Return to Dad’s Notes: Paul’s Missionary Journeys
By Mark Stapleton (my father)
The following map and tables are intended for use by Christians in Bible classes, youth groups or in personal studies as ‘Bible Helps’. The Map of the eastern Mediterranean Sea has been taken from Nelson’s ‘Complete Book of Bible Maps and Charts’ and additional name places (shown in blue) have been superimposed.
The three tables show the Scripture references and key happenings at each significant location which Paul visited on his three journeys. This is followed by another table showing key points of Paul’s final journey to Rome.
Any dates shown are only approximate, as there is not always agreement between historians.
Details regarding the Apostle Paul’s journeys and experience are given to us in the Book of Acts with some additional information gleaned from his letters (epistles) sent to various Churches and individuals. The first mention of Saul (Paul’s Jewish name) is found in Acts chapter 7 verse 58, where he is mentioned as being the one who looked after the clothes of the witnesses to Stephen’s stoning to death, after his preaching was rejected by the religious leaders (see Acts chapters 7 & 8). Saul was consenting to Stephen’s death and was involved in the persecution against the church at Jerusalem. Many Christians were dragged from their homes and committed to prison (Acts 8: 1-3)
Saul’s encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ on the road from Jerusalem to Damascus is given in Acts chapter 9. He was on his way to Damascus with letters from the religious leaders in Jerusalem, to bring any Christians that he found there, to Jerusalem (Acts9: 1-2). His conversion on the Damascus road completely changed his life. At this time the Lord Jesus Christ spoke from heaven, making it clear that to persecute Christians was to persecute Him. He gave Saul instructions to go into the city where he would be told what he must do. The Lord Jesus Christ told Annanias to accept Saul as a brother in Christ; Saul was to be ‘a chosen vessel of Mine, to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel’ (Acts 9: 15). Later in his life, Saul was to give his testimony on two occasions – Acts chapter 22, before a violent mob in Jerusalem, and in Acts chapter 26, before King Agrippa. The number of Christians increased rapidly – being first called ’Christians’ in Antioch in Syria (Acts 11: 26).
After his conversion, Saul went to Arabia and then returned to Damacus. After three years he returned to Jerusalem. He then preached in the regions of Syria and Cilicia (Galatians 1: 11-24). After a further fourteen years, Saul went to Jerusalem and, with Barnabas, Timothy and Titus, told them at Jerusalem what he had preached to the Gentiles (Galatians 2: 1-2),
Saul’s Latin name Paul is first used in Acts 13: 9, at the start of his first missionary journey.
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