The Time and Extent of Paul’s Journeys.  The most of his work was accomplished during three great missionary journeys.  The time occupied for these great journeys with the distance traveled has been estimated as follows:  the first journey 1400 miles and three years; the second journey 3200 miles and three years; the third journey 3500 miles and four years; or a total of 8100 miles representing ten years of labor.  To this must be added his journey to Rome which required a whole winter and was about 2300 miles and many side trips of which we have no record.  It is also commonly thought that he was released at the end of two years at Rome and again entered upon mission work that probably lasted four years and carried him again into Macedonia, Asia Minor, Crete and Spain.

The First Missionary Journey. (Acts, chs. 13-14).  The company consisted of Saul and Barnabas and John Mark.  They went by way of the isle of Cyprus and at Paphos the capital of the island the governor was converted and Saul was afterward called Paul.  They reached Pamphylia and Pisidia in Asia.  John Mark left them in Pamphylia and returned home.  In the cities of Pisidia Paul was persecuted and opposed.  At Antioch he made a complete break with the Jews and at Lystra they stoned him until they thought he was dead.  From Derbe the missionaries retraced their steps except that they did not go through Cyprus on the return to Antioch.  Their stay at Antioch was marked by an important church council at Jerusalem, Acts 15:1-35.  At this council it was decided that Gentile Christians were not bound by the requirement of the Jewish law.  This decision was instrumental in determining that Christianity was not simply a new branch of Judaism but was a new religion.

Second Missionary Journey. (Acts. 15:36-18:22).  Paul proposed that he and Barnabas visit the brethren in every city “where he had already preached,” but he declined to yield to the wish of Barnabas to take Mark with them and in consequence separated from Barnabas.  He took Silas and went overland through Syria and Cilicia to the scene of his former labors.  At Lystra he was joined by Timothy.  He was restrained by the Holy Spirit from further work in Asia and called into Europe by the “Macedonian call” while at Troas.  While in Europe he labored at several places, the most conspicuous service being rendered at Philippi, Thessalonica and Corinth.  Strong churches grew up at each of these places to which he later wrote letters.  He returned to Antioch by way of Ephesus where he spent a little time, and Caesarea, from whence he probably visited Jerusalem.

While on this Journey during his long stay at Corinth Paul wrote First and Second Thessalonians and probably the book of Galatians also.  If the time to be devoted to this course will allow, these epistles should be read at this point.  The author’s “The Bible Book by Book” will furnish an outline guide for such reading.