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Timeline Events

  • Adam — 4004 BC to 3074 BC: Formed by God from the dust of the ground, into whom God breathed the breath of life (Genesis 2:7). According to the Masoretic genealogy he lived 930 years and then died (Genesis 5:5). Genesis does not state how much time elapsed between the creation account of Genesis 1 and the formation of this man in Genesis 2. (Genesis 2:7; Genesis 5:5)
  • Eve — 4004 BC: Created from the man’s rib and brought to him (Genesis 2:22). Named Eve (Hebrew חוָּה, Hawwah) by Adam, “because she was the mother of all living” (Genesis 3:20). The text does not record her death. The lifespan bar begins with Adam’s chronological anchor; the text gives no independent birth year for her. (Genesis 2:22; Genesis 3:20)
  • The Creation of Adam — 4004 BC: The LORD God formed the man (הָֽאָדָם) of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature (Genesis 2:7). This is the point at which the genealogical line this timeline follows begins. The text does not specify what interval, if any, separates this event from the days of creation in Genesis 1. (Genesis 2:7)
  • The Fall — 4004 BC: The serpent deceived the woman, and Adam and his wife ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, which God had commanded them not to eat (Genesis 3:1-7). As a result they were driven out from the garden of Eden (Genesis 3:23-24). (Genesis 3)
  • Noah — 2948 BC to 1998 BC: The son of Lamech through whom the line of Adam continued past the flood (Genesis 5:29). The text records that all the days of Noah were 950 years, and he died (Genesis 9:29). (Genesis 5:29; Genesis 9:29)
  • The Flood — 2348 BC: God brought a flood of waters upon the earth to destroy all flesh, sparing Noah, his family, and the animals in the ark (Genesis 6-9). The text states the waters came in the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month (Genesis 7:11). (Genesis 7:11; Genesis 6-9)
  • The Tower of Babel — 2242 BC: The people of one language built a city and a tower with its top in the heavens; the LORD confused their language and dispersed them over the face of the earth (Genesis 11:1-9). The place was named Babel because there the LORD confused the language of all the earth. (Genesis 11:1-9)
  • Abraham (Abram) — 2166 BC to 1991 BC: Called by God from Ur and Haran, Abraham (originally Abram) became the father of the covenant line (Genesis 12:1-4). The text records that he lived 175 years (Genesis 25:7). (Genesis 12:1-4; Genesis 25:7)
  • Sarah (Sarai) — 2157 BC to 2030 BC: The wife of Abraham, originally named Sarai and renamed Sarah by God at the same time Abram became Abraham (Genesis 17:15). She is described as barren until God opened her womb (Genesis 11:30; 21:1-2). She bore Isaac when Abraham was 100 years old (Genesis 21:1-5). Genesis 17:17 gives her age as 90 when the promise was reaffirmed, from which her birth year is estimated. She died at 127 years in Kirjath-arba (Hebron) — the only woman whose age at death is explicitly recorded in the Hebrew scriptures (Genesis 23:1-2). (Genesis 17:15; Genesis 23:1-2)
  • Hagar — 2111 BC: An Egyptian servant of Sarai (Genesis 16:1). Given to Abram by Sarai when Abram had lived in Canaan ten years (Genesis 16:3). She bore Ishmael to Abram (Genesis 16:15). After the birth of Isaac she and Ishmael were sent away at Sarah’s insistence (Genesis 21:9-14). Her birth year is not given in the text; the bar placement is an estimate based on narrative context. Her death is not recorded. (Genesis 16:1; Genesis 21:9-14)
  • God's Call of Abram — 2091 BC: God called Abram to leave his country and go to a land he would be shown, promising to make him a great nation and to bless all the families of the earth through him (Genesis 12:1-3). The text states Abram was 75 years old when he departed from Haran (Genesis 12:4). (Genesis 12:1-4)
  • The Abrahamic Covenant — 2081 BC: God made a covenant with Abram, promising him offspring as numerous as the stars and the land from the river of Egypt to the Euphrates (Genesis 15). This covenant was confirmed with the sign of circumcision and the change of his name to Abraham when he was 99 years old (Genesis 17). (Genesis 15; Genesis 17)
  • Ishmael — 2080 BC to 1943 BC: The son of Abram and Hagar the Egyptian, born when Abram was 86 years old (Genesis 16:15-16). He was circumcised at age 13 when Abram was 99 (Genesis 17:25-26). After the birth of Isaac he and his mother Hagar were sent away (Genesis 21:8-14). God promised to make him a great nation (Genesis 17:20; 21:18). Genesis records that he died at 137 years (Genesis 25:17). His twelve sons, who became twelve princes, are listed in Genesis 25:12-16. (Genesis 16:15-16; Genesis 25:17)
  • Isaac — 2066 BC to 1886 BC: The son of Abraham and Sarah, born when Abraham was 100 years old (Genesis 21:5). The text records that Isaac lived 180 years (Genesis 35:28). (Genesis 21:5; Genesis 35:28)
  • Rebekah — 2046 BC: The daughter of Bethuel and granddaughter of Abraham’s brother Nahor (Genesis 24:15,24), met at the well by Abraham’s servant and brought to become Isaac’s wife (Genesis 24:67). Isaac was forty years old when he took her (Genesis 25:20). She was barren until Isaac prayed, and she bore the twins Esau and Jacob when Isaac was sixty (Genesis 25:21-26). Genesis 49:31 records that she was buried in the cave of Machpelah, but the text states neither her birth year nor the year of her death; the bar reflects an estimate. (Genesis 24:15; Genesis 24:67; Genesis 25:21-26)
  • Jacob (Israel) — 2006 BC to 1859 BC: The son of Isaac and Rebekah, later renamed Israel (Genesis 32:28), and father of the twelve tribes. The text records that he lived 147 years (Genesis 47:28). (Genesis 25:26; Genesis 47:28)
  • Esau — 2006 BC: The firstborn of the twins born to Isaac and Rebekah, red and hairy at birth, from which he was named Esau (Genesis 25:24-26). He sold his birthright to Jacob for a meal (Genesis 25:29-34) and later sought his father’s word after Jacob obtained the blessing (Genesis 27:30-40). Genesis states that Esau is Edom, the father of the Edomites in the hill country of Seir (Genesis 36:1,8-9). The text records that he and Jacob together buried Isaac (Genesis 35:29) but does not give the year of his death; his birth year is derived from Isaac’s age of sixty (Genesis 25:26). (Genesis 25:24-26; Genesis 27:30-40; Genesis 36:1)
  • Leah — 1946 BC: The elder daughter of Laban, given to Jacob in place of Rachel through Laban’s deceit (Genesis 29:16-25). The text says her eyes were weak (Genesis 29:17) and that the LORD opened her womb because she was unloved (Genesis 29:31). She bore Jacob six sons — Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun — and a daughter, Dinah (Genesis 29:31-35; 30:17-21). Jacob states that she was buried in the cave of Machpelah (Genesis 49:31). Her birth year and the year of her death are not given in the text; the bar reflects an estimate. (Genesis 29:16-17; Genesis 29:31-35; Genesis 49:31)
  • Rachel — 1941 BC: The younger daughter of Laban, whom Jacob loved and for whom he served seven years (Genesis 29:16-18,20). She was barren until God opened her womb, and she bore Joseph (Genesis 30:22-24). She died giving birth to Benjamin on the way to Ephrath, that is Bethlehem, and was buried there (Genesis 35:16-19). Her death is recorded but not dated, and her birth year is not stated; the bar reflects an estimate. (Genesis 29:16-18; Genesis 30:22-24; Genesis 35:16-19)
  • Levi — 1919 BC to 1782 BC: The third son of Jacob and Leah (Genesis 29:34). With Simeon he attacked the city of Shechem (Genesis 34:25-30), and Jacob’s words divide and scatter them for it (Genesis 49:5-7). The text records that the years of the life of Levi were 137 (Exodus 6:16). His birth year is not stated and is estimated from the birth order of Leah’s sons; the end of the bar applies his recorded lifespan of 137 years to that estimate. Aaron and Moses descended from Levi through Kohath and Amram (Exodus 6:16-20). (Genesis 29:34; Genesis 49:5-7; Exodus 6:16)
  • Judah — 1918 BC: The fourth son of Jacob and Leah, at whose birth Leah said, ‘This time I will praise the LORD’ (Genesis 29:35). He proposed selling Joseph to the Ishmaelites (Genesis 37:26-27) and fathered Perez and Zerah by Tamar (Genesis 38:29-30). In Jacob’s words over his sons, the scepter is said not to depart from Judah (Genesis 49:8-10). Matthew traces the line of Jesus through Judah and Perez (Matthew 1:2-3), as does Luke (Luke 3:33). His birth year is not stated in the text and is estimated from the birth order of Leah’s sons; his death is not recorded. (Genesis 29:35; Genesis 49:8-10; Matthew 1:2-3)
  • Joseph — 1915 BC to 1805 BC: The son of Jacob and Rachel who rose to second-in-command in Egypt (Genesis 41:46). The text records that he died at 110 years of age in Egypt (Genesis 50:26). (Genesis 41:46; Genesis 50:26)
  • Tamar — 1906 BC: The wife of Judah’s firstborn Er, and after Er’s death the wife of his brother Onan, both of whom the LORD put to death (Genesis 38:6-10). When Judah withheld his third son, Tamar disguised herself, and Judah unknowingly fathered by her the twins Perez and Zerah; he declared, ‘She is more righteous than I’ (Genesis 38:11-26). She is named in Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1:3). Her birth year and death are not stated in the text; the bar reflects an estimate from the narrative. (Genesis 38:6-30; Matthew 1:3)
  • Benjamin — 1901 BC: The youngest son of Jacob and the second son of Rachel, who died at his birth; she named him Ben-oni (‘son of my sorrow’), but his father called him Benjamin (Genesis 35:16-18). He remained in Canaan when his brothers first went to Egypt for grain, and Joseph wept over him when he was brought down (Genesis 43:29-34; 45:14). Jacob’s words describe Benjamin as a ravenous wolf (Genesis 49:27). His birth year is not stated in the text and is estimated from the narrative; his death is not recorded. (Genesis 35:16-18; Genesis 43:29-34; Genesis 49:27)
  • Miriam — 1536 BC to 1407 BC: The sister of Aaron, called a prophetess, who led the women with timbrel and dance in song after the crossing of the sea (Exodus 15:20-21). She and Aaron spoke against Moses because of his Cushite wife, and she was struck with leprosy for seven days (Numbers 12:1-15). The text records that she died and was buried at Kadesh (Numbers 20:1), placed in the fortieth year after the Exodus. She is generally identified with the sister who watched over the infant Moses (Exodus 2:4-8), though that passage does not name her; her birth year is not stated in the text. (Exodus 15:20-21; Numbers 12:1-15; Numbers 20:1)
  • Aaron — 1529 BC to 1406 BC: The son of Amram and brother of Moses, appointed to speak for Moses before Pharaoh (Exodus 4:14-16). The text states he was eighty-three years old when he and Moses spoke to Pharaoh (Exodus 7:7). He and his sons were set apart to serve as priests (Exodus 28:1). The text records that Aaron died on Mount Hor at 123 years of age, in the fortieth year after Israel came out of Egypt (Numbers 33:38-39). (Exodus 7:7; Exodus 28:1; Numbers 33:38-39)
  • Moses — 1526 BC to 1406 BC: The one God used to lead Israel out of Egypt and receive the Law at Sinai; he was 80 years old when he spoke to Pharaoh (Exodus 7:7). The text records that he died at 120 years, his eye undimmed and his vigor unabated (Deuteronomy 34:7). (Exodus 7:7; Deuteronomy 34:7)
  • Joshua — 1491 BC to 1381 BC: The son of Nun, of the tribe of Ephraim, who led Israel’s fighting men against Amalek while Moses held up his hands (Exodus 17:9-13). He was one of the twelve sent to spy out the land and one of the two who gave a good report (Numbers 14:6-9). Moses laid his hands on him as successor at the LORD’s command (Numbers 27:18-23), and he led Israel into Canaan (Joshua 1:1-9). The text records that he died at 110 years of age (Joshua 24:29). His birth year is not stated; the bar applies his recorded lifespan to an estimated birth. (Exodus 17:9-13; Numbers 27:18-23; Joshua 24:29)
  • Caleb — 1484 BC: The son of Jephunneh, of the tribe of Judah, one of the twelve sent to spy out the land (Numbers 13:6). With Joshua he urged Israel to go up, trusting the LORD (Numbers 13:30; 14:6-9), and the LORD said he had a different spirit and would enter the land (Numbers 14:24). He states that he was forty years old when Moses sent him and eighty-five when he received Hebron as his inheritance (Joshua 14:6-14). His age of forty at the spying fixes the estimated birth year; his death is not recorded. (Numbers 13:6; Numbers 14:24; Joshua 14:6-14)
  • The Exodus from Egypt — 1446 BC: After the tenth plague and the first Passover, Pharaoh released the Israelites, and they went out of Egypt (Exodus 12:31-42). The LORD divided the sea so Israel passed through on dry ground while the pursuing Egyptian army was drowned (Exodus 14:21-31). This date follows 1 Kings 6:1, placing the Exodus 480 years before Solomon's temple. (Exodus 12:31-42; Exodus 14:21-31)
  • The Giving of the Law at Sinai — 1446 BC: In the third month after leaving Egypt, Israel camped at Mount Sinai, where the LORD descended in fire and spoke to the people (Exodus 19). God gave the Ten Commandments and the law that formed the covenant with Israel (Exodus 20:1-17). (Exodus 19; Exodus 20:1-17)
  • The Tabernacle Completed — 1445 BC: The tabernacle was erected on the first day of the first month in the second year after the Exodus (Exodus 40:17). When the work was finished, the cloud covered the tent of meeting and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle (Exodus 40:34-38). (Exodus 40:17-38)
  • Rahab — 1426 BC: A prostitute of Jericho who hid the two spies Joshua sent and let them down by a rope through her window, saying that dread of Israel’s God had fallen on the land (Joshua 2:1-21). She and her family were spared when Jericho was destroyed, and she lived in Israel (Joshua 6:22-25). Matthew names Rahab as the mother of Boaz in the genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1:5). The New Testament also refers to her faith (Hebrews 11:31) and her works (James 2:25). Her birth and death are not stated in the text; the bar reflects an estimate around the fall of Jericho. (Joshua 2:1-21; Joshua 6:22-25; Matthew 1:5)
  • Entry into Canaan — 1406 BC: Under Joshua, Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground as the priests carrying the ark stood in the riverbed (Joshua 3:14-17). Twelve stones were set up at Gilgal as a memorial of the crossing (Joshua 4). (Joshua 3:14-17; Joshua 4)
  • Deborah — 1200 BC to 1151 BC: A prophetess who was judging Israel at the time; she sat under the palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the people of Israel came up to her for judgment (Judges 4:4-5). This bar reflects her approximate period of activity as a judge. (Judges 4:4-5)
  • Barak — 1200 BC: The son of Abinoam of Kedesh in Naphtali, summoned by Deborah to lead ten thousand men against Sisera; he agreed to go only if Deborah went with him, and she foretold that the honor would go to a woman (Judges 4:6-9). The LORD routed Sisera’s army before him (Judges 4:14-16), and he sang with Deborah (Judges 5:1). He is named among those commended for faith in Hebrews 11:32. His birth and death are not stated in the text; the bar reflects his period of activity alongside Deborah. (Judges 4:6-7; Judges 4:14-16; Hebrews 11:32)
  • Deborah Judges Israel and Defeats Sisera — 1200 BC: Deborah the prophetess summoned Barak to lead ten thousand men against Sisera, commander of Jabin's army, declaring that the LORD would sell Sisera into the hand of a woman (Judges 4:4-9). The LORD routed Sisera and all his chariots, and Jael the wife of Heber killed Sisera with a tent peg, so that God subdued Jabin king of Canaan (Judges 4:14-24). (Judges 4:4-24)
  • Gideon — 1150 BC to 1101 BC: The son of Joash of the clan of Abiezer, called by the angel of the LORD while beating out wheat in the winepress to hide it from the Midianites (Judges 6:11-14). This bar reflects his approximate period of activity as a judge over Israel. (Judges 6:11-14)
  • Gideon Defeats the Midianites with 300 Men — 1150 BC: The LORD reduced Gideon's army to three hundred men, lest Israel boast that its own hand had saved it (Judges 7:1-8). With trumpets, empty jars, and torches the three hundred surrounded the Midianite camp by night, and the LORD set every man's sword against his companion throughout the camp (Judges 7:16-22). (Judges 7:1-25)
  • Naomi — 1121 BC: The wife of Elimelech of Bethlehem who went to Moab during a famine and there lost her husband and her two sons (Ruth 1:1-5). Returning to Bethlehem, she asked to be called Mara, saying the Almighty had dealt bitterly with her (Ruth 1:19-21). The women blessed the LORD at the birth of Obed, her daughter-in-law Ruth’s son, whom she took to her bosom (Ruth 4:14-17). The book is set ‘in the days when the judges ruled’ (Ruth 1:1); her birth and death are not stated, and the exact date is uncertain. (Ruth 1:1-5; Ruth 1:19-21; Ruth 4:14-17)
  • Ruth — 1121 BC: A woman of Moab, widow of Naomi’s son, who refused to leave Naomi, saying, ‘Your people shall be my people, and your God my God’ (Ruth 1:16-17). She gleaned in the field of Boaz, who redeemed her, and she bore Obed, the father of Jesse, the father of David (Ruth 4:13-17). Matthew names her in the genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1:5), and Luke traces the same line through Obed and Jesse (Luke 3:32). Her birth and death are not stated; the book is set in the days of the judges (Ruth 1:1). (Ruth 1:16-17; Ruth 4:13; Matthew 1:5)
  • Boaz — 1121 BC: A worthy man of Bethlehem, a relative of Naomi’s husband Elimelech (Ruth 2:1), who showed favor to Ruth as she gleaned in his field (Ruth 2:8-12). As kinsman-redeemer he acquired the property of Elimelech and took Ruth as his wife before the elders at the gate (Ruth 4:9-13). He is the father of Obed and thus great-grandfather of David, and is named in the genealogy of Jesus (Ruth 4:17-22; Matthew 1:5; Luke 3:32). His birth and death are not stated; the book is set in the days of the judges (Ruth 1:1). (Ruth 2:1; Ruth 4:9-13; Matthew 1:5)
  • Samuel — 1105 BC to 1015 BC: Born to Hannah in answer to prayer and named Samuel because she had asked him of the LORD (1 Samuel 1:20). He served as the last of the judges and the prophet who anointed Israel's first two kings; the text records that he died and all Israel gathered to mourn him (1 Samuel 25:1). This bar reflects his lifespan. (1 Samuel 1:20; 1 Samuel 25:1)
  • Jephthah — 1101 BC to 1095 BC: A mighty warrior of Gilead, son of Gilead by a prostitute, driven out by his brothers and later called back to lead against the Ammonites (Judges 11:1-11). He vowed to offer to the LORD whatever came out of his house if he returned victorious, and it was his only daughter who came out to meet him (Judges 11:30-35). The text records that he judged Israel six years, then died and was buried in Gilead (Judges 12:7). He is named among those commended for faith in Hebrews 11:32; his birth year is not stated, and the bar reflects his six years as judge. (Judges 11:1-3; Judges 11:30-35; Judges 12:7; Hebrews 11:32)
  • Samson — 1100 BC to 1061 BC: The son of Manoah, born to a barren woman as a Nazirite to God, who grew and was blessed by the LORD (Judges 13:24). At his death he pulled down the temple of the Philistines, so that those he killed in his death were more than those he had killed in his life (Judges 16:30). This bar reflects his approximate period of activity as a judge. (Judges 13:24; Judges 16:30)
  • Samson and the Philistines — 1100 BC: The Spirit of the LORD rushed upon Samson, and with the fresh jawbone of a donkey he struck down a thousand men of the Philistines (Judges 15:14-16). Captured and blinded, he was brought out to entertain the Philistines at the temple of Dagon; he prayed once more, grasped the two central pillars, and brought the house down on the rulers and the people gathered there (Judges 16:23-30). (Judges 15:14-16; Judges 16:23-30)
  • The Book of Ruth — 1100 BC: In the days when the judges ruled, a famine drove Naomi's family to Moab, and Ruth the Moabitess returned with her to Bethlehem, pledging that Naomi's people would be her people and Naomi's God her God (Ruth 1:1-18). Ruth married Boaz and bore Obed, the father of Jesse, the father of David, placing her in the line of David (Ruth 4:13-17). (Ruth 1:1; Ruth 4:13-17)
  • Jonathan — 1076 BC to 1010 BC: The son of King Saul, who with his armor-bearer attacked a Philistine garrison, saying nothing can hinder the LORD from saving by many or by few (1 Samuel 14:6-14). His soul was knit to David’s, and he made a covenant with him, giving David his robe and armor (1 Samuel 18:1-4; 20:16-17). He was killed alongside Saul and his brothers by the Philistines on Mount Gilboa (1 Samuel 31:2), and David lamented him (2 Samuel 1:25-26). His birth year is not stated; the bar runs to his death at Gilboa. (1 Samuel 14:6-14; 1 Samuel 18:1-4; 1 Samuel 31:2)
  • Saul — 1050 BC to 1010 BC: The son of Kish, anointed by Samuel as the first king over Israel when Samuel poured a flask of oil on his head (1 Samuel 10:1). Wounded in battle against the Philistines on Mount Gilboa, he took his own sword and fell upon it (1 Samuel 31:4). This bar reflects his reign. (1 Samuel 10:1; 1 Samuel 31:4)
  • Samuel Anoints Saul as First King of Israel — 1050 BC: Samuel took a flask of oil and poured it on Saul's head and kissed him, saying that the LORD had anointed him to be prince over his people Israel (1 Samuel 10:1). This marks the beginning of the monarchy in Israel. (1 Samuel 10:1)
  • David — 1040 BC to 970 BC: The son of Jesse, anointed to replace Saul and made king over all Israel. The text records that he was 30 when he began to reign and reigned 40 years (2 Samuel 5:4; 1 Kings 2:11). (2 Samuel 5:4; 1 Kings 2:11)
  • David Anointed by Samuel at Bethlehem — 1025 BC: The LORD sent Samuel to Jesse of Bethlehem to anoint one of his sons as king in place of Saul (1 Samuel 16:1-5). After Jesse's seven older sons passed by, Samuel anointed David, the youngest, in the midst of his brothers, and the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon David from that day forward (1 Samuel 16:11-13). This is Samuel's private anointing at Bethlehem, distinct from David's later public enthronement over Israel. (1 Samuel 16:1-13)
  • David and Goliath — 1020 BC: David came against the Philistine Goliath in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel whom Goliath had defied (1 Samuel 17:45). He struck the giant with a stone from his sling, and with no sword in his hand he took Goliath's own sword and cut off his head (1 Samuel 17:49-51). (1 Samuel 17:45-51)
  • Bathsheba — 1016 BC: The daughter of Eliam and wife of Uriah the Hittite, whom David saw bathing and took while Uriah was at war (2 Samuel 11:2-4). After the death of the first child, she bore Solomon, whom the LORD loved (2 Samuel 12:24). She secured the throne for Solomon when David was old (1 Kings 1:11-31). Matthew includes her in the genealogy of Jesus, naming her only as the wife of Uriah (Matthew 1:6). Her birth and death are not stated; the bar reflects an estimate from the narrative. (2 Samuel 11:2-3; 2 Samuel 12:24; 1 Kings 1:11-31)
  • David Anointed King — 1010 BC: Samuel anointed David in the midst of his brothers, and the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon him (1 Samuel 16:13). The men of Judah later anointed David king over the house of Judah at Hebron (2 Samuel 2:4), and the elders of Israel anointed him king over all Israel (2 Samuel 5:3). (1 Samuel 16:13; 2 Samuel 2:4; 2 Samuel 5:3)
  • Nathan — 1001 BC to 970 BC: A prophet in the reign of David through whom the LORD gave the promise that David’s offspring and throne would be established forever (2 Samuel 7:4-17). He confronted David over Uriah and Bathsheba with the parable of the ewe lamb, saying, ‘You are the man’ (2 Samuel 12:1-15). He acted to secure Solomon’s succession (1 Kings 1:22-45). His birth and death are not stated; the bar reflects his period of activity in David’s reign into Solomon’s accession. (2 Samuel 7:4-17; 2 Samuel 12:1-15; 1 Kings 1:22-45)
  • The Ark of the Covenant Brought to Jerusalem — 1000 BC: David brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom to the city of David with rejoicing (2 Samuel 6:12). David danced before the LORD with all his might, and the whole house of Israel brought up the ark with shouting and the sound of the horn (2 Samuel 6:14-15). (2 Samuel 6:12-15)
  • God's Covenant with David — the Davidic Covenant — 1000 BC: Through the prophet Nathan the LORD promised David that he would raise up his offspring after him and establish the throne of his kingdom forever (2 Samuel 7:12-13). The LORD declared that David's house and kingdom would be made sure forever, and his throne established forever (2 Samuel 7:16). (2 Samuel 7:12-16)
  • Solomon — 970 BC to 930 BC: The son of David and Bathsheba who succeeded David as king and built the temple in Jerusalem. The text records that he reigned over all Israel in Jerusalem 40 years (1 Kings 11:42); his birth year is not stated, so this bar reflects his reign. (1 Kings 2:12; 1 Kings 11:42)
  • Solomon's Temple Dedicated — 966 BC: Solomon began building the temple in the fourth year of his reign, 480 years after the Exodus (1 Kings 6:1). At its dedication the priests brought in the ark, and the glory of the LORD filled the house so that fire came down and consumed the offerings (1 Kings 8; 2 Chronicles 7:1-3). (1 Kings 6:1; 1 Kings 8; 2 Chronicles 7:1-3)
  • Solomon's Wisdom and the Judgment of the Two Mothers — 960 BC: Two women each claimed to be the mother of one living child; Solomon called for a sword to divide the child in two (1 Kings 3:16-25). When the true mother pleaded that the child be given to the other rather than killed, Solomon awarded the child to her, and all Israel saw that the wisdom of God was in him to do justice (1 Kings 3:26-28). (1 Kings 3:16-28)
  • The Kingdom Divided — 930 BC: When Rehoboam refused to lighten the labor imposed by his father Solomon, the ten northern tribes rejected him and made Jeroboam king (1 Kings 12:1-20). Only the tribe of Judah, with Benjamin, remained loyal to the house of David (1 Kings 12:21-24). (1 Kings 12:1-24)
  • Elijah — 875 BC to 848 BC: The prophet from Tishbe in Gilead who confronted Ahab and the prophets of Baal during the reigns of the northern kings (1 Kings 17:1). The text records no death; he was taken up into heaven by a whirlwind (2 Kings 2:11). This bar reflects his approximate period of activity. (1 Kings 17:1; 2 Kings 2:11)
  • Elijah on Mount Carmel — 860 BC: Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel, calling on the LORD to answer by fire (1 Kings 18:20-24). The fire of the LORD fell and consumed the offering, the wood, the stones, and the water, and the people declared that the LORD is God (1 Kings 18:36-40). (1 Kings 18:20-40)
  • Elisha — 849 BC to 798 BC: The son of Shaphat, called by Elijah while plowing with twelve yoke of oxen (1 Kings 19:19-21). When Elijah was taken up, Elisha asked for a double portion of his spirit and took up the mantle that fell from him (2 Kings 2:9-14). He ministered through the reigns of several kings of Israel, and the text records that he fell sick and died, and was buried (2 Kings 13:14,20). His birth year is not stated; the bar reflects his period of activity from Elijah’s departure to his death. (1 Kings 19:19-21; 2 Kings 2:9-14; 2 Kings 13:14-20)
  • Jonah — 791 BC to 761 BC: The son of Amittai, a prophet from Gath-hepher, named in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel (2 Kings 14:25). Sent to Nineveh, he fled toward Tarshish and was swallowed by a great fish before being sent again (Jonah 1:1-17). At his preaching the people of Nineveh repented, and God relented from the disaster (Jonah 3:1-10). Jesus speaks of the sign of Jonah, drawing a parallel between Jonah’s three days in the fish and his own burial (Matthew 12:39-41). His birth and death are not stated; the bar reflects his period of activity under Jeroboam II. (2 Kings 14:25; Jonah 1:1-3; Jonah 3:1-10)
  • Isaiah — 740 BC to 681 BC: The prophet whose vision came in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah (Isaiah 1:1). This bar reflects his approximate period of prophetic activity in Judah; his death is not recorded in scripture. (Isaiah 1:1; Isaiah 6:1)
  • Fall of Samaria — Northern Kingdom Ends — 722 BC: The king of Assyria captured Samaria after a three-year siege and carried Israel away into exile (2 Kings 17:5-6). The text states this came because Israel had sinned against the LORD and served other gods (2 Kings 17:7-23), ending the northern kingdom. (2 Kings 17:5-23)
  • Hezekiah's Reforms and the Assyrian Siege of Jerusalem — 701 BC: Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against the fortified cities of Judah, and his commander taunted the people to give up trust in the LORD (Isaiah 36:1-20; 2 Kings 18:13-35). Hezekiah spread the threat before the LORD, and Isaiah brought word that the city would be spared; the angel of the LORD struck down the Assyrian camp, and Sennacherib withdrew and was later killed by his own sons (Isaiah 37:14-38; 2 Kings 19:14-37). (Isaiah 36:1-37:38; 2 Kings 18:13-19:37)
  • Jeremiah — 627 BC to 585 BC: The prophet to Judah whose word came from the thirteenth year of Josiah until the exile of Jerusalem in the fifth month (Jeremiah 1:2-3). This bar reflects his prophetic activity through the fall of Jerusalem; his death is not recorded in scripture. (Jeremiah 1:2-3)
  • Jeremiah's Call — 626 BC: The word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, telling him that before he was formed in the womb God had known him and appointed him a prophet to the nations (Jeremiah 1:4-5). Though Jeremiah protested that he was only a youth, the LORD touched his mouth and set him over nations and kingdoms, to pluck up and to plant (Jeremiah 1:6-10). (Jeremiah 1:4-10)
  • Josiah Finds the Book of the Law — 621 BC: During the repair of the temple, Hilkiah the high priest found the Book of the Law, and it was read before King Josiah (2 Kings 22:8-10; 2 Chronicles 34:14-18). When Josiah heard its words he tore his clothes and inquired of the LORD, moving the nation toward repentance and covenant renewal (2 Kings 22:11-13; 2 Chronicles 34:19-21). (2 Kings 22:8-13; 2 Chronicles 34:14-21)
  • Daniel — 605 BC to 535 BC: A young man of Judah taken to Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar who served in the courts of Babylon and Persia (Daniel 1:1-6). His final dated vision came in the third year of Cyrus king of Persia (Daniel 10:1). This bar reflects his period of activity in exile. (Daniel 1:1-6; Daniel 10:1)
  • Daniel and His Friends Refuse the King's Food in Babylon — 605 BC: Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the king's food and wine, and asked the chief eunuch to test him and his companions on vegetables and water for ten days (Daniel 1:8-14). At the end of the ten days they appeared better in flesh than all who ate the king's food (Daniel 1:15). (Daniel 1:8-15)
  • Nebuchadnezzar's Dream — the Statue of Kingdoms — 603 BC: Daniel interpreted the king's dream of a great image with a head of gold, chest of silver, middle of bronze, legs of iron, and feet of iron mixed with clay, as a succession of kingdoms (Daniel 2:31-43). A stone cut without human hands struck the image and became a mountain filling the earth, which Daniel declared to be a kingdom that God would set up and that would never be destroyed (Daniel 2:44-45). (Daniel 2:31-45)
  • Ezekiel — 593 BC to 570 BC: A priest, the son of Buzi, to whom the word of the LORD came in the land of the Chaldeans by the Chebar canal among the exiles (Ezekiel 1:1-3). This bar reflects his approximate period of prophetic activity in exile; his death is not recorded in scripture. (Ezekiel 1:1-3)
  • Fall of Jerusalem — Judah Exiled to Babylon — 586 BC: Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon besieged and captured Jerusalem, burned the temple and the city, and broke down its walls (2 Kings 25:1-10). The people of Judah were carried into exile in Babylon (2 Kings 25:11-21; Jeremiah 52:12-27), ending the southern kingdom. (2 Kings 25:1-21; Jeremiah 52:12-27)
  • Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the Fiery Furnace — 580 BC: For refusing to worship the golden image, the three men were bound and thrown into a furnace heated seven times its usual heat (Daniel 3:19-23). The king saw four men walking unbound in the fire, the fourth like a son of the gods, and called them out unharmed, not a hair singed, blessing the God who sent his angel to deliver them (Daniel 3:24-28). (Daniel 3:19-28)
  • Zerubbabel — 539 BC to 516 BC: The son of Shealtiel, appointed governor of Judah, who came up from Babylon with the first returning exiles and, with Jeshua the priest, rebuilt the altar and laid the foundation of the temple (Ezra 3:2-8). The word of the LORD came to him through Haggai to finish the house (Haggai 1:1,14; 2:2-9). He is named in the genealogy of Jesus in both Matthew (Matthew 1:12-13) and Luke (Luke 3:27). His birth and death are not stated in the text; the bar reflects his period of activity from the return under Cyrus to the temple’s completion. (Ezra 3:8; Haggai 1:1; Matthew 1:12-13)
  • Daniel in the Lions' Den — 539 BC: For praying to his God against the king's decree, Daniel was cast into the den of lions (Daniel 6:16-17). At dawn the king found him alive; Daniel said his God had sent his angel and shut the lions' mouths because he was found blameless before God, and he was taken up out of the den unharmed (Daniel 6:19-23). (Daniel 6:16-23)
  • Cyrus Decree — Return from Exile Permitted — 538 BC: In his first year, Cyrus king of Persia issued a decree permitting the exiles of Judah to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the house of the LORD (Ezra 1:1-4). Isaiah 44:28 names Cyrus in advance as the one who would say of Jerusalem that it shall be built and of the temple that its foundation shall be laid; the timeline flags this as a prophecy noted by the text itself. (Ezra 1:1-4; Isaiah 44:28)
  • Haggai — 521 BC: A prophet through whom the word of the LORD came in the second year of Darius the king, calling the returned exiles to rebuild the house of the LORD (Haggai 1:1-8). All four of his dated messages fall within that same year (Haggai 1:1; 2:1; 2:10,20). With Zechariah he prophesied to the Jews rebuilding in Jerusalem (Ezra 5:1; 6:14). His birth and death are not recorded; the bar marks the single recorded year of his prophesying. (Haggai 1:1; Ezra 5:1)
  • Zechariah — 521 BC to 519 BC: The son of Berechiah, son of Iddo, a prophet to whom the word of the LORD came in the eighth month of the second year of Darius (Zechariah 1:1). His dated visions and messages run from the second to the fourth year of Darius (Zechariah 1:1; 7:1). With Haggai he prophesied to the Jews rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem (Ezra 5:1; 6:14). His birth and death are not recorded; the bar reflects his dated period of prophesying. (Zechariah 1:1; Ezra 5:1)
  • The Temple Rebuilt and Dedicated — 516 BC: The returned exiles finished building the second temple in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king (Ezra 6:15). They dedicated the house of God with joy and reestablished the priests and Levites for the service of God (Ezra 6:16-18). (Ezra 6:14-18)
  • Esther — 480 BC to 474 BC: A Jewish woman, also called Hadassah, cousin and ward of Mordecai, chosen by Ahasuerus (Xerxes) as queen in the seventh year of his reign (Esther 2:7,16-17). At Mordecai’s urging she approached the king at the risk of her life, saying, ‘If I perish, I perish’ (Esther 4:15-16), and exposed Haman’s plot to destroy the Jews (Esther 7:1-6). Her birth and death are not stated in the text; the bar reflects the period of the events recorded in the book. (Esther 2:16-17; Esther 4:15-16; Esther 7:1-6)
  • Mordecai — 480 BC to 474 BC: A Jew of the tribe of Benjamin in Susa, descended from those carried into exile, who raised his cousin Esther as his own daughter (Esther 2:5-7). He uncovered a plot against the king (Esther 2:21-23) and refused to bow to Haman (Esther 3:2-5). After Haman’s fall he was set over Haman’s house and became second to the king, seeking the good of his people (Esther 8:1-2; 10:3). His birth and death are not stated in the text; the bar reflects the period of the events recorded in the book. (Esther 2:5-7; Esther 2:21-23; Esther 10:3)
  • Ezra — 458 BC to 440 BC: A scribe skilled in the Law of Moses who went up from Babylon to Jerusalem in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king (Ezra 7:6-8). This bar reflects his period of activity in restoring the Law among the returned exiles. (Ezra 7:6-8)
  • Nehemiah — 445 BC to 430 BC: The cupbearer to Artaxerxes who was sent to Jerusalem in the king's twentieth year to rebuild the city and its walls (Nehemiah 2:1-8). This bar reflects his period of activity as governor of Judah. (Nehemiah 2:1-8)
  • Nehemiah Rebuilds Jerusalem's Walls — 445 BC: Under Nehemiah's leadership the wall of Jerusalem was finished in fifty-two days, on the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul (Nehemiah 6:15). The completion despite opposition is recorded as accomplished with the help of God (Nehemiah 6:16). (Nehemiah 6:15)
  • Ezra Reads the Law — 445 BC: Ezra the scribe brought the Book of the Law of Moses before the assembly and read from it from early morning until midday (Nehemiah 8:1-3). The Levites helped the people understand the reading, giving the sense so that they understood it (Nehemiah 8:7-8). (Nehemiah 8:1-8)
  • Malachi — Close of the Old Testament Canon — 430 BC: The prophecy of Malachi (~430 BC) is traditionally regarded as the last of the Old Testament writings. It closes by calling Israel to remember the law of Moses and by promising Elijah before the great day of the LORD (Malachi 4:4-6). After this the Hebrew canon records no further prophetic voice until the New Testament era. (Malachi 4:4-6)
  • Alexander the Great Conquers Judea — 332 BC: In 332 BC Alexander of Macedon brought Judea under Greek rule, an event attested by external history rather than direct biblical narrative. Daniel 8 describes a male goat from the west with a conspicuous horn that tramples the ram of Media and Persia (Daniel 8:5-8), and the text itself names the goat as the king of Greece (Daniel 8:21). The connection to Alexander is prophetic/typological, not a direct narrative report of the conquest. (Daniel 8:5-8; Daniel 8:21)
  • Antiochus IV Epiphanes — 175 BC to 164 BC: Seleucid king who reigned 175-164 BC. He plundered the Jerusalem temple, outlawed the practices of the Torah, and erected a pagan altar in the sanctuary (1 Maccabees 1:10-15). Daniel 11:21-35 describes a contemptible king who profanes the temple and sets up the abomination that makes desolate; many readers connect this figure to Antiochus, though the identification is interpretive rather than named in the text. (1 Maccabees 1:10-15; Daniel 11:21-35)
  • Judas Maccabeus — 167 BC to 160 BC: Son of the priest Mattathias who led the Jewish revolt against the Seleucids from roughly 167-160 BC (1 Maccabees 3:1-9). He recaptured Jerusalem and rededicated the temple, and later fell in battle (1 Maccabees 9:18). (1 Maccabees 3:1-9; 1 Maccabees 9:18)
  • Antiochus IV Desecrates the Temple — 167 BC: In 167 BC Antiochus IV set up a desolating sacrilege on the altar of the Jerusalem temple, recorded in the apocryphal history as the 'abomination of desolation' (1 Maccabees 1:54). Daniel 11:31 uses the same language of forces who profane the temple, take away the regular burnt offering, and set up the abomination that makes desolate. (1 Maccabees 1:54; Daniel 11:31)
  • The Maccabean Revolt Begins — 167 BC: In 167 BC the priest Mattathias refused to sacrifice to pagan gods, killed the officer enforcing the decree, and fled to the hills with his sons, igniting the revolt against Seleucid rule (1 Maccabees 2:15-28). (1 Maccabees 2:15-28)
  • Rededication of the Temple (Hanukkah) — 164 BC: In 164 BC Judas Maccabeus and his brothers cleansed the temple, built a new altar, and rededicated the sanctuary, appointing an eight-day annual feast (1 Maccabees 4:36-59). John 10:22 refers to this observance obliquely as the Feast of Dedication, kept in Jerusalem in winter. (1 Maccabees 4:36-59; John 10:22)
  • John Hyrcanus — 134 BC to 104 BC: Hasmonean high priest and ruler of Judea, reigning 134-104 BC. His acts are noted at the close of 1 Maccabees, which records that the rest of his deeds were written in the chronicles of his high priesthood (1 Maccabees 16:23-24). (1 Maccabees 16:23-24)
  • Pompey Enters Jerusalem — 63 BC: In 63 BC the Roman general Pompey captured Jerusalem, bringing Judea under Roman power and ending Hasmonean independence. This is historical context surrounding the close of 1 Maccabees rather than a narrated biblical event. Daniel 2:40 describes a fourth kingdom, strong as iron, that breaks and crushes all others; the identification of that kingdom with Rome is a common interpretive reading, not stated in the text. (Daniel 2:40)
  • Herod the Great — 37 BC to 4 BC: Rome-appointed king of Judea, reigning 37-4 BC. The Gospel of Matthew places the birth of Jesus in his reign (Matthew 2:1-3) and records his order to kill the children of Bethlehem, followed by his death (Matthew 2:16-19). (Matthew 2:1-3; Matthew 2:16-19)
  • Joseph (earthly father of Jesus) — 26 BC: A carpenter of Nazareth, of the line of David, betrothed to Mary; told by an angel to take her as his wife and to name the child Jesus (Matthew 1:18-25). He went to Bethlehem for the census and was present at Jesus’ birth (Luke 2:4-7), took the child to Egypt and back (Matthew 2:13-23), and last appears in the narrative when Jesus was twelve at the temple (Luke 2:41-51). Matthew traces his line through Jacob (Matthew 1:16) and Luke through Heli (Luke 3:23), two genealogies the reader may compare. The text does not record his birth or death; the bar reflects an estimate, and he is not mentioned during Jesus’ ministry. (Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 2:4-7; Luke 2:41-51)
  • Herod the Great Begins Rebuilding the Temple — 20 BC: Around 20 BC Herod the Great began an extensive rebuilding and expansion of the Jerusalem temple. The New Testament itself references the length of this project when the people tell Jesus, 'It has taken forty-six years to build this temple' (John 2:20). (John 2:20)
  • Mary (mother of Jesus) — 19 BC: A virgin of Nazareth betrothed to Joseph, told by the angel Gabriel that she would conceive by the Holy Spirit and bear the Son of the Most High; she answered, ‘Let it be to me according to your word’ (Luke 1:26-38). She gave birth to Jesus (Luke 2:6-7), was present at the wedding in Cana (John 2:1-5) and at the cross, where Jesus committed her to the disciple he loved (John 19:25-27). She was among those gathered in prayer after the ascension (Acts 1:14). Her birth and death are not recorded; the bar reflects an estimate. (Luke 1:26-38; John 19:25-27; Acts 1:14)
  • Mary Magdalene — 6 BC: A woman from whom seven demons had gone out, who followed Jesus and provided for the disciples out of her means (Luke 8:1-3). She was present at the crucifixion (Matthew 27:55-56) and came to the tomb on the first day of the week; the risen Jesus appeared to her and sent her to tell the disciples (John 20:1-18). Her birth and death are not recorded; the bar reflects an estimate. (Luke 8:1-3; Matthew 27:55-56; John 20:1-18)
  • Birth of John the Baptist — 5 BC: Around 5 BC John was born to the priest Zechariah and Elizabeth in their old age, his birth foretold by the angel Gabriel (Luke 1:5-25). At his circumcision his father's speech was restored and he named the child John, as the angel had commanded (Luke 1:57-66). (Luke 1:5-25; Luke 1:57-66)
  • John the Baptist — 5 BC to 29 AD: The forerunner of the Messiah, born to Zechariah and Elizabeth (Luke 1:57) and executed by beheading at the order of Herod Antipas (Mark 6:27). (Luke 1:57; Mark 6:27)
  • Jesus — 4 BC to 30 AD: Born to Mary in the days of Herod the king (Matthew 1:18-25). The text records that he was about thirty years old when he began his ministry (Luke 3:23), and that on the cross he said, 'It is finished,' and gave up his spirit (John 19:30). (Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 3:23; John 19:30)
  • Birth of Jesus — 4 BC: Around 4 BC Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea. Matthew records the conception by the Holy Spirit and the naming of Jesus (Matthew 1:18-25); Luke records the census of Caesar Augustus and the birth in a manger because there was no place for them in the inn (Luke 2:1-7). (Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 2:1-7)
  • Peter (Simon) — 1 AD to 64 AD: A fisherman from Bethsaida, called Simon, to whom Jesus gave the name Peter (Aramaic Cephas, meaning rock; John 1:42). Called by Jesus to follow him along with his brother Andrew (Matthew 4:18-20). Jesus foretold the manner of his death, signifying by what death he would glorify God (John 21:18-19). He later wrote from ‘Babylon’ with the church there (1 Peter 5:13). (Matthew 4:18-20; John 21:18-19; 1 Peter 5:13)
  • Andrew — 1 AD: The brother of Simon Peter, a fisherman of Bethsaida and formerly a disciple of John the Baptist, who first followed Jesus and then brought his brother to him, saying, ‘We have found the Messiah’ (John 1:40-42). He was called with Peter to leave his nets and follow (Matthew 4:18-20) and was among those who asked Jesus about the end (Mark 13:3-4). His birth and death are not recorded; the bar reflects an estimate. (John 1:40-42; Matthew 4:18-20; Mark 13:3-4)
  • James son of Zebedee — 1 AD to 44 AD: The son of Zebedee and brother of John, called with his brother while mending nets (Mark 1:19-20). He was among the three taken by Jesus into closer moments, at the raising of Jairus’s daughter and elsewhere (Mark 5:37; 9:2). The text records that Herod had him killed with the sword (Acts 12:2), placing his death around 44 AD. His birth year is not stated; the bar reflects an estimate to his recorded death. (Mark 1:19-20; Mark 5:37; Acts 12:2)
  • Thomas — 1 AD: One of the twelve, called the Twin, who said when Jesus resolved to go to Judea, ‘Let us also go, that we may die with him’ (John 11:16). Absent when the risen Jesus first appeared, he said he would not believe without seeing the wounds; eight days later he saw and answered, ‘My Lord and my God’ (John 20:24-29). His birth and death are not recorded; the bar reflects an estimate. (John 11:16; John 20:24-29)
  • Matthew (Levi) — 1 AD: A tax collector called by Jesus from his tax booth with the words ‘Follow me,’ after which he rose and followed (Matthew 9:9). The same account names him Levi, the son of Alphaeus (Mark 2:14; Luke 5:27-28), and records that he held a great feast for Jesus with tax collectors and sinners. His birth and death are not recorded; the bar reflects an estimate. (Matthew 9:9; Mark 2:14; Luke 5:27-28)
  • Barnabas — 1 AD: A Levite from Cyprus named Joseph, called Barnabas (‘son of encouragement’) by the apostles, who sold a field and laid the money at the apostles’ feet (Acts 4:36-37). He brought the newly converted Saul to the apostles (Acts 9:27) and was sent to Antioch (Acts 11:22-26). Set apart with Saul by the Holy Spirit, he went on the first missionary journey (Acts 13:2-3), and later parted from Paul over John Mark (Acts 15:36-39). His birth and death are not recorded; the bar reflects an estimate. (Acts 4:36-37; Acts 9:27; Acts 13:2-3)
  • Paul (Saul of Tarsus) — 5 AD to 67 AD: Born a Jew in Tarsus of Cilicia and raised a Pharisee (Acts 22:3), he was met by the risen Christ on the road to Damascus and became an apostle to the Gentiles (Acts 9:1-19). Near the end he wrote that the time of his departure had come and that he had finished the race (2 Timothy 4:6-8). (Acts 9:1-19; Acts 22:3; 2 Timothy 4:6-8)
  • John the Apostle — 5 AD to 96 AD: The son of Zebedee, called with his brother James while mending nets (Mark 1:19-20). Late in life he was on the island of Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus, where he received the Revelation (Revelation 1:9). (Mark 1:19-20; Revelation 1:9)
  • James (brother of Jesus) — 5 AD: Named among the brothers of Jesus (Matthew 13:55; Mark 6:3). Paul calls him ‘the Lord’s brother’ and one of the pillars in Jerusalem (Galatians 1:19; 2:9), and the risen Jesus appeared to him (1 Corinthians 15:7). He spoke the judgment at the Jerusalem council (Acts 15:13-21) and is generally taken to be the writer of the letter of James (James 1:1). He is distinct from the two apostles named James. His birth and death are not recorded in scripture; the bar reflects an estimate. (Matthew 13:55; Galatians 1:19; Acts 15:13-21)
  • Luke — 5 AD: Named by Paul as ‘the beloved physician’ (Colossians 4:14), a fellow worker (Philemon 24), and the one who remained with Paul near the end (2 Timothy 4:11). The Gospel of Luke and the book of Acts do not name their author within the text; the attribution to Luke is by tradition, though the ‘we’ passages of Acts (for example Acts 16:10-17) indicate that the writer traveled with Paul. His birth and death are not recorded; the bar reflects an estimate. (Colossians 4:14; 2 Timothy 4:11; Philemon 24)
  • Silas (Silvanus) — 5 AD: A leading man among the brothers in Jerusalem (Acts 15:22), chosen by Paul as his companion after Paul parted from Barnabas (Acts 15:40). He was beaten and imprisoned with Paul at Philippi, where they sang hymns at midnight (Acts 16:19-25). He appears as a co-sender of letters under the name Silvanus (1 Thessalonians 1:1; 2 Thessalonians 1:1; 2 Corinthians 1:19) and is associated with Peter’s first letter (1 Peter 5:12). His birth and death are not recorded; the bar reflects an estimate. (Acts 15:40; Acts 16:19-25; 1 Thessalonians 1:1)
  • Priscilla and Aquila — 10 AD: A married couple, Aquila a Jew of Pontus and his wife Priscilla, who had left Italy when Claudius commanded the Jews to depart from Rome; Paul stayed and worked with them as tentmakers (Acts 18:2-3). They took Apollos aside and explained the way of God more accurately (Acts 18:24-26). Paul calls them his fellow workers who risked their necks for him (Romans 16:3-4; see also 1 Corinthians 16:19; 2 Timothy 4:19). Their birth and death are not recorded; the bar reflects an estimate. This entry covers the pair together, as the text consistently names them as a couple. (Acts 18:2-3; Acts 18:24-26; Romans 16:3-4)
  • Timothy — 20 AD: A disciple from Lystra, son of a believing Jewish mother and a Greek father, well spoken of by the brothers, whom Paul took along on his journeys (Acts 16:1-3). Paul recalls the faith of his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice (2 Timothy 1:5) and addresses him as ‘my true child in the faith’ (1 Timothy 1:2). He is named as co-sender of several of Paul’s letters. His birth and death are not recorded; the bar reflects an estimate. (Acts 16:1-3; 2 Timothy 1:5; 1 Timothy 1:2)
  • Baptism of Jesus and Beginning of Ministry — 27 AD: Around 27 AD Jesus was baptized by John in the Jordan; the Spirit descended like a dove and a voice from heaven declared him the beloved Son (Matthew 3:13-17). Luke notes he was about thirty years old at the start of his ministry (Luke 3:21-23). (Matthew 3:13-17; Luke 3:21-23)
  • The Sermon on the Mount — 28 AD: Early in his Galilean ministry Jesus went up on the mountain, sat down with his disciples, and taught the crowds, beginning the discourse recorded in Matthew 5-7 (Matthew 5:1-2). (Matthew 5:1-2)
  • Calling of the Twelve Apostles — 28 AD: Jesus called to him those whom he desired, and appointed twelve whom he named apostles, that they might be with him and be sent out to preach and to have authority over unclean spirits (Mark 3:13-19). He gave the Twelve authority over unclean spirits and to heal every disease and affliction (Matthew 10:1-4). (Matthew 10:1-4; Mark 3:13-19)
  • The Transfiguration of Jesus — 29 AD: Jesus took Peter, James, and John up a high mountain, where he was transfigured before them; his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light (Matthew 17:1-2). Moses and Elijah appeared talking with him, and a voice from the bright cloud declared, 'This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him' (Matthew 17:3-8). (Matthew 17:1-8)
  • Passion Week [click to explore] — 30 AD: The final days of Jesus's ministry: Triumphal Entry, Last Supper, Crucifixion, Resurrection, Ascension, and Pentecost. Click to open the Passion Week timeline. (Matthew 21 – Acts 2)
  • Conversion of Saul on the Road to Damascus — 34 AD: As Saul traveled to Damascus to arrest believers, a light from heaven flashed and the risen Jesus confronted him; blinded, he was led into the city and restored through Ananias, then baptized (Acts 9:1-19). (Acts 9:1-19)
  • Stephen Martyred — First Christian Martyr — 34 AD: After his testimony before the council, Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God (Acts 7:54-56). The crowd cast him out of the city and stoned him; he called on the Lord and prayed that this sin not be held against them, and then he fell asleep (Acts 7:57-60). (Acts 7:54-60)
  • Peter's Vision and Cornelius — Gentiles Receive the Spirit — 40 AD: Peter saw a vision of a sheet lowered with all kinds of animals and a voice telling him not to call common what God had made clean (Acts 10:9-16). Peter himself interprets the vision within the chapter: God had shown him that he should not call any person common or unclean (Acts 10:28). At the house of Cornelius the Holy Spirit fell on the Gentiles who heard the word, and they were baptized (Acts 10:44-48). (Acts 10:9-48)
  • Paul's First Missionary Journey — 46 AD to 48 AD: The church at Antioch, directed by the Holy Spirit, set apart Barnabas and Saul and sent them off, and they sailed to Cyprus (Acts 13:1-4). After preaching through Cyprus and the cities of Asia Minor, they sailed back to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God, and reported all that God had done (Acts 14:26-28). (Acts 13:1-4; Acts 14:26-28)
  • The Jerusalem Council — 49 AD: Around 49 AD the apostles and elders gathered in Jerusalem to decide whether Gentile believers must be circumcised and keep the law of Moses, and sent a letter with their judgment to the Gentile churches (Acts 15:1-29). (Acts 15:1-29)
  • Paul's Second Missionary Journey — 49 AD to 52 AD: Paul chose Silas and departed, commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord, and went through Syria and Cilicia strengthening the churches (Acts 15:40-41). The journey carried the gospel into Macedonia and Greece, including Philippi, Thessalonica, Athens, and Corinth, before Paul went down to Antioch (Acts 18:22). (Acts 15:40-41; Acts 18:22)
  • Paul's Third Missionary Journey — 53 AD to 57 AD: Paul set out again and went from place to place through the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening the disciples (Acts 18:23). After an extended ministry centered on Ephesus and travel through Macedonia and Greece, he returned to Jerusalem, where the brothers received him gladly (Acts 21:17). (Acts 18:23; Acts 21:17)
  • Paul's Letter to the Romans — 57 AD: Around 57 AD Paul wrote to the believers in Rome, introducing himself as a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God (Romans 1:1-7). (Romans 1:1-7)
  • Paul's Arrest in Jerusalem — 57 AD: The city was stirred up and the people seized Paul in the temple, dragging him out and seeking to kill him (Acts 21:30-31). The Roman tribune came with soldiers, arrested Paul, and bound him with two chains, then asked who he was and what he had done (Acts 21:32-33). (Acts 21:30-33)
  • Paul Imprisoned in Rome — 60 AD: Around 60 AD Paul arrived in Rome and was allowed to stay by himself under guard, where for two years he received all who came to him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus with all boldness (Acts 28:16-31). (Acts 28:16-31)
  • Paul's Voyage to Rome and Shipwreck — 60 AD: When it was decided that they should sail for Italy, Paul and other prisoners were delivered to a centurion named Julius (Acts 27:1). After a violent storm and shipwreck, all reached land safely; they came ashore on Malta, and after three months Paul at last arrived in Rome (Acts 28:1-16). (Acts 27:1; Acts 28:1-16)
  • James, the Lord's Brother, Martyred in Jerusalem — 62 AD: The New Testament identifies James as the Lord's brother, whom Paul saw in Jerusalem (Galatians 1:19), and shows him leading the church there and speaking at the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15:13). His death around 62 AD is not narrated in the New Testament; it is attested by external history in the writings of the Jewish historian Josephus. The scripture references here establish his identity and role, not the manner of his death. (Galatians 1:19; Acts 15:13)
  • The Great Fire of Rome and Neronian Persecution — 64 AD: In 64 AD a great fire swept Rome, and the emperor Nero blamed and persecuted Christians. This event is attested by external history rather than direct biblical narrative. Revelation 2:10, written later (~96 AD), speaks of coming suffering and imprisonment and calls believers to be faithful unto death; it is a general exhortation to the persecuted church rather than a report of the fire itself. (Revelation 2:10)
  • Paul's Execution in Rome — 67 AD: The New Testament does not narrate Paul's death; in his final letter he writes that he is already being poured out as a drink offering and that the time of his departure has come, having fought the good fight and finished the race (2 Timothy 4:6-8). He recounts that at his first defense all deserted him, yet the Lord stood by him, and expresses confidence that the Lord would bring him safely into his heavenly kingdom (2 Timothy 4:16-18). His execution around 67 AD is drawn from early church tradition rather than direct biblical narrative. (2 Timothy 4:6-8; 2 Timothy 4:16-18)
  • Polycarp of Smyrna — 69 AD to 155 AD: Bishop of Smyrna and a disciple of John the apostle; martyred by burning and stabbing in Smyrna at about eighty-six years of age. The connection is direct to the church he led: Revelation 2:8-11 is the letter to the church in Smyrna, calling it to be 'faithful unto death.' (Revelation 2:8-11)
  • Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple — 70 AD: In 70 AD Roman forces destroyed Jerusalem and its temple. Jesus had foretold that not one stone of the temple would be left upon another (Matthew 24:1-2) and spoke of Jerusalem surrounded by armies and trampled by the Gentiles (Luke 21:20-24). (Matthew 24:1-2; Luke 21:20-24)
  • John Writes Revelation from Patmos — 96 AD: Around 96 AD John, exiled on the island of Patmos on account of the word of God, was in the Spirit on the Lord's day and heard a loud voice commanding him to write what he saw and send it to the seven churches (Revelation 1:9-11). (Revelation 1:9-11)
  • Justin Martyr — 100 AD to 165 AD: A philosopher who converted to Christianity and wrote formal defenses (apologies) of the faith addressed to Roman authorities; martyred in Rome. The scripture connection is interpretive: 1 Peter 3:15 exhorts believers to always be 'prepared to make a defense,' which describes the apologetic work Justin took up, though the text does not name him. (1 Peter 3:15)
  • Letters of Ignatius of Antioch — 107 AD: Bishop of Antioch arrested and transported to Rome for execution; along the way he wrote seven letters to churches urging unity around the bishop and faithfulness under persecution. The scripture connection is interpretive: Ignatius wrote of martyrdom as the completion of discipleship, echoing John 15:13 ('greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life'), though the text does not name him. (John 15:13)
  • Irenaeus of Lyon — 130 AD to 202 AD: Bishop of Lyon and a student of Polycarp; wrote 'Against Heresies' opposing Gnostic teaching and argued for the four Gospels as authoritative. The scripture connection is interpretive: 1 Timothy 6:20 warns to avoid 'what is falsely called knowledge' (Greek gnosis), the very error Irenaeus wrote against, though the text does not name him. (1 Timothy 6:20)
  • Marcion's Heresy — First Attempt to Fix a Biblical Canon — 144 AD: Marcion proposed rejecting the entire Old Testament and most of the New, keeping only a truncated Luke and ten Pauline letters; his challenge forced the church to begin formally defining what belonged in Scripture. The scripture connection is direct to the continuity Marcion denied: Galatians 4:4 ('God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law') ties the coming of Christ to the Old Testament covenant. (Galatians 4:4)
  • Muratorian Fragment — Earliest Known NT Canon List — 170 AD: The oldest surviving list of New Testament books accepted by a church in the West; it includes the four Gospels, Acts, thirteen Pauline letters, Jude, 1-2 John, and Revelation. The scripture connection is direct: the fragment describes Luke's Gospel, whose prologue (Luke 1:1-4) sets out its ordered account 'that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.' (Luke 1:1-4)
  • Origen of Alexandria — 184 AD to 253 AD: A prolific biblical scholar and theologian who produced the Hexapla, a six-column comparison of Old Testament texts; regarded as controversial on certain doctrines. The scripture connection is interpretive: 2 Timothy 2:15 speaks of 'rightly handling the word of truth,' which characterizes his textual scholarship, though the text does not name him. (2 Timothy 2:15)
  • Athanasius of Alexandria — 296 AD to 373 AD: Bishop of Alexandria who championed the full divinity of Christ against Arianism and was exiled five times; the phrase 'Athanasius contra mundum' (against the world) captures his perseverance. The scripture connection is direct: John 1:1-3, presenting the Logos as God and the agent of creation, was the text at the center of the Arian controversy. (John 1:1-3)
  • Diocletian's Persecution — The Great Persecution — 303 AD: Emperor Diocletian ordered the destruction of churches, the burning of Scriptures, and the execution of clergy — the most severe Roman persecution of Christians; it ended with Constantine's Edict of Milan in 313 AD. The scripture connection is interpretive: Revelation 2:10 ('Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life') addressed the church at Smyrna facing persecution, and was read as encouragement to those enduring this later suffering. (Revelation 2:10)
  • Edict of Milan — Constantine Grants Religious Tolerance — 313 AD: Constantine and Licinius issued a proclamation granting religious freedom throughout the Roman Empire, ending the persecutions. The scripture connection is interpretive: Romans 13:1-4 on the governing authorities as 'God's servant' was the text the church had to reckon with as Rome shifted from persecutor to patron. (Romans 13:1-4)
  • Council of Nicaea — Defines the Full Divinity of Christ — 325 AD: About three hundred bishops gathered at Nicaea to address Arianism — Arius taught that Christ was a created being, 'there was a time when he was not.' The council affirmed the Son is 'of the same substance' (homoousios) as the Father and produced the Nicene Creed. The scripture connection is direct to the texts at the center of the dispute: John 1:1 ('the Word was God') and Colossians 1:15-17 ('image of the invisible God,' 'firstborn of all creation'). (John 1:1; Colossians 1:15-17)
  • Jerome — 342 AD to 420 AD: The scholar who produced the Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible; he studied Hebrew with Jewish scholars and championed the Hebrew canon (Hebraica veritas) over the Septuagint for the Old Testament. The scripture connection is interpretive: Nehemiah 8:8 describes reading Scripture 'clearly' and giving 'the sense,' a model for translation work, though the text does not name him. (Nehemiah 8:8)
  • Augustine of Hippo — 354 AD to 430 AD: Bishop of Hippo and a theologian whose writings shaped Western Christianity; converted after years of philosophical searching and wrote 'Confessions' and 'City of God.' The scripture connection is direct to a text central to his theology: Romans 9:15-16 on grace and election ('it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy'). (Romans 9:15-16)
  • Council of Constantinople — Affirms the Full Divinity of the Holy Spirit — 381 AD: The council expanded the Nicene Creed to affirm the full divinity of the Holy Spirit against the Pneumatomachians ('Spirit-fighters'), producing the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed still used in churches today. The scripture connection is direct to texts bearing on the Spirit: John 14:16-17 (the 'Spirit of truth') and the Trinitarian blessing of 2 Corinthians 13:14. (John 14:16-17; 2 Corinthians 13:14)
  • Council of Carthage — NT Canon Formally Recognized — 397 AD: The North African council listed the twenty-seven books of the New Testament canon as authoritative — the same twenty-seven in use today. This was the most significant early formal statement of the NT canon; Athanasius's 39th Festal Letter (367 AD) had already listed them. The scripture connection is interpretive: 2 Timothy 3:16-17 ('all Scripture is breathed out by God') states the principle of authoritative Scripture that canon lists sought to identify. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
  • Jerome Completes the Latin Vulgate — 405 AD: Jerome's Latin translation of the Bible from the Hebrew and Greek originals became the standard Bible of the Western church for over a thousand years. The scripture connection is interpretive: Psalm 119:105 ('Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path') expresses the purpose of making Scripture accessible that the translation served. (Psalm 119:105)
  • Council of Chalcedon — Defines the Two Natures of Christ — 451 AD: The council defined Christ as one person with two natures, divine and human, 'without confusion, without change, without division, without separation.' It rejected Nestorius (who separated the natures) and Eutyches (who confused them); some Eastern churches split at this point. The scripture connection is direct to the texts in view: John 1:14 ('the Word became flesh') and Hebrews 4:15 ('tempted as we are, yet without sin'). (John 1:14; Hebrews 4:15)