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Life of Christ - Short Timeline

When What Where Bible Ref.
8-4 BC Birth of Christ Bethlehem Mt 1:18-25, Lk 2:1-7
7/8 BC Visit to Temple as a boy Jerusalem Lk 2:41-52
26 AD Baptism Jordan River Mt 3:13-17, Lk 3:21-23
Tempted by Satan for 40 days Desert Mt 4:1-11, Lk 4:1-13
27 AD Jesus cleansing of the temple. Turns over money changer's tables. Jerusalem Jn 2:14-22
Jesus turns water to wine Cana Jn 2:1-12
Jesus teaches Nicodemus Jerusalem Jn 3:1-21
Jesus talks to Samaritan woman Samaria Jn 4:5-42
Jesus calls 4 fishermen (Peter, Andrew, James, John) Sea of Galilee at Capernaum Mt 4:18-22, Lk 5:1-11
Jesus first preaching trip Galilee Mt 4:23-25, Lk 4:42-44
28 AD Jesus chooses 12 of Desciples and designates them as apostles Mk 3:13-19Lk 6:12
Sermon on the Mount Mt 5:1-7, Lk 6:20-49
John the Baptist killed by Herod Mt 14:1-12, Lk 9:7-9
29 AD Feeding of 5,000 with 5 loaves and 2 fish Near Bethsaida Mt 14:13-21, Lk 9:10-17
Jesus walks on water Mt 14:22-23, Jn 6:16-21
Jesus is transfigured Mt 17:1-13, Lk 9:28-36
Jesus raises Lazarus Bethany Jn 11:1-44
27-34 AD Spring
Sunday Triumphal Entry Jerusalem Mt 21:1-11, Lk 19:29-44
Thursday Last Supper Jerusalem Mt 26:17-29, Lk 22:7-20
Friday Crucifixion Jerusalem Mt 27:27-56, Lk 23:26-49
Sunday Empty Tomb
Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene
Jerusalem Mt 28:1-10; Lk 24:1-12, 13-32; Jn 20:1-10, 15
Sunday Jesus appears to two travelers on the road to Emmaus road to Emmaus Lk 24:13-32;
Sunday Jesus appears to Peter then to 10 Desciples Jerusalem Lk 24:34; Mk 16:14, Lk 24:36-43, Jn 20:19-25
One Week Later Jesus appears to 11 Desciples in upper room. Jerusalem Jn 20:26-31
? Jesus talks with 7 Desciples Sea of Galilee Jn 21:1-25
? Jesus appears to 11 Desciples on the mountain in Galilee. Galilee Mk 16:15-18
Some time Later Jesus appears to more than 500 ? Cor: 15:6
40 days Later Jesus ascends to his Father in heaven Mt. of Olives Jn 20:26-31
50 days Later The Sunday of the Feast of Pentecost. The Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples in the form of tongues of fire accompanied by the sound of a rush of wind, and gave them the power of speaking in such a way that people of different languages could understand them. It created the ekklesia, the called out body of Christ, the church. Jerusalem Ac 2:1-41
AD 35 Conversion of Saul (Paul) Ac 9:1-19
AD 35-38 Paul's wilderness experience 1 Arabia Gal 1:11-19
AD 38-43 Paul ministry Syria; Tarsus, Cilicia Act 9:30, Gal 1:21
AD 44 James martyred
AD 46-48 Paul's 1st missionary Journey Cyprus; Antioch in Galatia AC 13:2-14:28
AD 49-52 Paul's 2nd missionary Journey
Book of Thessalonians written
Galatia; Philippi & Thessalonica in Macedonia, Athens, Corinth, Ephesus AC 13:2-14:28
AD 53-54 1st and 2nd Corinthians written.
Some say Mark and Matthew were written in this timeframe.
AD 53-57 Paul's 3rd missionary Journey Galatia; Philippi & Thessalonica in Macedonia, Athens, Corinth, Ephesus AC 13:2-14:28
AD 57 Book of Romans written
AD 59-60 Paul's journey to Rome and imprisonment. Rome Ac 27:1-
AD 62 Simeon leads the Christian Jews out of Jerusalem into the Decapolis as the rebellion against Rome formally starts;
Peter and Paul martyred by Nero; according to Catholic tradition Linus succeeds Peter as pope of Rome.
AD 64 Rome burns. Nero blames the Christians and severe persecution begins
AD 65-75 The Gospel or Mark written. *
AD 70 Jerusalem destroyed by Titus, Roman emperor
AD 70 Book of Hebrew written
AD 73 Romans take Masada. The Christian Jews return to Jerusalem.
AD 80 Gospel of Matthew written *
AD 83-90 Gospel of Luke written *
AD 95 Revelation Written
AD 95-100 Gospel of John written *
AD 100 John, last of the Apostles, dies in Ephesus.
* There are several theories as to the time and sequence of the Gosples. One theory has the Synoptic Gospels written in the 50's and early 60s, another has them as: Mark-70, Matthew-75, Luke-80, John-100.
See: When were the gospels written and by whom? | Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry
The Daily Bible: In chronological order
Bible Gateway - Chronological Bible Reading Plan
Note: Some of these lists assume that things in some of the Gospels are in chronological order which in not necessarily the case.
See Infographic - Timeline of the New Testament Books | Jericho Brisance

1. You will see bible commentaries about Paul's time in Arabia, which say "After Paul's conversion, he disappeared into the desert for three years, during which time the Holy Spirit instructed him in the ways of God." But, all he says in Gal 1:17-18 is " I went into Arabia. Later I returned to Damascus. Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem."
Date Event
170 Main part of New Testament Canon recognized. Finally approved in 397.
300 The doctrine of the Trinity was established to clarify teachings of Arius in Egypt that Christ was created by God and distinct from him.
301 Armenia becomes the first Christian nation.
312 Roman Emperor Constantine (now Istanbul) converts to Christianity
325 Council of Nicea meets to codify Christian doctrines. Doctrine of the Trinity formally acknowledged. Three Patriarchates (major Christian centers) are established in Antioch (Syria), Alexandria and Rome.
337 Christianity becomes the official state religion of Rome
367 The New Testament was assembled by Athanasius of Alexandria
397 The New Testament Canon was approved by the Third Synod of Carthage, mainly through the influence of St Augustine.
451 Council of Chalcedon establishes Constantinople and Jerusalem as the 4th and 5th Patriarchate of the Church.
397 St Ninian's mission to the Picts and Britons at Whithorn in SouthWest Scotland. Ninian's was born in Galloway, and as a young man visited Rome.
563 Columcille (Columba) an Irish Celtic Monk founded the Celtic monastery on the Island of Iona off Scotland where the Book of Kells was created, and he converted the pagan Northern Picts to Christ
638 Jerusalem and Antioch are conquered by the Moslems.
641 Egypt becomes part of the Muslim state and Alexandria ceases to be a center of Christianity.
1054 The Eastern (Orthodox) and Roman church separate with both popes excommunicating each other.
1095 - 1272 Crusades
1303 Following the humiliation of Pope Boniface VIII in Rome, the papacy was relocated to Avignon where it was dominated by France. The "Babylonian Captivity" of the Church lasted from 1305-1378, and kept the pope safely away from turbulence of Rome. Backed by a strong monarch, the French popes gained influence over the nobility in Germany and Italy.
1377 Public opinion forced Pope Gregory XI to return to Rome. When he died a year later, his successor was an Italian named Urban VI. He quarreled with the French College of Cardinals, who tried to replace him with a Frenchman named Clement VII. Before they could do so, Urban VI replaced the French cardinals with Italians. Clement withdrew to Avignon with the French cardinals, and were recognized by France and her allies, Aragon, Castile and Scotland.
1409 The first attempt to resolve the issue took place at the Council of Pisa, when 500 prelates deposed the two popes as heretics and elect a new pope, Alexander V. Unfortunately, he died a year later, and the Council picked Cardinal Baldassare Cossa, a "man without spiritual qualities. Neither the French nor Roman popes stepped down, so there were three claimants to the role of pope by 1410.
1414 to 1417 The HR (Holy Roman) Emperor Sigismund ordered the French pope John XXIII to call the Council of Constance, which met from 1414 to 1417 and elected Martin V pope, unifying the papacy.
1527 Spanish sack Rome and capture pope.
1453 Islamic Turks conquered Constantinople (now Istanbul) and convert church to Mosque. Only Rome of the original 5 Patriarchates remains Christian.
1456 Gutenburg Bible printed.
1517 Luther nails his 95 theses to the door of the Castle Church at Wittenberg, Starting the Reformation movement.
1530 Lutheran Church founded
1533 Henry VIII excomunicated after the Archbishop of Canterbury, appointed by Henry, declared his marriage invalid and he married Anne Boleyn.
1534 Church of England founded with the King as the supreme head.
1536 First English translation of the bible by Tyndale
1560 Scotland's parliament adopted a confession of faith drawn up by Knox and established the Church of Scotland on a Presbyterian basis.
1609 The Baptist church founded in opposition to infant baptism.
1611 King James Bible
1600's Increase of state control over the church
1648 Peace of Westphalia - general settlement ending the Thirty Years War. It marked the end of the Holy Roman Empire as an effective institution and inaugurated the modern European state system. The chief participants in the negotiations were the allies Sweden and France; their opponents, Spain and the Holy Roman Empire;
1860 Victor Emmanuel II seized all the Papal Statess which covered a large area in central Italy. Only the area around the Vatican in Rome remained under church control.
1869 First Vatican Council, the principal work of which was the enunciation of papal infallibility.
1962- 1965 Second Vatican Council - the most visible results were changes in how Church sacraments were practiced, the use of vernacular languages for the Mass, and a new attitude towards their relationship with non-Catholics.
1968 Pope Paul VI issued his landmark encyclical letter Humanae Vitae (Latin, "Human Life"), which reemphasized the Church's constant teaching that it is always intrinsically wrong to use contraception to prevent new human beings from coming into existence.

See: A Bible Timeline here.
Medieval writing in Theology
A Timeline of Christianity, World Christianity Timeline at Religions of the World at Chattanooga State.
Bible Timeline for dates starting at creation.
Early Christianity in the U.S.

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last updated 19 Apr 2005