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Paul's Second Missionary Journey

The route of Paul's second missionary journey, c. AD 49/50–52: from Antioch through Asia Minor to Philippi, Athens and Corinth and home again, stop by stop through Acts 15:36–18:22.

This journey is now part of Paul's Roads, with the first and third journeys, the voyage to Rome and a timeline of Paul's life.Open Paul's Roads →

Twenty-one stops from Antioch to Corinth and home, with the map, the dates and Acts side by side.

Athens selected.

Natural Earth · Pleiades

Land routeSea routeAlternativeRoman road (sketch)

This is a reconstruction. Acts names cities and regions but rarely roads, and never years. Lines between stops follow known Roman roads and sailing routes where we have them and are otherwise a best guess. Each stop shows how sure we can be of the place and the route, from what the text says outright to what is speculation — such as the North and South Galatian readings of Acts 16:6.

Dates are approximate. The firmest anchor is the Gallio inscription at Delphi, which puts Gallio's year as proconsul of Achaia (Acts 18:12) at about AD 51–52. Distances are measured along the drawn lines; walking days assume 20–30 km a day. Scripture quotations are from the King James Version (1769).

Map data: coastlines, rivers and borders from Natural Earth (public domain). Ancient place locations from the Pleiades gazetteer (CC BY 3.0). Roman roads are sketched between known stations.

See connections in the Knowledge Graph →

Paul's second missionary journey: route, cities and dates

Luke tells the story of Paul's second missionary journey in Acts 15:36–18:22. After parting from Barnabas, Paul sets out with Silas to revisit the churches of his first journey, and Timothy joins them at Lystra. Forbidden to speak the word in Asia and turned away from Bithynia, they reach Troas, where Paul sees a man of Macedonia in a night vision. They cross to Europe and plant churches at Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea and Corinth, with Paul's speech at the Areopagus in Athens on the way, before Paul sails home by way of Ephesus, Caesarea and Jerusalem.

This lab follows the journey on a map, one stop at a time, with the text of Acts beside it. Acts names cities and regions but rarely roads, and never years, so the lines between stops follow known Roman roads and sea routes where we have them and are otherwise a best guess. Every stop shows how sure we can be of the place and the route.

The journey at a glance

The journey at a glance
ScriptureActs 15:36–18:22
DatesAbout AD 49/50 to 52
DistanceSome 4,200 km by road and sea (estimate)
CompanionsSilas; Timothy from Lystra; Luke from Troas (the “we” passages)
Start and endSyrian Antioch
Churches plantedPhilippi, Thessalonica, Berea, Corinth
Longest stayCorinth: a year and six months (Acts 18:11)
Dating anchorThe Gallio inscription at Delphi: Gallio proconsul of Achaia about AD 51–52

Key verses 4

36And some days after Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us go again and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they do. 37And Barnabas determined to take with them John, whose surname was Mark. 38But Paul thought not good to take him with them, who departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work. 39And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus; 40And Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God. 41And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches.

Acts 15:36–41

9And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us. 10And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.

Acts 16:9–10

22Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars’ hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious. 23For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.

Acts 17:22–23

9Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace: 10For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city. 11And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.

Acts 18:9–11

Scripture quotations: King James Version (1769) (KJV).

How sure are we?

How we build the Labs →

What the Bible says, what our model adds to it, where good readers disagree, and where the old copies and the translations differ. We set the views side by side and do not pick a winner.

  • Textually stated5
  • Strongly supported2
  • Plausible8
  • Speculative1
  • Artistic1

A few of the model's choices

  • Plausible

    Paul passed through Tarsus on this journey.

  • Plausible

    Paul passed through Iconium on the way west.

  • Speculative

    Paul visited Pisidian Antioch on this journey.

Show all 20
What the text says5

Stated in Scripture. Quoted from the King James Version (KJV) and the 1919 Chinese Union Version (和合本).

  • Paul set out to revisit the brothers in every city where he and Barnabas had preached.

    Textually stated

    36And some days after Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us go again and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they do.

    Acts 15:36 · KJV

  • Forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia, they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia.

    Textually stated

    6Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia,

    Acts 16:6 · KJV

  • At Troas Paul saw in a vision a man of Macedonia begging him to come over and help.

    Textually stated

    9And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us.

    Acts 16:9 · KJV

  • Paul stayed in Corinth a year and six months, teaching the word of God.

    Textually stated

    11And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.

    Acts 18:11 · KJV

  • Paul landed at Caesarea Maritima.

    Textually stated

    22And when he had landed at Cæsarea, and gone up, and saluted the church, he went down to Antioch.

    Acts 18:22 · KJV
What the model adds12

Choices the reconstruction has to make where the text is silent, each with its evidence level and the reason for it.

Strongly supported2

  • Claudius expelled Jews from Rome in AD 49.

    Why: Suetonius (Claudius 25.4) records the expulsion; Orosius dates it to Claudius' ninth year, AD 49. The date is widely but not universally accepted.

  • Gallio was proconsul of Achaia about AD 51–52.

    Why: The Delphi inscription quotes Claudius in his 26th acclamation as emperor (early to mid AD 52) and names Gallio as proconsul; proconsuls served one year from early summer.

Plausible8

  • Paul passed through Tarsus on this journey.

    Why: Tarsus lies on the most direct road from Syria to the Cilician Gates, but Acts does not name it here.

  • Paul passed through Iconium on the way west.

    Why: It lay on the Via Sebaste between Lystra and Pisidian Antioch, and he meant to visit 'every city' of the first journey (Acts 15:36).

  • Derbe was at the mound of Kerti Hüyük.

    Why: Inscriptions naming Derbe were found nearby, which moved the identification from Gudelisin to Kerti Hüyük. Some prefer nearby Ekinözü (Devri Şehri).

  • Luke joined Paul at Troas.

    Why: The narrative switches to 'we' at Acts 16:10. Early tradition names Luke as the author, but he is never named in Acts.

  • The ship anchored off the city on the island's north shore.

    Why: Acts names only the island; the ancient city and harbour were on the north coast.

  • The 'riverside' place of prayer was by the Gangites (Zygaktis) stream west of the city.

    Why: Acts 16:13 says 'out of the city by a river side'. The Gangites, about 2 km west, is the traditional site; a stream nearer the gate is also possible.

  • The hearing before Gallio took place at the bema, the speaker's platform in the Corinthian forum.

    Why: Acts 18:12 says Paul was brought 'before the judgment seat'. The excavated rostra in the forum is the traditional spot.

  • Paul visited Jerusalem at the end of this journey.

    Why: Implied by 'went up' in Acts 18:22 but not stated.

Speculative1

  • Paul visited Pisidian Antioch on this journey.

    Why: Acts does not name the city on this journey. It fits the South Galatian reading and the plan to revisit every church of the first journey.

Artistic1

  • The marker places the team in the middle of Mysia.

    Why: Acts names only the region. The point is Pleiades' label position for Mysia.

Competing views1

Where careful readers disagree. Each view with who holds it and the evidence for and against it. No verdict.

Which "Galatia" did Paul pass through, and who received the letter to the Galatians?

Acts 16:6; Acts 18:23; Galatians 1:2

South Galatia: the Roman province, with Derbe, Lystra, Iconium and Pisidian Antioch

Held by William M. Ramsay (A Historical Commentary on St. Paul's Epistle to the Galatians, 1899) and many since

For

  • These cities lay in the Roman province of Galatia, and Acts records churches founded there on the first journey.
  • It allows the letter to be dated early, about AD 49, before the Jerusalem Council.

Against

  • Luke elsewhere names these cities by their regions (Lycaonia, Pisidia), not as "Galatia".

Sources: Wikipedia, "Epistle to the Galatians"; Wikipedia, "William Mitchell Ramsay"

North Galatia: the Celtic heartland around Ancyra, Pessinus and Gordium

Held by Helmut Koester and John P. Meier, among others

For

  • "Galatians" (Galatians 3:1) most naturally means the ethnic Galatians of the north.

Against

  • Acts names no city or church in North Galatia.

Sources: Wikipedia, "Epistle to the Galatians"

What the lab shows (a drawing choice, not a ruling): The map follows the road through the southern cities and marks Pisidian Antioch as Speculative for this journey, since Acts does not name it.

Textual notes2

Places where manuscripts, ancient versions or translations differ in numbers or wording. KJV and 和合本 are quoted as they stand.

"I must by all means keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem" (Acts 18:21)

Manuscripts

21But bade them farewell, saying, I must by all means keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem: but I will return again unto you, if God will. And he sailed from Ephesus.

Acts 18:21 · KJV

21就辭別他們說、　神若許我、我還要回到你們這裏．於是開船離了以弗所。

使徒行傳 18:21 · 和合本 (CUV 1919)
Other witnesses
Codex Sinaiticus, Alexandrinus, Vaticanus and several versionswithout the words about the feast
Other manuscripts (the reading of the KJV)with the words about the feast

KJV includes the sentence; the 和合本 leaves it out and reads only "I will return again unto you, if God will". The Cambridge Bible and Vincent follow the oldest manuscripts in omitting it; the Pulpit Commentary notes that Alford, Meyer and Wordsworth thought it genuine.

Sources: Commentaries on Acts 18:21 (Cambridge Bible, Bengel, Pulpit Commentary, Vincent)

"Gone up": to Jerusalem? (Acts 18:22)

Translations

22And when he had landed at Cæsarea, and gone up, and saluted the church, he went down to Antioch.

Acts 18:22 · KJV

22在該撒利亞下了船、就上耶路撒冷去問教會安、隨後下安提阿去。

使徒行傳 18:22 · 和合本 (CUV 1919)

The Greek says only that Paul landed at Caesarea, went up and greeted the church. KJV keeps that: he had "gone up, and saluted the church". The 和合本 writes the destination in: "上耶路撒冷去" (went up to Jerusalem). Meyer, the Expositor's Greek Testament, Bengel and the Cambridge Bible all read going up as the usual phrase for going to Jerusalem. The map draws the visit as Plausible.

Sources: Commentaries on Acts 18:22 (Meyer, Expositor's Greek Testament, Bengel, Cambridge Bible)

Frequently asked questions

What was the route of Paul's second missionary journey?

From Syrian Antioch through Syria and Cilicia to Derbe and Lystra, across Phrygia and Galatia to Troas, by sea to Neapolis, then Philippi, Amphipolis, Apollonia, Thessalonica, Berea, Athens and Corinth. Paul sailed home from Cenchreae by way of Ephesus, landed at Caesarea, went up to Jerusalem and returned to Antioch. The cities are named in Acts; most roads between them are reconstructed.

When did Paul's second missionary journey take place?

About AD 49/50 to 52. Acts gives no years; the firmest anchor is the Gallio inscription at Delphi, which dates Gallio's year as proconsul of Achaia (Acts 18:12) to about AD 51–52. Some date it a year earlier, which moves the whole journey back about a year.

How long was Paul's second missionary journey?

Some 4,200 km by road and sea over roughly three years. The distance is an estimate along reconstructed routes, not a figure from the text.

Who travelled with Paul on his second journey?

Silas from the start (Acts 15:40), Timothy from Lystra (Acts 16:1–3), and probably Luke from Troas, where the narrative switches to “we” (Acts 16:10). Aquila and Priscilla sailed with Paul from Corinth to Ephesus.

Why did Paul go to Macedonia on his second journey?

Acts says the Holy Spirit kept Paul and his companions from speaking the word in Asia and the Spirit of Jesus did not let them enter Bithynia (Acts 16:6–7). At Troas Paul saw a man of Macedonia in a night vision calling, “Come over into Macedonia, and help us,” and they sailed at once (Acts 16:9–10). How the Spirit stopped them, Acts does not say.

What happened at Philippi, Athens and Corinth?

At Philippi, Lydia believed and opened her house, Paul and Silas were beaten and jailed, and the jailer was baptised after an earthquake (Acts 16:11–40). At Athens Paul spoke to the Areopagus about the unknown god (Acts 17:16–34). At Corinth he worked with Aquila and Priscilla, stayed a year and six months, and was brought before Gallio (Acts 18:1–17); 1 and 2 Thessalonians were most likely written there.

Sources & limits

Limits of this lab 4

  • Acts names cities and regions but not roads; the routes follow known Roman roads and sea lanes, and some stops (Tarsus, Iconium, Pisidian Antioch) are inferred.
  • Dates are counted from the Gallio inscription (AD 51–52) and Claudius' edict (AD 49); Acts itself gives few years.
  • Region markers (Mysia, Galatia) are label positions, not boundaries.
  • This lab is carried on in Paul's Roads, which shows all of Paul's journeys and letters.

Sources 7

  1. King James Version (KJV) (Public domain outside the United Kingdom)
  2. 官話和合譯本 (Chinese Union Version, 1919), zh.wikisource (Public domain)
  3. Wikipedia, "Epistle to the Galatians"
  4. Pleiades: a gazetteer of past places (CC BY 3.0)
  5. Wikipedia, "William Mitchell Ramsay"
  6. Commentaries on Acts 18:21 (Cambridge Bible, Bengel, Pulpit Commentary, Vincent) (Public domain)
  7. Commentaries on Acts 18:22 (Meyer, Expositor's Greek Testament, Bengel, Cambridge Bible) (Public domain)

Scripture is quoted only from KJV and the 1919 和合本. Other works are cited for facts and arguments, not quoted at length.

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What’s new · v1.2.1Version 1.2.1: English Scripture is now quoted from the King James Version (1769).