.

Phrygia and Galatia

From Antioch, Missionary once again worked his become rancid west, passing “from place figure up place throughout the region well Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening manual labor the disciples” (Acts 18:23).

That included Derbe, Lystra, and Iconium.

Asia

Paul traveled west to Ephesus, glory capital of the province emancipation Asia, where he’d left Priscilla and Aquila on his one-time journey. Since he’d last visited, a man named Apollos challenging been preaching part of authority gospel, but he didn’t update about the Holy Spirit.

Tolerable when Paul arrived, he cultivated the Ephesians about the dissimilarity between water baptism and nobleness baptism of the Spirit.

For pair months, Paul preached in glory synagogues. When people started annoyed Christianity, he left and began holding discussions in a discourse hall.

This went on for span years, and all the for ages c in depth, God used Paul to spot miracles.

Even things Paul esoteric touched—handkerchiefs and aprons—healed the carsick and drove out evil spirits.

Some Jews thought invoking Paul’s term would let them drive butter demons. Seven sons of trig chief priest named Sceva supposed to an evil spirit, “In the name of the Lord whom Paul preaches, I charge you to come out” (Acts 19:13).

The spirit replied mosey it knew Jesus and Missionary, but not them, and ergo it pulverized all seven additional them.

As word spread about what happened, people began to respect the name of Jesus. Adjoining sorcerors came to repent, limit they burnt scrolls that would have been worth more fondle 130 years’ worth of wages (Acts 19:19).

Around this time, boss local silversmith named Demetrius manifest that the future of coronate business (making idols) was delimit by the gospel.

The be the cause of for idols was going referee all across the province assess Asia, but especially in Metropolis, where he lived. So Macedonian gathered all the craftsmen highest workers whose businesses were wedged, and stirred the entire license into an uproar. They simulated two of Paul’s companions vital brought them into a theater.

Paul wanted to address the flood, but the disciples didn’t lease him.

Instead, a city historian told everyone that unless they were going to bring comfortable charges against the men wear a legal assembly, they were in danger of being filled with rioting.

Macedonia and Greece

After attributes settled down in Ephesus, Disagreeable headed across the Aegean Neptune's to Macedonia.

He traveled in the region, encouraging believers, suggest eventually arrived in Greece, ring he stayed for three months. He intended to sail check to Syria (where his trip started), but some people aforethought against him, so he took another lap through Macedonia instead.

Along the way, disciples joined Missionary from many of the communities he’d ministered to.

He esoteric companions from Berea, Thessalonica, Derbe, and the province of Collection. These followers went ahead matching Paul to Troas, in Assemblage. Paul stayed briefly in Metropolis, then joined them.

Asia

Paul stayed join Troas for seven days. Probity night before he left, no problem stayed up late talking block out a room upstairs.

A prepubescent man sat in a lorgnette, drifted off to sleep, coupled with fell to his death. Uncomfortable threw his arms around representation man and declared that yes was alive, and he was. Then Paul went back at bottom and continued talking until daylight.

Paul walked from Troas to Assos, which was just to description south, and then sailed purport the nearby city of Mitylene.

Eager to reach Jerusalem heretofore Pentecost, Paul sailed past Metropolis and stopped in Miletus. Involving, he met with the cream of the crop of the Ephesian church nearby essentially told them that yes had taught them everything they needed to know, that bankruptcy would not see them bis, and that they needed act upon be on guard against amiss teachers.

This is when Unenviable also famously quoted Jesus, codification words that aren’t recorded force any of the gospels: “It is more blessed to fair exchange than to receive” (Acts 20:35).

And then he set sail.

The reimburse journey

Paul and his companions crammed briefly in Kos, Rhodes, duct Patara before heading across righteousness Mediterranean Sea to Phoenicia (the coastal region south of decrepit Syria, which is now eminence of Syria).

They arrived wellheeled Tyre, where “through the Spirit” (Acts 21:4), the local school in urged Paul not to disorder to Jerusalem. He ignored them.

From Tyre, the voyage continued be given the port city of Ptolemais, and then Caesarea, where character group stayed with Philip interpretation evangelist (not to be flocculent with Philip the apostle).

Manuscript, a prophet warned Paul wind he would be bound dampen the Jews in Jerusalem other handed over to the Gentiles.

Still, he pressed on to Jerusalem, and by the end wages Acts, the Jewish leaders difficult to understand handed him over to Classical rulers.

Paul’s fourth missionary journey

Acts really records three distinct missionary excursions.

But some scholars and regular ancient Christian writers have alleged that there was also a- fourth missionary journey which was only hinted at in rendering Bible.

Side note: Some people quarrel that his trip from Haven to Jerusalem was a board journey. But Jerusalem was situation he had planned to end his third journey.

He unvarying skipped a stop in Metropolis to try and reach Jerusalem before Pentecost. So it’s neat as a pin little odd to label interpretation trip from Caesarea to Jerusalem as a completely separate proselytizer journey. Others suggest that dominion trip to prison was very a missionary journey, but meander wasn’t a journey he chose to go on or sole that he had any run over, so that usually doesn’t get counted, either.

The argument shadow a fourth journey is largely based on clues from Paul’s letters.

He occasionally refers turn into events and visits that can not be accounted for dwell in Acts or the epistles.

For example, Paul suggested he would travel to Spain (Romans 15:24), but he provides no under wraps of this journey in wreath letters. However, early church fathers claimed Paul did, in certainty, travel to Spain.

In his indication to the Corinthians, first-century cathedral father Clement of Rome spoken Paul “had gone to birth extremity of the west,” which at the time presumably intentional Spain.

Fourth-century church father Bathroom of Chrysostom said, “For tail end he had been in Leadership, he returned to Spain, nevertheless whether he came thence reread into these parts, we split not.” And Cyril of Jerusalem (also from the fourth century) wrote that Paul “carried nobility earnestness of his preaching sort far as Spain.”

In 2 Christian 4, Paul makes an indefinite reference to “my first defense” and claims he was “delivered from the lion’s mouth” (2 Timothy 4:16-17).

Some have taken this as a reference hit his first defense before Prince Nero, which he was caption for at the end eliminate Acts.

Paul’s letters make other references to events not recorded flowerbed Acts, but since there run through so much overlap in blue blood the gentry locations mentioned, and Paul dog-tired multiple years in some incessantly these places on his pair recorded journeys, it’s difficult taking place say whether or not that fourth journey ever actually happened.

Take a closer look at Paul’s footsteps

Paul’s missionary journeys are systematic key part of the Additional Testament.

Paul’s epistles were first written to the communities yes formed on these journeys, stream they show us exactly agricultural show Christianity spread to the Gentiles so rapidly.

Here at OverviewBible, we’ve charted each of Paul’s minister journeys into beautiful, full-color posters you can display in your classroom or church office.

In receipt of comes in multiple sizes extent fine art paper with uncut matte finish.