Timeline Between Paul's Letter to Romans and Imprisonment
The Timeline Between Paul's Letter to Romans and Imprisonment
Paul wrote his letter to the Romans during the winter and spring following his long residence at Ephesus, around A.D. 58, while he was in Corinth [4]. At this time, Paul had long purposed visiting Rome and still retained this purpose, wishing also to extend his journey to Spain (Romans 1:9-13; 15:22-29) [4].
After writing the letter to the Romans, Paul traveled to Jerusalem, where he was arrested and eventually imprisoned in Caesarea for two years (Acts 24:27). He was then transferred to Rome, where he was imprisoned for another two years (Acts 28:30-31) [9].
The imprisonment in Rome is believed to have started around A.D. 60 or 61, and lasted until A.D. 62 or 63 [7]. During this time, Paul wrote several letters, including Philippians, Ephesians, and Philemon [3, 2, 5].
The letter to the Philippians is thought to have been written by Paul during his imprisonment in Rome, probably early in A.D. 62 or in the end of 61 [6, 3]. The Philippians had sent Epaphroditus, their messenger, with contributions to meet the necessities of the apostle; and on his return, Paul sent back with him this letter [6].
Paul's imprisonment in Rome ended around A.D. 62 or 63, after which he is believed to have been released and traveled to various places, including Spain, before being imprisoned again and eventually martyred [1].
The exact timeline of Paul's activities after his release from prison is not certain, but it is believed that he wrote several letters during this period, including the Pastoral Epistles (1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, and Titus). The letter to Titus is thought to have been written around A.D. 67, during the interval between Paul's two Roman imprisonments [1].
John Calvin's interpretation of the events surrounding Paul's imprisonment and release suggests that Paul's arrival in Rome as a prisoner occurred around A.D. 60, and that his epistle to the Romans was written four years before, around A.D. 56 [7]. Calvin also notes that there is no mention of Peter in Paul's letter to the Romans, which suggests that Peter was not in Rome at that time [7, 8].
The different traditions represented in the sources provide varying interpretations of the events surrounding Paul's imprisonment and release. However, they all agree that Paul was imprisoned in Rome for a significant period and that he continued to preach and write letters during this time [9, 10, 11].
The circumstances of Paul's imprisonment in Rome, as described by various commentators, highlight the providential nature of his confinement. Despite being under house arrest, Paul was able to preach the Gospel with great success, and his bonds became the means of spreading the truth [11]. As Matthew Henry notes, Paul's imprisonment was a trial for him, but it also provided an opportunity for him to continue his ministry [10].
Sources
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Titus, Epistle To — There are no specialties in this epistle which require any very elaborate treatment distinct from the other Pastoral Letters of St. Paul. It was written about the same time and under similar circumstances with the other two i.e., from Ephesus, in the autumn of 67 in the interval between Paul's two Roman imprisonments.”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Philemon, The Epistle Of Paul To — is one of the letters which the apostle wrote during his first captivity at Rome A.D. 63 or early in A.D. 64. Nothing is wanted to confirm the genuineness of the epistle: the external testimony is unimpeachable; nor does the epistle itself offer anything to conflict with this decision. The occasion of the letter was that Onesimus, a slave of Philemon, had run away from him to Rome, either desiring liberty or, as some suppose, having committed theft. (Philemon 1:18) Here he was converted under the instrumentality of Paul. The latter; ”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Philippians, Epistle To The — was St. Paul from Rome in A.D. 62 or 63. St. Paul's connection with Philippi was of a peculiar character, which gave rise to the writing of this epistle. St. Paul entered its walls A.D. 52. (Acts 16:18) There, at a greater distance from Jerusalem than any apostle had yet penetrated, the long-restrained energy of St, Paul was again employed in laying the foundation of a Christian church, Philippi was endeared to St. Paul not only by the hospitality of Lydia, the deep sympathy of the converts, and the remarkable miracle which set a seal on ”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Romans, Epistle To The — + The date of this epistle is fixed at the time of the visit recorded in Acts 20:3 during the winter and spring following the apostle's long residence at Ephesus A.D. 58. On this visit he remained in Greece three months. + The place of writing was Corinth. + The occasion which prompted it, and the circumstances attending its writing, were as follows:--St. Paul had long purposed visiting Rome, and still retained this purpose, wishing also to extend his journey to Spain. Etom. 1:9-13; 15:22-29. For the time, however, he was prevented from carryi”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Ephesians, The Epistle To The — was written by the apostle St. Paul during his first captivity at Rome, (Acts 28:16) apparently immediately after he had written the Epistle to the Colossians [[489]Colossians, The Epistle To The, EPISTLE TO], and during that period (perhaps the early part of A.D. 62) when his imprisonment had not assumed the severer character which seems to have marked its close. This epistle was addressed to the Christian church at Ephesus. [[490]Ephesus] Its contents may be divided into two portions, the first mainly doctrinal, ch. 1-3, the second ho”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Philippians, Epistle to — Was written by Paul during the two years when he was "in bonds" in Rome (Phil. 1:7-13), probably early in the year A.D. 62 or in the end of 61. The Philippians had sent Epaphroditus, their messenger, with contributions to meet the necessities of the apostle; and on his return Paul sent back with him this letter. With this precious communication Epaphroditus sets out on his homeward journey. "The joy caused by his return, and the effect of this wonderful letter when first read in the church of Philippi, are hidden from us. And we may almost s”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 88: years would place Peter in Jerusalem until A.D. 51. And following this date, Peter went to Antioch. 565 112 D112 Paul’s arrival in Rome as a prisoner is put at A.D. 60. If his epistle to the Romans was written four years before, then that book should be dated A.D. 56. In this letter, there is no salutation of Peter (as would be expected if Peter had been bishop of Rome). In fact, there is not even so much as a mention of him! (although many other names, some of them obscure, appear in the closing chapter). The implication that Pete”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 88: been if he had been ruling that church. Nay, in the end of the Epistle, where he enumerates a long list of individuals whom he orders to be saluted, and in which it may be supposed he includes all who were known to him, he says nothing at all of Peter. To men of sound judgment, there is no need here of a long and subtle demonstration; the nature of the case itself, and the whole subject of the Epistle, proclaim that he ought not to have passed over Peter if he had been at Rome. 15. Paul is afterwards conveyed as a prisoner to Rome.”
- Acts (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Acts 28:31: 28:31 Despite being under house arrest (28:16), Paul boldly proclaimed the Kingdom message. • And no one tried to stop him (Greek akōlutōs, “without hindrance”): This single word in Greek is the last word of the book of Acts and one of the keys to its meaning: God’s word cannot be chained, even when its messengers are (2 Tim 2:9; see Phil 1:12-14). Acts is the story of an unhindered message of Good News, available to all people throughout the world, whether Jew, Gentile, proselyte, rich, or poor. The mission of proclaiming this message is accomplished in the power ”
- Acts (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Acts 28:30: We are here taking our leave of the history of blessed Paul; and therefore, since God saw it not fit that we should know any more of him, we should carefully take notice of every particular of the circumstances in which we must here leave him. I. It cannot but be a trouble to us that we must leave him in bonds for Christ, nay, and that we have no prospect given us of his being set at liberty. Two whole years of that good man's life are here spent in confinement, and, for aught that appears, he was never enquired after, all that time, by those whose prisoner he was.”
- Acts (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Acts 28:30: Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house - As a state prisoner, he might have had an apartment in the common prison; but peculiar favor was showed him, and he was permitted to dwell alone, with the soldier that guarded him, Act 28:16. Finding now an opportunity of preaching the Gospel, he hired a house for the purpose, and paid for it, St. Chrysostom observes, by the fruits of his own labor. Here he received all that came unto him, and preached the Gospel with glorious success; so that his bonds became the means of spreading the truth, and he became celebrat”