The New Testament in Chronological Order
If you regularly read the Bible, you're probably familiar with the traditional order of the New Testament. But did you know that the books are not arranged chronologically? Instead, they are grouped by type, starting with the four Gospels and Acts, followed by Paul’s letters, then other apostolic letters, and finally the book of Revelation.
So, what would the New Testament look like in chronological order? This article explains how biblical scholars estimate the timeline and provides a full list of New Testament books in the order they were likely written.
Why the New Testament Is Not in Chronological Order
The books of the New Testament are traditionally grouped by genre and author, not by date. This structure helps readers focus on theological themes, but it doesn’t reflect the actual sequence in which the books were written.
Understanding the chronological order of the New Testament can offer fresh insights into the development of early Christianity and the life of the early church.
Challenges in Dating New Testament Books
Creating a reliable New Testament timeline is complex. We don’t always know the exact year a book was written or even who wrote it. Sometimes, clues in the text, such as historical references like Roman emperors, help scholars narrow down the time frame.
Another challenge is the practice of pseudepigrapha, or attributing texts to someone famous or someone other than the writer. Often, this was sometimes done to honor a well-known church leader or continue their legacy, but there were also ill-intentioned attempts to introduce unauthorized teachings. Biblical scholars had to carefully investigate this practice during canonization, or determining what books are in the Bible we use today.
Based on scholarly research, here’s a proposed list of the New Testament books in the order they were written. Dates are approximate and may vary depending on interpretation.
Book | Estimated Date |
1 Thessalonians | AD 50 |
2 Thessalonians | AD 50 |
Philemon | AD 53–60 |
Ephesians | AD 53–54 |
Philippians | AD 53–60 |
Colossians | AD 53–54 |
Galatians | AD 48–56 |
James | AD 55 |
1 Corinthians | AD 55 |
2 Corinthians | AD 56 (possibly compiled from multiple letters) |
Romans | AD 56 |
Gospel of Mark | AD 65–70 |
1 Peter | AD 65 |
Jude | AD 65 |
Gospel of Matthew | AD 75–90 |
Gospel of Luke | AD 80–90 |
Acts | AD 80–90 |
1 John | AD 80–105 |
2 John | AD 80–105 |
3 John | AD 80–105 |
Hebrews | AD 80–100 |
Revelation | AD 90–100 |
Gospel of John | AD 90–110 |
2 Peter | AD 90–110 |
1 Timothy | AD 100 |
2 Timothy | AD 100 |
Titus | AD 100 |
Why Read the New Testament Chronologically?
Reading the New Testament in chronological order can help you:
Understand how early Christian theology developed.
See how Paul's teachings evolved over time.
Connect letters with the events described in Acts.
Gain deeper insight into the context of each book.
You can also read the Bible online for free at Bible.com.
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