The Home Bible Study Library

An Atlas of
Bible Land Maps
(With Historical Articles and Background Information)

Edited By Dr Terry W. Preslar

Copyright (C) 2007. Terry W. Preslar All rights reserved.

“...when thou comest, bring with thee...the books,

but especially the parchments. (2 Tim. 4:13)
Psalms 107:2 S É S Romans 12:1-2
P.O. Box 388 Mineral Springs, N.C. 28108
1(704)843-3858
E-Mail: preslar12@windstream.net
 The Home Bible Study Library
An Atlas of Bible Land Maps
(With Historical Articles and Background Information)

The Editor disclaims originality. Other men have labored, I have but entered into their labors. The results
of the study of God’s Word by learned and spiritual servants, in every division of the church and in many
lands, has netted a bounty of wonder in the matter of Bible study. The Editor has only proposed to himself
the modest task of summarizing, arranging and condensing this mass of material into a convenient form.

Genesis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gen. Nahum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nahum

Exodus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ex.
Leviticus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lev.
Numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Num.
Deuteronomy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Deut.
Joshua . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Josh.
Judges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Judg.
Ruth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ruth
1 Samuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Sam.
2 Samuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Sam.
1 Kings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Kings
2 Kings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Kings
1 Chronicles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Chron.
2 Chronicles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Chron.
Ezra . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ezra
Nehemiah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Neh.
Esther . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Est.
Job . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Job
Psalms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Psa.
Proverbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Prov.
Ecclesiastes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Eccl.
Song of Solomon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Song of Sol.
Isaiah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Isa.
Jeremiah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jer.
Lamentations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lam.
Ezekiel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ezek.
Daniel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dan.
Hosea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hos.
Joel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Joel
Amos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Amos
Obadiah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Oba.
Jonah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jonah
Micah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mic.
Habakkuk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hab.
Zephaniah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Zeph.
Haggai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hag.
Zechariah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Zec.
Malachi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mal.
Matthew . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Matt.
Mark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mark
Luke . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Luke
John . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . John
Acts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Acts
Romans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rom.
1 Corinthians . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Cor.
2 Corinthians . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Cor.
Galatians . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gal.
Ephesians . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Eph.
Philippians . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Phil.
Colossians . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Col.
1 Thessalonians . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Thes.
2 Thessalonians . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Thes.
1 Timothy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Tim.
2 Timothy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Tim.
Titus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Titus
Philemon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Phm.
Hebrews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Heb.
James . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . James
1 Peter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Peter
2 Peter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Peter
1 John . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 John
2 John . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 John
3 John . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 John
Jude . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jude
Revelation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rev.

Copyright (C) 2001 Terry W. Preslar All rights reserved.

No part of this publication (in the printed form or the electronic form) may be reproduced in any form, by
Photostat, microfilm, xerography, or any other means, which are now known, or to be invented, or incorporated into
any information retrieval system, electronic or mechanical, without the written permission of the copyright owner.
Terry W. Preslar - PO Box 388 - Mineral Springs, NC 28108-0388 - USA

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 The Home Bible Study Library
An Atlas of Bible Land Maps
(With Historical Articles and Background Information)

This small collection of maps does not meet the need for a student’s work in an atlas. There is yet a need
that the student add a good Bible Atlas to his library. The need for books grows as the student learns more.
(“...For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed
much, of him they will ask the more.” Luke 12:48) The maps offered here will be useful in your study and
you will need to supplement this material with other matter as you explore the deep mysteries that are the
meat of the Bible’s truths.
TWP (MVCA 8:00 AM,11/4/99)
Map 1

- Where Is Eden? -
Eden (garden)[EE-duhn; “delight”] – The garden created by God as a home for Adam and Eve, the first man
and woman. After the Fall, Adam and Eve were banished from the garden.
According to Gen. 2:10, from Eden flowed a river with four headstreams: the Pishon, Gihon, Tigris,
and Euphrates, the latter two located in Mesopotamia. Many theories have been proposed concerning
the location of the garden of Eden, ranging from Armenia – where the Tigris and Euphrates originate
– to the head of the Persian Gulf in South Mesopotamia. No locality is without difficulties, and it may
be that the geographical features have changed, making identification impossible.

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 Map 2

- Babylon -
Babylonian Empire – In Scripture “Babylon” refers to both the city and empire. In apocalyptic literature
“Babylon the Great” represents human political, economic, and religious systems devoted to crass
materialism and ungodly living in defiance of the holiness and sovereignty of God.
Ruins of the ancient city lie along the river Euphrates, about 50 miles south of Baghdad in modern
Iraq. At its height, the city covered between 3.5 and 6 square miles (9 and 15.5 square kilometers).
According to Herodotus, who wrote in the fifth century B.C., it was surrounded by 60 miles of walls up
to 300 feet high and 87 feet wide. Archaeological expeditions between 1899 and 1917, and after 1958,
have revealed much about this enormously wealthy city and its kings.
Babylon may be the oldest city in the world. The traditional site of the Tower of Babel (Gen 11:1-9),
it was one of several cities founded by Nimrod (Gen 10:10). The oldest settlement at Babylon,
established prior to 3000 B.C., was destroyed by Sargon of Akkad about 2400 B.C. Near the end of the
2000s B.C., an Amorite dynasty adopted Babylon as its capital. This dynasty, the Old Babylonian,
persisted until the city was sacked by the Hittites in 1595 B.C. The most famous king of this era was
Hammurabi (1792-1750 B.C.), known for his codification of strict laws intended to correct social and
economic ills. Features of these laws are similar to those found in the Mosaic code.
During the last centuries of this period, Babylon became an educational and literary center. The city
boasted a famous school for scribes, and scholars produced a vast library of materials. Detailed technical
works in astronomy and astrology were written in cuneiform on clay tablets.
For the next four centuries (1570-1150 B.C.) a Kassite dynasty controlled the city and maintained

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close relationships with Egypt. Nebuchadnezzar I (1124-1103 B.C.) made Babylon his capital. The
dynasty he founded lasted about a hundred years.
Although the city was incorporated into the Assyrian Empire about 1000 B.C., it resisted outside
rule, and was alternately controlled by the Assyrians and the Chaldeans, an aggressive tribe of
Viking-like raiders from northeast Arabia. In 698 B.C., the Assyrian ruler Sennacherib destroyed the
city, but his successor Ashurbanipal rebuilt it.
The Neo-Babylonian Empire was launched in 625 B.C. when the Chaldean Nabopolassar took the
throne. Within two decades he, in league with the Medes under Cyaxares, crushed the Assyrian armies.
Habakkuk may be referring to his phenomenal rise when he reports God’s words, “Look at the nations
and watch – and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not
believe, even if you were told. I am raising up the Babylonians [Chaldeans]” (Hab 1:5,6).
Under Nabopolassar’s son, Nebuchadnezzar II (605-562 B.C.), Babylon reached the pinnacle of
world power. In the process Jerusalem and its Temple were destroyed and the Jewish people were
deported from their national homeland. Nebuchadnezzar II was a builder and master administrator as
well as conqueror. He constructed several palaces, a massive ziggurat with a temple to the god Marduk
on top, and the famous hanging gardens, a wonder of the ancient world.
The last Babylonian ruler Nabonidus 555-539 B.C.) retired to the Arabian city of Teima, leaving his
son Belshazzar in charge as co-regent. Cyrus conquered Babylon in 539 B.C. and established the Persian
Empire.
Under Cyrus and his successors, the city of Babylon retained its influence as a vastly wealthy
commercial and intellectual center. Residing in it was a large and prosperous Jewish community, whose
active involvement in study of the OT is reflected in the Babylonian Talmud, which established some
of the traditions still followed in modern Judaism. The city continued to exert its influence in
Mesopotamia for several centuries, even into the Christian era.
Envoys from Babylon visited King Hezekiah of Judah (715-686 B.C.) to congratulate him on his
recovery from serious illness. Hezekiah showed them the nation’s wealth, and earned Isaiah’s rebuke
(2 Kings 20:12-18; Isa. 39). A century later, Babylonians were to carry those riches away.
Miraculously, Judah had been able to stay out of the clutches of the Assyrian Empire, even though
the northern kingdom of Israel had been swept away. But the rise of Babylon marked the end of Judah’s
independence. Nebuchadnezzar II made Judah a vassal state in 605 B.C. Three years later, when King
Jehoiakim rebelled, Nebuchadnezzar’s armies invaded.
Jerusalem surrendered, and young King Jehoiachin was taken to Babylon with 10,000 artisans and
all the Temple’s treasures. A list of rations provided for Jehoiachin and his family has been found among
the thousands of Babylonian records recovered by archaeologists.
Nebuchadnezzar installed Zedekiah as king of Judah. But this puppet ruler also rebelled. A final
invasion culminated in the destruction of Jerusalem and Solomon’s Temple in 586 B.C. At that time
most of the nation’s remaining population was taken to Babylon.
Several OT prophetic books relate closely to these events. Habakkuk, in Josiah’s time (640-609
B.C.), foretold the coming Babylonian invasion as a divine discipline. Jeremiah futilely urged
submission to the Babylonians during the reigns of Judah’s last four rulers. Ezekiel, taken to Babylon
with the first group of captives, had a vision of God’s protecting presence departing from the Jerusalem
Temple, and he also urged the same submission to Babylon as Jeremiah had.
Although they urged submission, these OT prophets also predicted Babylon’s final doom (Isa. 13-14,
47-48; Jer. 25). Like Assyria, historic Babylon lay under the judgment of God. The Book of Daniel also
concerns the Babylonian captivity, telling of a young Jewish captive who rose to influence with
Nebuchadnezzar and subsequent rulers. The Book of Lamentations (probably composed by Jeremiah)
expresses the anguish felt by the Jewish people at being torn from their homeland.
Moses had warned that if God’s people sinned they would be uprooted from their land and scattered
among the nations (Deut. 28:15-68). The Babylonian captivity partially fulfilled this warning. Yet the

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 captivity proved a blessing. The Hebrew people were purged of idolatry in Babylon. Their religion was
refocused on the Scriptures, and the synagogue was developed as a place of study and worship.
As predicted in Isa. 13:19-20, Babylon ultimately became a completely deserted site (partly because
its soil had become saline through two millennia of irrigation) and totally abandoned except for the
Jewish suburb of Hillah.

Map 3

Israel’s Exodus Route

The route from Rameses to Mount Sinai relates the events of God’s rescue of the Hebrew people from
slavery in Egypt, and their subsequent journey to Canaan. In and through the Exodus, God revealed himself
to Israel in many unique ways. During this period, God revealed his name, Yahweh; instituted the Passover;
gave the Mosaic covenant of Law; and established the priesthood and sacrificial system. All this makes the
time of the Exodus one of the most important periods in all of sacred history. (Exo 12:37-51; chapters 13-32)

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 Map 4

- The Bodies of Water -

Black Sea - Sea bonded on the south by modern Turkey and on the N by the former Soviet Union.
Great Sea - Biblical name for the Mediterranean Sea.
Red Sea - In modern geography, a narrow sea that divides North East Africa from Arabia, and extends South
by South East about 1300 miles (2100 km), from Suez to the Gulf of Aden. It forms part of the great rift
valley that runs along the Jordan and Lebanon valleys. The two N branches of the Red Sea are known
as the Gulf of Suez and the Gulf of Aqabah, to the W and E of the Sinai Peninsula, respectively.
In the OT, the term “yam suph” is translated Red Sea, but it is now generally recognized by scholars
to be a derivation of the Egyptian word for papyrus, and should be translated as the “sea of reeds.” As
such the term is applicable to any body of water producing the papyrus reeds common to the Egyptian
delta region. Accepting the traditional route of the Exodus, yam suph indicates the Bitter Lakes region
between the Gulf of Suez and the Nile Delta. Lake Timsah, Menzaleh, and Sirbonis have also been
proposed as the Reed Sea crossed by the Israelites during the Exodus. The latter is to be rejected since
it lies along the way to the land of the Philistines (see Ex. 13:17-18). Its wider use extended to the gulfs
of the Red Sea as well. (Ex 10:19; 13:17-15:22; 23:31; Num 14:25; 21:4; 1 Kings 9:26
Persian Gulf - Gulf between Iran and Saudi Arabia.
Caspian Sea - sea in Asia between Iran and the former Soviet Union.

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 Map 5

- Judea In The Time of The New Testament -

Sometime after the return from exile, Judah was made a province in the Persian Empire, called Judea.
Under the Persians, the district of Judea was generally administered by a Jewish governor. The Maccabean
revolt, beginning in 187 B.C., resulted in the establishment of an independent Jewish state. Civil war broke
out between the sons of Jannaeus, and Rome was eventually invited to intervene. In 63 B.C., Pompey entered
Jerusalem, and Judea became a Roman tributary. Following the banishment of Archelaus in A.D. 6, Judea
was annexed to the Roman province of Syria. Thereafter, procurators were charged with its governance,
officially residing in Caesarea. They were subject to the proconsul of Syria in Antioch.
Judean territory roughly encompassed a region about 50-55 miles (80-88 km) square, from the
Mediterranean to the Dead Sea, and from Joppa in the N to the vicinity of Hebron. The boundaries varied,
and portions of the coastal plain were frequently under the control of the Philistine cities of Ashkelon,
Ashdod, and Gaza. (Matt 2:1; Matt 19:1; Luke 1:5; Acts 8:1-3; Acts 9:31)

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 Map 6

- Jerusalem in the Time of Christ -

Herod the Great was made king of the Jews in 37 BC. He brought to Judah a passion for building. In 20
BC he began an expansion and beautification of the Jerusalem Temple which was not completed until AD
62, 58 years after his death. In Christ’s day, too, Jerusalem was the center of Jewish faith and worship. The
Sanhedrin, the ruling council of the Jews, met in Jerusalem. The Temple flourished there, with its sacrifices
and rituals. Pilgrims from all over the world swelled the normal population of 60,000 to a quarter of a
million during religious festivals. Christ preached in the Jerusalem Temple courts. Jesus entered Jerusalem
in triumph, ate the Last Supper there with his disciples, and was crucified outside the city’s walls. After his
resurrection, Jesus appeared to the disciples in a sealed room. The Spirit’s miracle of Pentecost took place
in Jerusalem, launching the Christian Church. In A.D. 70, putting down a Jewish rebellion, the Roman army
under the command of Titus destroyed the city and its Temple.

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 Map 7

- The World of Paul’s Day -

Paul’s Early Ministry - Paul was a Jew, born in the city of Tarsus, but trained in Jerusalem as a Pharisee
under the most famous rabbi of his time, Gamaliel. Out of misplaced zeal, Paul actively persecuted
followers of Christ, until he himself was converted by a direct confrontation with the risen Christ on the
road to Damascus. According to his own testimony in Gal 1:17, he then “went immediately into Arabia
and later returned to Damascus.” This covered a period of three years.
Paul proved as zealous a Christian as he had been a persecutor. However, in Damascus and then in
Jerusalem, Paul’s presence stirred up so much opposition that he was forced to leave. “The brothers”
escorted him to a ship and “sent him off to Tarsus” (Acts 9:30). Thus, Paul spent a number of years--as
many as ten--isolated from the main Christian movement in Palestine. (Acts 9)
Paul’s First Missionary Journey - Beginning with chapter 13, the Book of Acts focuses almost exclusively
on the missionary work of Paul. Under direct divine guidance, the church in Antioch sent him and
Barnabas, with Mark as helper, to spread the gospel abroad. Sailing from the port city of Seleucia, they
traveled to Cyprus, Barnabas’ home country. When they reached the city of Paphos, a significant event
took place: the proconsul Sergius Paulus, after witnessing the miraculous blinding of a sorcerer,
responded to the preaching of the gospel. It is at this point in the narrative (Acts 13:9) that Luke tells us
for the first time that Saul was also called Paul. Some have thought that Paul adopted this name as a
result of this incident and in honor of the proconsul Sergius Paulus, but Luke certainly does not say that,
and it seems unlikely anyway (Paul would almost surely have been given a Roman name at birth).
The significance of this information should be tied to the fact that, while up to this point Luke has
referred to the party as “Barnabas and Saul,” from now on he uses the expression “Paul and his
companions” (Acts 13:13) or “Paul and Barnabas” (v 43, etc.; the only real exception is 15:12). There
appears to have been, therefore, not merely a name change, but a shift of leadership, and possibly a

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 change in the party’s missionary strategy. It has been suggested, with good reason, that the conversion
of Sergius Paulus signaled a fundamentally new development. Prior to this incident, the reception of
Gentiles into the church seems to have been limited to “God-fearers,” that is, individuals who already
had a point of contact with Jewish tradition. Quite possibly, the proconsul’s conversion was the first
instance of a Gentile who was received as part of God’s people without the intermediary role of the
synagogue.
This seems so natural to modern Christians that it is difficult to appreciate how shocking it must have
sounded to Jewish ears. Indeed, it may well be that this theological problem (and not merely
homesickness!) is what led Mark to abandon the missionary party and return to Jerusalem (Acts 13:13;
this would also help to explain why Paul was so adamantly opposed to taking Mark again at a later point,
15:36-40). Whether this interpretation of the evidence is valid or not, the fact is that Paul plays a
prominent role in the subsequent narrative, and that the distinctiveness of his ministry lay in his vigorous
presentation of the gospel to Gentiles in spite of Jewish opposition.
An immediate example of this is in connection with the party’s arrival in Antioch of Pisidia (inland
in Asia Minor). Paul and Barnabas preached the gospel in the Jewish synagogue there and received a
positive response (Acts 13:42-43), but their success led to Jewish enmity and a word of judgment had
to be pronounced: “We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider
yourselves worth of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles” (Acts 13:46). Great success among the
Gentiles led to further and more vigorous persecution and so they moved on to Iconium, where the same
pattern developed. After visiting two other nearby cities (Lystra and Derbe), they retraced their steps,
strengthening and encouraging the believers. Eventually they returned to their “headquarters” in Antioch
of Syria, where they stayed for “a long time” (Acts 14:28). (Acts 13-14)
Paul’s Second Missionary Journey – Paul’s second missionary journey began perhaps a few months after
the Council of Jerusalem. After the dispute with Barnabas over the advisability of taking along Mark,
Paul chose as his new companion Silas, who no doubt had strongly supported the council’s decision.
Traveling on land, the party went through Cilicia, surely visiting Tarsus, then on to the cities of Derbe
and Lystra, where churches had been established earlier. In Lystra, Paul was apparently impressed with
a young man named Timothy who had never been circumcised even though his mother was Jewish. Paul
wanted to take him along and, in order to avoid unnecessary conflicts with Jews (who might consider
Timothy an apostate), he had Timothy circumcised (Acts 16:1-3).
Paul’s travels eventually took him to the port city of Troas, on the western coast of Asia Minor. Here
he had the well-known vision of a Macedonian asking him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us”
(Acts 16:9). At this point in the narrative the author of Acts begins to refer to the missionary part, not
as “Paul and his companions,” but rather as “we” (v 10). It appears therefore that Luke joined the party
in Troas and that he accompanied them to Philippi, Paul’s first major stop in what is now called Europe.
Since the author drops the “we” in describing Paul’s departure from Philippi, it may well be that
Luke was left in charge of the new Christian congregation in that city.
Leaving Philippi, they traveled west to the capital of Macedonia, Thessalonica. However, the crowds
in Thessalonica were so angered by his preaching that the believers there quickly escorted him to the
coast, boarded a ship with him, and headed for Athens.
Paul was intensely concerned about the welfare of the Thessalonians, whom he had left after only
a few weeks of ministry (1 Thes 2:17-20; cf. Acts 17:2). Paul decided to send Timothy back to
Thessalonica.
During this time Paul had been anxiously waiting for Timothy’s return and for news of the situation
in Thessalonica. Perhaps discouraged, he left Athens and traveled to Corinth, a very busy commercial
center in the province of Achaia. Some time later Timothy and Silas joined Paul in Corinth.
Luke identifies the proconsul in Corinth as Gallio. According to an inscription, Gallio served as
proconsul of the province of Achaia beginning in the year 51 (possibly 52), and thus Paul’s second
missionary journey can be dated with relative precision as covering the years 50-52 (it began no earlier

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 than 49 and it ended no later than 53), that is, when Paul was in his early 40s. (Acts 15-18)
Paul’s Third Missionary Journey Ministry in Ephesus – On his way back to Antioch, Paul stopped to visit
the great port city of Ephesus, on the southwestern coast of Asia Minor. The apostle was no doubt
impressed with the potential of this metropolitan center for the spread of the gospel and he determined
to return (Acts 18:18-21). It is not known how long it was before Paul set out on his third missionary
journey (Luke merely tells us that he spent “some time in Antioch,” Acts 18:23). For this trip Paul
appears to have followed the same route he had traveled on the previous journey, except instead of
heading northwest to Troas he went to Ephesus, as he planned (Acts 18:23; Acts 19:1).
His stay in Ephesus was long, productive, and stormy. As usual, he began to preach in the synagogue;
as usual, opposition drove him away (Acts 19:8-9). His ministry lasted for more than two years and the
gospel spread throughout the large province of Asia (Acts 19:10). Luke also relates two major incidents:
an exorcism that led to many conversations (Acts 19:13-17) and a riot provoked by craftsmen (Acts
19:23-40). The latter, who fashioned shrines for the goddess Artemis, were losing money as a result of
Paul’s success. Paul was not directly affected by the uproar. Luke may have emphasized the incident as
evidence that officials could find nothing legally wrong with Paul’s activities.
The Corinthian Problem – Some important events took place, however, that Luke does not mention
at all. Paul had sent, perhaps at the beginning of this journey, a letter to the Corinthian Christians in
which he warned them of associating with disobedient believers (1 Cor 5:9). He had also mentioned to
this church that he was raising a collection for the poor in Jerusalem (1 Cor 16:1). While in Ephesus,
however, Paul received reports that the church in Corinth was experiencing severe problems, particularly
divisions within the congregation (1 Cor 1:11-12). Immorality, disruptions in the worship services,
confusions about the resurrection, and several other evils threatened the spiritual life of this church.
Moreover, the church itself had written a letter to Paul requesting instruction about such matters as
marriage and divorce, meat offered to idols, spiritual gifts, and the method Paul was using for his
collection (1 Cor 7:1; 8:1; 12:1; 16:1).
The apostle was confronted with a massive task, and his long first letter to the Corinthians was his
attempt to deal with the problem. It appears that the church as a whole did not respond positively to this
letter. Encouraged by a certain false apostle who opposed Paul, the members resisted the apostle’s
authority. Paul found it necessary to pay a “painful visit” to Corinth (not recorded in Acts, but alluded
to in 2 Cor 2:1; 13:1). This too was unsuccessful, so Paul sent Titus as his representative. It is probable
that Titus carried with him a written ultimatum (the “sorrowful letter” mentioned in 2 Cor 2:4 and 2 Cor
7:8, though some scholars believe these verses refer to 1 Cor). In any case, Paul instructed Titus to
attempt to resolve the problem and to meet him in Troas (2 Cor 2:12-13).
The Galatian Problem – During this difficult time in Ephesus, Paul was also facing one of the most
serious challenges to his ministry. Reports from the churches in Galatia (Iconium, Lystra, Derbe)
indicated that Judaizers had visited these Christians and largely persuaded them that Paul, who had
received his teaching and authority from the Jerusalem apostles (James, Peter, John), was a renegade
who could not be trusted. Quite impressed by the Judaizer’s arguments, the Galatians listened to their
claim that Gentiles ought to be circumcised and observe the Jewish rites.
Paul, deeply disturbed by these reports, feared that the Galatian churches were at the point of
committing apostasy: adopting Judaizers’ position meant abandoning the freedom of the gospel,
salvation by grace (Gal 1:6-9; 2:15-21; 3:1-5; 4:8-11; 5:2-4). Accordingly, his Letter to the Galatians is
full of polemics, with some very harsh statements against the false teachers (esp. Gal 5:7-12). In it he
denies absolutely that he received his gospel from the other apostles, for it came to him as a revelation
from God himself (Gal 1:11-17); he also argues very carefully that the true heirs of Abraham are not
those who are his physical descendants but those who, whether Jews or Gentiles, believe in God’s
promise as Abraham himself believed (Gal 3:7-29). Unfortunately, there is no evidence of how these
churches responded to Paul’s letter, though the apostle’s expression of confidence (e.g., Gal 5:10)
indicates that they would have recognized the truth of his message. (It should be pointed out that many

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conservative scholars do not think it possible that the Letter to the Galatians could have been written as
late as the third missionary journey. In their opinion, the letter was written many years earlier, prior to
the Apostolic Council of Jerusalem, usually dated in the year 49. If this early date is correct, there is
reason to believe that the Galatians did repent of their error, for Paul continued to visit those churches
in his subsequent journeys.)
Travel to Corinth – When Paul finally left Ephesus he went to Troas and was distressed not to find
Titus there (2 Cor 2:12-13). Concerned that perhaps Titus had met more trouble in Corinth, Paul
continued on to Macedonia, probably to the city of Philippi (cf. Acts 20:1). There he did meet Titus, who
reported with great joy that the Corinthians had finally come around (2 Cor 7:5-7,13-16). To be sure, not
everything was in order. There seemed to be some hesitation, for example, with regard to supporting the
collection Paul was raising. More seriously, a few individuals in the church continued to resist Paul’s
authority, and their opposition had to be dealt with.
In preparation for his upcoming visit to Corinth, therefore, Paul wrote 2 Corinthians from
Macedonia. In this letter he expresses considerable joy at the response of the church, explains the nature
of his ministry (2 Cor 3:1-18; 4:1-18; 5:1-21), encourages the congregation to give generously for the
poor in Jerusalem (2 Cor 8-9), and argues vigorously against the “super-apostles” who oppose him (2
Cor 10-13). All indications are that the response to 2 Corinthians was positive. Later Paul mentioned,
for example, that the believers in Achaia (the province where Corinth was located) “were pleased to
make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem” (Rom. 15:26). Another indirect piece
of evidence is that during his three-month stay in Corinth (cf. Acts 20:2-3) Paul wrote the great Letter
to the Romans. The character of this letter – it is the lengthiest and the most carefully reasoned-out of
his writings – suggests strongly that Paul enjoyed a period of relative calm in which he was able to
formulate in coherent fashion his most important theological concerns.
The Letter to the Romans The fact that Romans is so clearly theological in character has led most
interpreters to ignore the historical occasion of the letter. It is important to remember, however, that
during the third journey Paul had been dealing in a painful and personal way with the very issues that
Romans carefully expounds. Moreover, the letter itself indicates that the apostle was anticipating
controversy in the near future, upon his arrival at Jerusalem. In 15:30-32 Paul urges the believers in
Rome to “struggle” in prayer with regard to this visit to Jerusalem. Paul was concerned not only about
the unbelieving Jews, but also about Jewish believers who might question or even oppose his work
among the Gentiles and who therefore might be reluctant to accept the offering he was bringing to them.
The apostle realized that when he met the Jerusalem church he would be faced with the same
objections that had been thrown at him by the Judaizers during his third journey. The calm that he was
enjoying in Corinth provided him with the opportunity to gather his thoughts and to formulate in a clear
and organized way his answer to those objections. Under divine inspiration, therefore he wrote a letter
that may be viewed as a systematic response to the criticisms raised by Jews against what he called his
gospel, that is, his distinctive presentation to the Gentiles.
After emphasizing the sin of both Jews and Gentiles (Rom. 1:18-32; 2:1-29; 3:1-20), Paul states
briefly the essence of his preaching in Romans 3:21-24 – free justification, apart from the Law, to those
who believe in Jesus Christ. But a Jew might object that this renders God unjust: how can a just God
simply acquit the guilty? Paul’s answer is that God has not overlooked sin but condemned it by offering
Christ as the atoning sacrifice (Rom. 3:25-26). Again, it may be objected that God revealed his salvation
to Abraham and that obedience to the sign of circumcision was part of the divine covenant. But Paul
responds that Abraham was accounted righteous when he believed, and this happened while Abraham
was still uncircumcized (Rom. 4:9-12). Similarly, the charge that Paul’s preaching encouraged sinful
behavior (“if obedience to the law is not necessary for salvation, Gentiles will conclude that they might
as well continue sinning”) is one that the apostle answers with a three-chapter-long discussion of
sanctification: those who have been justified freely have also been sanctified, they have broken their
bond to sin and walk according to the Spirit (Rom. 6:1-4, 15-18; 7:4-5; 8:1-8).

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 Most important is Paul’s handling of the unbelief of Israel in Rom. 9-11. Though many view this
section of the letter as parenthetical or otherwise unrelated to the previous chapters, it is more likely the
very heart of the letter, for no Jewish objection to the gospel was so powerful as their claim that, if Paul’s
preaching were true, then surely God’s own people would recognize it as such. The fact that the Jewish
nation as a whole rejected the gospel, they claimed, could only mean one of two things: either the gospel
is not true or else God’s promise has failed and his people have been rejected. Yet the apostle gives us
a third option. God’s word has not failed – it is simply that being a descendant of Abraham does not
make one automatically part of God’s people (Rom. 9:6). Earlier in the letter he had affirmed that a true
Jew is one who is circumcised, not in the flesh, but in the heart (Rom. 2:28-29); and that the true child
of Abraham is one who, whether circumcised or not, follows in the steps of Abraham’s faith (Rom.
4:11-12; note the earlier discussion of Gal). Rom. 9 picks up this emphasis, relating it to God’s purpose
of election (Rom. 4:11), the OT concept of the remnant (Rom. 9:27), the sin of the Israelites (Rom.
10:16), and God’s future plans (Rom. 11:25-36).
If Paul, by writing this letter, was rehearsing his upcoming “defense” in Jerusalem, why would he
send the letter to Rome? Paul had for some time wanted to visit Rome, the capital of the Roman Empire
(cf. Acts 19:21). He intended to fulfill those wishes as soon as he had delivered the offering to the saints
in Judea (Rom. 15:23-25, 28, 32). It is likely, however, that the church in Rome had some awareness of
the criticisms that had been raised against Paul. In fact, this church too was experiencing some
Jewish-Gentile tensions of its own (cf. Rom. 11:13-21) and the debate over eating meat in Rom. 14).
Therefore, the best way for Paul to introduce himself to the Roman Christians was by giving them a clear
exposition of “his” gospel (cf. Rom. 2:16) in the context of the controversies that surrounded him.
Travel to Jerusalem Picking up the Acts narrative at 20:3, Paul left Corinth and retraced his steps
through Macedonia. He and those accompanying him stopped in Troas for a week (Acts 20:6-11), the
sailed on to the island of Miletus, where the elders from nearby Ephesus came to hear a farewell from
the apostle (Acts 20:13-38). To them he mentioned that the Holy Spirit had warned him of hardships he
would have to face in Jerusalem (Acts 20:23). Indeed, as the party landed in Palestine, some of the
brethren in Tyre pleaded with Paul not to go to Jerusalem; the scene repeated itself in Caesarea after the
prophet Agabus prophesied that Paul would be imprisoned (Acts 21:4, 10-12). Paul was persuaded,
however, that he must fulfill his mission, and he was more than ready to suffer in the name of Christ
(Acts 21:13).
Upon his arrival in Jerusalem, he was met by James and the elders, who informed Paul that
thousands of Jewish believers had questions about his methods and wondered whether in fact Paul was
leading Jews to abandon Judaism. They suggested that Paul give evidence of his own obedience to the
Law by joining four men who had made a vow and by paying for the expenses involved (Acts 21:17-24).
Paul was quite willing to do this. Unfortunately, some Jews from the area around Ephesus recognized
Paul and incited the crowds in the temple to riot (Acts 21:27-30). When the Roman troops arrived on
the scene, Paul was given the opportunity to speak to the crowds. He gave a ringing affirmation of his
Christian faith, but as soon as he mentioned that God had commissioned him to go to the Gentiles (Acts
22:21) the crowds became unruly again.
Paul Appeals to Caesar – Luke documents quite carefully the trip to Rome, including the shipwreck and
the stay on the island of Malta (Acts 27:1-28:10). Upon his arrival in Rome, Paul asked to see the Jewish
leaders, to whom he gave an account of his situation. They were at first receptive and Paul presented the
gospel to them. While some believed, most apparently objected, for the apostle reminded them of
Isaiah’s mission to blind the eyes of the people and then concluded, “Therefore I want you to know that
God’s salvation has been sent to the Gentiles and they will listen!” (Acts 28:17-28). The Book of Acts
somewhat abruptly comes to an end with the information that Paul stayed under house arrest for two
years and that he continued to preach boldly and without hindrance (Acts 28:30-31).
Traditionally, this two year period is regarded as the setting for the so-called prison letters –
Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon. Many modern scholars question this opinion and

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prefer to view either Caesarea or Ephesus as the place from which these letters (some or all of them)
were written. It is doubtful if a definitive solution to this problem will ever be reached, but there is no
compelling reason to abandon the traditional view.
Apart from Philemon, which was written to deal with the very specific problem of the runaway slave
Onesimus, the prison letters are characterized by an emphasis on the present enjoyment of heavenly
blessings (“realized eschatology”; see especially Eph. 1:3, 13-14; 2:4-7; Phil. 1:6; 3:20; Col. 3:1-4). In
addition, Ephesians and Colossians are similar in their treatment of the unity of the church as the body
of Christ (Eph. 1:22-23; Eph. 4:15-16; Col. 1:18; Col. 1:24; Col. 2:19). Philippians, perhaps best known
for its “Christ-hymn” (Phil. 2:6-11), is an important source for Paul’s teaching on joy, suffering, and
sanctification (Phil. 1:9-11; Phil. 1:21; Phil. 1:27-30; Phil. 2:12-13; Phil. 3:12-14; Phil. 4:4-9).
Last years The evidence gathered from outside of Acts is not at all clear as to whether or not Paul
was released from his imprisonment. If the Letter to the Philippians was written during this period, it can
be inferred that Paul had some concern that he might be executed (cf. Phil. 1:19-24; Phil. 2:17). On the
other hand, he sounds rather confident that he will be released and will be able to see the Philippians
again (Phil. 1:25-26; cf. also Philem 22).
Conservative scholars have argued that Paul was indeed released after two years, since the charges
against him were groundless; that he possibly traveled to Spain as he had hoped (Rom. 15:24; Rom.
15:28); that he returned to the east, visiting Crete (Titus 1:5), Ephesus and Macedonia (1 Tim. 1:3),
Miletus and Corinth (2 Tim. 4:20), Troas (2 Tim. 4:13), and Nicopolis (on the western coast of the Greek
mainland, Titus 3:12); that he wrote 1 Timothy and Titus during this period of freedom; that finally he
was imprisoned again after AD 64 (the year of the great fire in Rome, which led to the Neronian
persecution of Christians); that he wrote 2 Timothy during this second imprisonment in Rome; and that
he was decapitated under Nero between the years 65 and 67. Most likely, Paul was not yet 60 years old
when he became a martyr for the faith.
This reconstruction of events is somewhat speculative, but it seems to account for the data more
clearly than other suggestions. However, even if Paul was indeed released after the imprisonment
described in Acts 28, it must be emphasized that almost nothing is known about his activities after such
a release. In other words, the real significance of Paul’s ministry must be deduced from the material
actually found in the Book of Acts and in the major Pauline letters. God in his wisdom had determined
that Paul would be “my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and
before the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name” (Acts 9:15-16). The
evidence is clear; Paul was obedient to the heavenly vision (Acts 26:19), and his ministry made possible
the spread of the gospel to the ends of the earth. (Acts 21-28)

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“Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of
God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” (1 Thes. 5:17-18)

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