10/13/2026
The Apostle Paul was called to spread the Gospel to all nations. Communities of the time needed to be fully formed, stabilized, and integrated into their new Christian faith as followers of Jesus. The missionary journeys of the Apostle Paul facilitated this calling.
There were four missionary journeys. Mostly walking and riding in a boat. He walked hundreds of miles (possibly over a thousand!) on each journey. Could you, or would you, walk that far to share your faith?
1st: ~45-47 AD Asia & Middle East:
• Paul travels with Barnabus
• Baptizing Jews and non-Jews
• Performing miracles
• Paul converts his first high ranking individual: Sergius Paulus
• Jewish and pagan leaders cause hostility and people threaten to stone and abuse Paul and Barnabus, forcing them to leave Iconium
• They stoned Paul and physically threw him from the city of Lystra (but he still walked 75 miles to Derbe)
• Paul met Timothy in the welcoming town of Derbe; it became a Christian community
2nd: ~51-53 AD Asia-Middle East-Greece:
• Paul travels with Silas; Timothy travels with them after they revisit Derbe
• Paul experiences visions, he describes them as encounters with the spirit of God and with Jesus; steering him away from the Bithynia region
• Joined by Luke in Troas; visions lead Paul to Macedonia
• Philippi:
o Paul baptizes Lydia and her household, first European woman, non-Jewish
o Paul casts a demon out of a female slave causing both Paul and Silas to be beaten and put in prison
• Jewish leaders and pagans incite unrest, causing the Christian community in Thessalonica to smuggle Paul and Silas out of the city
• Opposition from Thessalonica follows them to Berea, forcing them to move on to Athens
• Paul spoke at Areopagus, now called Mars Hill (in English):
o Uses certain quotes from pagan poetry to reach the Greek aristocracy
o Converts Dionysus (part of Areopagus council) and Damaris (prominent woman in Athens)
• Moves on to Corinth:
o Stays for two years with Aquila and Priscilla
o Has a vision to remain and God would protect him
• Returns to Antioch, taking Aquila and Priscilla along
• Visits Ephesus briefly on the way; Aquila and Pricilla stay in Ephesus
• Paul returns to Jerusalem
3rd: ~54-58 AD Asia-Middle East-Greece:
• Visiting previously established Christian communities on the way to Ephesus
• Stays in Ephesus for two years
• Miracles: healing of the sick and casting out demons
• Probable imprisonment in Ephesus at a house specifically for the custody of Roman citizens. A long stay or short stays, it is not really known
• Some merchants were losing revenue due to Paul’s steering people away from idolatry. They incited a riot and Paul moved on to Troas right after
• In Troas Paul brought Eutyches back to life after he fell to his death from a synagogue window during a late night preaching session
• Paul returns to Jerusalem
4th: ~63-67 AD Italy-Spain-Asia-Greece-Italy:
• This journey is speculative but evidence has been found to give it credence
• After being released from house arrest in Rome, Paul travels to Spain
• Could have spent up to four years there or traveled to Ephesus and other locations and then went back
• Returns to Rome during Nero’s persecution of the Christians
• Paul is imprisoned again, under Nero’s orders
• Paul is martyred by beheading
