A Paper on the Three Missionary Journeys of Paul, Apostle to the

Gentiles

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for

SSS 5: Gospel and Acts

Submitted by:

Anfernee Nhyviel Comafay Sawad

Saul was born on around 6 to 8 A.D., possibly A.D. 10,1 at Tarsus as a Diaspora Jew.

Scholars have taken the idea that he was given this name by his parents in the hopes that one

day, he will rise up to become a great leader like King Saul, who was also from the tribe of

Benjamin. He grew up in a devout Jewish Family, committed to the Jewish way of life and as

to the law, a Pharisee His family came from a family of tradesmen, particularly, tentmakers. 2

Saul was also a Roman Citizen. He was born a Roman citizen through his grandfather or

father3.

Before he met Jesus on the road to Damascus to persecute the followers who fled there after

Stephen’s death, he was very much against the teachings of Jesus’ followers “The Way”

since it goes against the very theology and worship he practices and teaches as a Pharisee.

Saul, a faithful Pharisee committed to the Judaism (comprising of Israel’s worship and

Israel’s holiness), believed it was his duty to stop those who pervert his beliefs by whatever

means necessary.4

After Ananias laid his hands on Saul and healed him of his blindness, Saul first went to

Arabia before returning to Damascus5. He escaped the wrath of the Jews who were shocked

at Paul’s sudden ‘betrayal’ to them and heads to Jerusalem. Here, Paul proves his newfound

devotion to Jesus as Lord and he was sent to Tarsus by the apostles to keep him safe. The

sudden increase of followers of the way in Antioch prompted the Church in Jerusalem to send

Barnabas there. But Barnabas, not being familiar with the northern area which had a more

1
Michael Bird, The New Testament in its World: An Introduction to the History, Literature, and Theology of the
First Christians (Michigan: Zondervan Academic, 2019), 339.
2
Charles Quarles, Illustrated Life of Paul (Tennessee: B&H Publishing Group, 2014), 3-5.
3
Bird, 340.
4
Bird, 344.
5
Gal. 1: 17.
Hellenistic culture, decided to go first to Tarsus and look for Saul to assist him. This is where

his first Missionary Journey begins.

Paul’s First Missionary Journey (Acts 13:4 – 14:26) – (Around 46-47)

After a year of pastoring the Antioch Church, Saul and Barnabas get a divine call to go and

preach this good news of the absolution of sin to the Gentiles all around the known world.

They recruit John Mark in their quest and they set off on the first missionary journey of the

Christian Church. Comparatively, Saul’s first Missionary Journey is a simple, small circle

that goes from Antioch into Asia Minor via water. The company sets sail to Seleucia, a port

city from Antioch, and set sail to Cyprus. Here, Sergius Paulus, a Roman proctor, is

converted to Christianity. It is worth noting that afterwards, the name of Saul is no longer

mentioned and instead, is replaced with Paul. Some scholars speculated the following: Saul

may have realized that he might be able to reach more people by taking on a more Hellenistic

name like their new convert friend. And so from then on, he began using his Latin name of

Paul6 They leave Cyprus and head to Perga, in the region of Pamphylia; where they are met

by a severe opposition that John Mark, fearing for his life, retreats from the mission and

heads to Jerusalem. Paul and Barnabas continue on. They go into another city named Antioch

of Pisidia. Here, Paul gives his first major sermon to a Jewish Synagogue. But after being met

with a strong opposition again, Paul finally renounces preaching to the Jewish people and

declares that he will take the Good News that Jesus preached to the Gentiles alone. They

move from Antioch of Pisidia and head east to the region of Galatia. Their first stop was at

Iconium. Again, they are met with strong opposition, but this time, it was so strong that they

were under threat of being stoned. So they flee to Lystra. The Gentiles mistake Barnabas for

Zeus, and Paul for Hermes, incarnate after the two heal a crippled man in the name of Jesus.

With all this supposed blasphemy, the local Jewish leaders attempt to stone Paul to death.

6
Quarles, 48.
They were nearly successful. Paul was dragged out of Lystra, supposing that he was dead.

The next day Paul met up with Barnabas and fleed to Derbes, where they rested and preached

the gospel a little more. They return to Antioch-Pisidia via the northern route, visiting some

of the more amicable churches there before they finally landed in Attalia, which is back in the

region of Lycia. And from Attalia, they return to Antioch-Syria.

Paul’s Second Missionary Journey (Acts 15: 36 – 18: 22) – (Around 49-51)

After the attending the Jerusalem Council and arguing that Gentile converts are not required

to follow Jewish Custom and obey the Law of Moses to become followers of Jesus Christ,

Paul and Barnabas return to Antioch. In that same year, they decide to go on another

Missionary Journey to preach this good news to the Gentiles. Unfortunately, Paul and

Barnabas had a sharp argument on whether or not to let John Mark join them again after he

fled from them back then. Paul did not want to bring John Mark while Barnabas insisted that

he be given another chance. From here, they parted ways, with Barnabas sailing away to

Cyprus with John Mark, and Paul choosing Silas as his new partner, picking up Timothy

along the way to Derbe. The idea for the second Missionary journey is basically the same as

the first. They will revisit the churches they first planted, only this time, by land; meaning

they will travel northward, so that they can go further west to Bythinia. But for some reason,

the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them to go into Bithynia. They leave Antioch, visit their

churches in Asia Minor: Derbe, Lystra, Iconium (Galatia) and Antioch-Pisidia. They are then

driven by the Holy Spirit to Troas instead. During the night at Troas, Paul has the vision of

the Man of Macedonia. This prompted Paul to immediately head to Macedonia. They reach

Neapolis and here, Luke joins them. They walk half day’s trip and reach Philippi. This is

when Paul and his companions were imprisoned for the first time. Here, they again show

witness to the good news of Jesus, singing praises and even managed to convert the Jailer and

his family into Christians after being freed from an earthquake. They leave from Philippi and
come into Thessalonica. Here, they created such a riot that they had to flee by night to Berea.

From Berea, they set sail to Athens. They don’t spend much time there and leave straight

away to Corinth. Here they spend an entire year and a half7. Afterwards, they leave Corinth

by sea, stopping over to Ephesus, before finally heading back to Jerusalem.

Paul’s Third Missionary Journey (Acts 18: 22 – 21: 27) (Around 52-57)

One year later, at around 53 A.D., Paul set out again for what would be his last Missionary

Journey before his arrest and journey to Rome. He was around 47 years old at the start of his

journey. Again, Paul starts his journey departing from Antioch in roughly 54 A.D.8 Again, he

revisits all the churches in Asia Minor: Derbes, Lystra, Galatia, and Antioch-Pisidia. Just like

his last journey, he travels by land. After reaching Antioch in Pisidia, he makes a straight line

west, stopping in Ephesus. There he stayed for almost three years9. Here, Paul performs

incredible miracles and gives very impactful sermons, baptizing people into the Way that

when he leaves the Church in Ephesus, the entire city bursts into an uproar of tumult where a

riot breaks out, sending the city into disorder. Paul needed to send back some of his workers

just to calm the city. From there, Paul heads on to Troas. Here is where the story of the young

boy dozing off during Paul’s late night sermons falls from a great height, dies, and is brought

back to life by Paul. When Paul leaves from Troas, he passes through Macedonia and Achaia.

It is here where Paul writes his letters to the Romans and to the Galatians. Paul makes one

last stop in a small port city called Miletus, and not wanting to cause trouble again in

Ephesus, he calls the leaders of the Ephesian church to him. He discloses a plan that both he

and the elders know will cause his eventual arrest and death. He has resolved that it was the

Lord’s plan that he has to go to Jerusalem. Of course the Ephesian council advised against it,

but after much discussion, and with a heavy heart knowing that they will not see Paul again,
7
TUTKU Educational Travel. Paul’s Missionary Journeys: A Travel Guide, accessed October 11, 2022.
https://www.tutkutours.com/images/left/Pauls-Missionary-Journeys.pdf. pg. 7.
8
Bernard Smyth, Paul: The Man & the Missionary, (London: Darton, Longman & Todd Ltd., 1980) xiii.
9
TUTKU. pg. 15.
they prayed and sent him off via ship. Along the voyage to Jerusalem, they pass through Cos,

Rhodes, Patara in Lycia, Tyre, Ceasarea, and eventually reaching Jerusalem. Here he

celebrates his last Passover before being arrested by the chief priests, falsely accusing him for

things he has never done.

Epilogue

After getting arrested, Paul, being a Roman citizen appeals to Caesar and heads out to Rome.

During his “house arrest”, Paul writes his ‘prison letters’: Philippians, Ephesians, Colossians,

and Philemon. Paul eventually was released but later on re-arrested, this time for unclear

reasons. It was then, during this second arrest, that Paul finally was sentenced to death via

beheading.10

The first half of his life was filled with promise and success as a great Pharisee, possibly even

becoming a member of the Sanhedrin. But after his fateful encounter with Jesus on the road

to Damsacus, Paul became a leader of the followers of the Way, and eventually becoming

known as the Apostle to the Gentiles.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

10
Bird, 252, 260-266.
BOOKS

Bird, Michael. The New Testament in its World: An Introduction to the History, Literature,

and Theology of the First Christians. Michigan: Zondervan Academic, 2019.

Pittenger, Norman. The Life of Saint Paul. New York: Watts, Franklin, 1968.

Quarles, Charles. Illustrated Life of Paul. Tennessee: B&H Publishing Group, 2014.

Smyth, Bernard. Paul: The Man & the Missionary. London: Darton, Longman & Todd Ltd.,

1980.

ARTICLES

TUTKU Educational Travel. Paul’s Missionary Journeys: A Travel Guide, accessed October

11, 2022. https://www.tutkutours.com/images/left/Pauls-Missionary-Journeys.pdf

Paul’s Three Missionary Journeys. Accessed October 11, 2022.

http://www.tcbchurch.org/sites/tcbchurch.com/files/pictures/Messages/Colossians/Paul

%E2%80%99s%20Three%20Missionary%20Journeys.pdf

Timeline of Paul’s Life and Missionary Journeys. accessed October 11, 2022.

https://static1.squarespace.com/static/569543b4bfe87360795306d6/t/

577d67356b8f5b54343a8d6e/1467836213293/st._paul_timeline.pdf

Timeline of Paul’s Life and Missionary Journeys. accessed October 11, 2022.

https://s3.amazonaws.com/static.gracechurch.org/womens/timeline-of-pauls-life-and-

missionary-journeys.pdf