About this table:
Dates are approximate (AD) and follow the most widely held chronology. Connections are Scripture references with plain-language summaries, not quotations.
| Letter | Written | From | Place in Acts | Key Connections |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Before the Jerusalem Council | ||||
| James | c. 45–49 | Jerusalem | During Acts 11–14; possibly before Acts 15 | James leads the Jerusalem church (Acts 12:17; 15:13; 21:18) Written to the Dispersion (James 1:1) ; believers scattered after Stephen (Acts 8:1; 11:19) |
| Galatians | c. 48–49 | Antioch in Syria | After the first journey, just before the Council (Acts 14:26–15:2) | Churches founded at Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, Derbe (Acts 13:14–14:23) Welcomed “as an angel of God” (Gal. 4:14) ; taken for gods at Lystra (Acts 14:11–13) Circumcision dispute (Gal. 2:11–14; 5:2–4; Acts 15:1–2) Early years in Damascus and Jerusalem (Gal. 1:15–24; Acts 9:19–30) |
| Second Missionary Journey · Acts 15:36–18:22 | ||||
| 1 Thessalonians | c. 50–51 | Corinth | When Silas and Timothy rejoin Paul (Acts 18:5) | Mistreated at Philippi (1 Thess. 2:2; Acts 16:19–24) Driven from Thessalonica (1 Thess. 2:14–17; Acts 17:5–10) Timothy sent from Athens (1 Thess. 3:1–2; Acts 17:14–16) Timothy returns with good news (1 Thess. 3:6; Acts 18:5) |
| 2 Thessalonians | c. 51 | Corinth | During the 18 months in Corinth (Acts 18:11) | Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy still together (2 Thess. 1:1; Acts 18:5) Paul worked with his own hands (2 Thess. 3:7–9; Acts 18:3) |
| Third Missionary Journey · Acts 18:23–21:16 | ||||
| 1 Corinthians | c. 54–55 | Ephesus | Near the end of the Ephesus stay (Acts 19:21–22) | Crispus baptized (1 Cor. 1:14; Acts 18:8) Apollos watered (1 Cor. 3:6; Acts 18:24–19:1) Staying in Ephesus until Pentecost (1 Cor. 16:8–9; Acts 19:8–10) Timothy sent ahead (1 Cor. 4:17; 16:10; Acts 19:22) |
| 2 Corinthians | c. 55–56 | Macedonia | Travelling through Macedonia (Acts 20:1–2) | Escape from Damascus in a basket (2 Cor. 11:32–33; Acts 9:23–25) Affliction in Asia (2 Cor. 1:8–10; Acts 19:23–41) Troas, then Macedonia; Titus arrives (2 Cor. 2:12–13; 7:5–7) Collection for Jerusalem (2 Cor. 8–9) |
| Romans | c. 56–57 | Corinth | Three months in Greece (Acts 20:2–3) | Phoebe of Cenchrea (Rom. 16:1–2; Acts 18:18) Priscilla and Aquila (Rom. 16:3–5; Acts 18:2) Taking the gift to Jerusalem (Rom. 15:25–26; Acts 24:17) Danger in Judea (Rom. 15:30–31; Acts 21:10–11, 27–36) |
| First Roman Imprisonment · Acts 28:16–31 | ||||
| Ephesians | c. 60–62 | Rome | Two years under guard (Acts 28:16, 30) | Three years of ministry in Ephesus (Acts 19:8–10; 20:31) Carried by Tychicus (Eph. 6:21–22; Acts 20:4) An ambassador in chains (Eph. 6:20; Acts 28:20) |
| Colossians | c. 60–62 | Rome | Two years under guard (Acts 28:16, 30) | Aristarchus, fellow prisoner (Col. 4:10; Acts 19:29; 27:2) Mark restored to service (Col. 4:10; Acts 15:37–39) Luke the physician (Col. 4:14) |
| Philemon | c. 60–62 | Rome | Two years under guard (Acts 28:16, 30) | Onesimus returns with Tychicus (Phm. 10–12; Col. 4:7–9) Same companions as Colossians (Phm. 23–24) |
| Philippians | c. 61–62 | Rome | Near the end of Acts (Acts 28:30–31) | Church founded at Philippi (Phil. 1:3–5; Acts 16:12–40) Gifts sent to Thessalonica (Phil. 4:15–16; Acts 17:1) Palace guard and Caesar's household (Phil. 1:13; 4:22) |
| After the Close of Acts | ||||
| 1 Timothy | c. 62–64 | Macedonia | After Paul's release | Timothy left in Ephesus (1 Tim. 1:3) Timothy joined Paul at Lystra (Acts 16:1–3) |
| Titus | c. 62–64 | Uncertain (on the way to Nicopolis) | After Paul's release | Titus left in Crete (Titus 1:5) ; Paul only passed Crete as a prisoner in Acts (Acts 27:7–13) Titus at Jerusalem with Paul (Gal. 2:1–3) |
| 2 Timothy | c. 64–67 | Rome (second imprisonment) | After Acts; Paul's last letter | Persecutions at Antioch, Iconium, Lystra (2 Tim. 3:10–11; Acts 13:50; 14:5, 19) Trophimus left sick at Miletus (2 Tim. 4:20) ; in Acts he went on to Jerusalem (Acts 21:29) Only Luke is with Paul (2 Tim. 4:11) |
| 1 Peter | c. 62–64 | Rome (“Babylon”) | After Acts | Pontus, Cappadocia, and Asia (1 Pet. 1:1; Acts 2:9) Silvanus and Mark with Peter (1 Pet. 5:12–13; Acts 12:12; 15:40) |
| 2 Peter | c. 64–68 | Rome | After Acts | Peter's death near (2 Pet. 1:14) Paul's letters received as Scripture (2 Pet. 3:15–16) |
| Hebrews | c. 64–69 | Unknown (greetings from Italy) | After Acts, before AD 70 | Temple service still going on (Heb. 8:4, 13; 10:1–2) Timothy released (Heb. 13:23) |
| Jude | c. 65–80 | Unknown | After Acts | Brother of James (Jude 1; Acts 1:14) Remembering the apostles' words (Jude 17–18) |
| 1, 2, 3 John | c. 85–95 | Ephesus (by tradition) | After Acts | John with Peter in Jerusalem and Samaria (Acts 3:1; 4:13; 8:14) Among the “pillars” (Gal. 2:9) |
| Revelation | c. 95 (some date it before 70) | Patmos | After Acts | Letters to seven churches of Asia, including Ephesus (Rev. 2:1–7; Acts 19:10) John exiled on Patmos (Rev. 1:9) |