This chronology was constructed after writing commentaries on all the New Testament epistles, the Book of Acts, as well as some work on the gospels. This information was diligently compared with numerous other chronologies of New Testament times.
BC
63 Pompey captures Jerusalem an begins to exercise authority over the land of Israel
37 Herod I (Herod the Great) reigns as King of Judea (37-4)
27 Reign of Caesar Augustus (27 BC – AD 14)
20 Herod begins rebuilding the Temple (20-19)
4? Birth of Christ
4 The flight to Egypt
4 Death of Herod the Great
4 Herod Antipas, tetrarch of Galilee and Perea (4 BC- AD 39)
4 Herod Philip tetrarch of Iturea and Trachonitis (4 BC –AD 34)
4 Herod Archelaus, made ethnarch of Judea, Samaria & Idumea (4 BC- AD 6)
4 Joseph, Mary and the baby Jesus return from Egypt
4 Jesus lives in Nazareth (4 BC – AD 27)
AD
6 Herod Archelaus deposed by Agustus
6 Annas appointed High Priest (6-15)
6 Samaria and Judea become Roman provinces, ruled by a series of governors (6-41)
14 Reign of Tiberias (14-37)
15 Prefect Valeris Gratus (15-26)
15 Annas deposed as High Priest but still exercises great influence until trial of Jesus
18 Joseph ben Caiaphas, son-in-law of Annas, is High Priest (18-36)
26 Prefect Pontius Pilate (26-36)
26 John the Baptist ministers (26-29)
27 Jesus’ ministry (27-30)
30 Jesus crucified, resurrected and ascended
30 Pentecost – the giving of the Holy Spirit
31 Stephen martyred
32 Saul (Paul) persecutes Christians
33 Saul is converted
34 Approximate time of Philip’s work in Samaria
35 Paul’s time in Damascus and in Arabia (35-36)
36 Paul’s first visit to Jerusalem as a believer
37 Theophilus ben Ananus high priest (37-41)
37 Reign of Caligula (37-41)
38 Prefect Marullus (38-41)
39 Herod Antipas sent into exile
40 Approximate date for the Conversion of Cornelius
41 Reign of Claudius (41-54)
41 Kingdom of Agrippa I in Israel (41-44)
41 Simon ben Boethus high priest (41-43)
44 Possible time for the great work in Antioch by Paul and Barnabas
44 James, brother of John executed by Agrippa I
44 King Herod Agrippa I dies suddenly in Caesarea (Acts 12:23)
44 Procurator Cuspius Fadus (44-46)
45 Possible dates for the Epistle of James the brother of Jesus (45-49)
45 Famine in Judea (45-47)
46 Paul’s second visit to Jerusalem with Barnabas
46 First Missionary Journey of Paul (46-48)
47 Ananias ben Nebedus appointed High Priest in Jerusalem (47-52)
48 Procurator Cumanus (48-52)
49 Jews are expelled from Rome by Claudius
49 Council of Jerusalem
49 Possible date for Galatians
49 Second Missionary Journey (49-52)
50 Possible dates for 1 & 2 Thessalonians
50 Paul’s 18 months at Corinth (50-52)
50 Oral traditions about Jesus’ life continue to be collected and written (50-60)
51 Gallio proconsul of Achaia (51-52)
51 Gallio Inscription helps date Paul’s ministry (Acts 18:12)
52 Paul in Ephesus briefly on way to Syria
52 Procurator Antonius Felix (52-58)
53 King Herod Agrippa II begins reign in parts of the Galilee and later elsewhere (53-94)
53 Third Missionary Journey (53-57)
54 Beginning of Paul’s long stay in Ephesus
54 Death of Claudius – Jews return to Rome
54 Reign of Nero (54-68)
55 Possible date for First Corinthians
55 Paul in Macedonia (55-56)
55 Possible date for Second Corinthians
56 Paul winters in Corinth (56-57)
57 Possible date for Romans
57 Paul travels to Jerusalem and is arrested there
57 Paul in Caesarea prison (57-59)
58 Ishmael ben Fabus high priest (58-62)
59 Porcius Festus succeeds Felix as procurator of Judea (59-62)
59 Paul is retried by Festus
59 Paul’s voyage to Rome as a prisoner (59-60)
60 Paul’s house arrest in Rome (60-62)
60s Possible date for Hebrews (prior to AD 70)
60 Possible dates for Ephesians, Colossians, Philemon (60-62)
62 James the Just, brother of Jesus, martyred in Jerusalem
62 Possible date for Philippians (61-62)
63 Possible dates for the composition of Luke and Acts (63-64)
63 By now the Gospel of Mark was probably written (63-65)
63 Paul’s possible release from house arrest and his anticipated journey to Spain & elsewhere (63-67)
64 Procurator Gessius Florus (64-66)
64 Great fire in Rome
64 Possible date for 1 & 2 Peter (64-66)
64 Nero begins serious persecution of Christians
64 Possible date for Jude (64-67)
65 Possible dates for First Timothy and Titus (65-67)
66 Jewish Roman Revolt begins in Galilee
67 Possible date for Second Timothy (67-68)
67 Phannias ben Samuel last high priest (67-70)
67 Nero executes Peter and Paul (67-68)
67 Vespasian’s campaign in Galilee
68 Nero commits suicide, ending the Julio-Claudian Dynasty
68 Campaign of Vespasian moved toward Judea
68 Qumran community destroyed
68 Reign of Galba (68-69)
69 Reigns of Otho and Vitellius (The Year of Four Caesars)
69 Reign of Vespasian (he left the Jerusalem war to become Emperor) (69-79)
69 Ignatius becomes bishop of Antioch (he knew Peter and Paul)
70 Fall of Jerusalem to Titus, son of Vespasian
70 Gospel of Matthew originally in Aramaic or Hebrew is translated into Greek
73 Fall of Masada
79 Eruption of Mt. Vesuvius
79 Reign of Titus (79-81)
81 Reign of Domitian (81-96)
85 Polycarp becomes bishop of Smyrna (he knew John)
85 Possible dates for the composition of John’s Gospel as well as 1, 2, 3 John (85-90)
90 Domitian’s persecution
92 Clement becomes bishop of Rome (cf. Phil. 4:3). Clement knew Paul.
94 John exiled to Patmos
94 Possible date for the composition of Revelation
96 Reign of Nerva (96-98)
98 Reign of Trajan (98-117)
98 John, Jesus’ last disciple, dies a natural death at Ephesus (98-100)