The dates below reflect a broad mainstream scholarly consensus rather than any one school of thought. For some books, scholarly opinion varies considerably, so the composition dates are given as ranges. The "earliest manuscript" column refers to the earliest surviving Greek manuscript fragment or papyrus containing part of that book, not a complete copy.
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Earliest manuscripts & dates
|
New Testament Book |
Likely Date of
Composition |
Earliest Known
Manuscript Evidence |
Approx. Date of
Manuscript |
|
Matthew |
c. AD 80-90 |
Papyrus 104 (Matt 21) |
c. AD 100-150 |
|
Mark |
c. AD 65-75 |
Papyrus 137
(Mark 1) |
c. AD 100-150 |
|
Luke |
c. AD 80-90 |
Papyrus 4 |
c. AD 150-175 |
|
John |
c. AD 90-100 |
Papyrus 52
(John 18) |
c. AD 125-150 |
|
Acts |
c. AD 80-90 |
Papyrus 45 |
c. AD 200-250 |
|
Romans |
c. AD 56-58 |
Papyrus 46 |
c. AD 175-225 |
|
1 Corinthians |
c. AD 53-55 |
Papyrus 46 |
c. AD 175-225 |
|
2 Corinthians |
c. AD 55-56 |
Papyrus 46 |
c. AD 175-225 |
|
Galatians |
c. AD 48-55 |
Papyrus 46 |
c. AD 175-225 |
|
Ephesians |
c. AD 60-90 |
Papyrus 46 |
c. AD 175-225 |
|
Philippians |
c. AD 60-62 |
Papyrus 46 |
c. AD 175-225 |
|
Colossians |
c. AD 60-90 |
Papyrus 46 |
c. AD 175-225 |
|
1 Thessalonians |
c. AD 50-51 |
Papyrus 46 |
c. AD 175-225 |
|
2 Thessalonians |
c. AD 51-100 |
Papyrus 30 |
c. AD 200-250 |
|
1 Timothy |
c. AD 80-100 |
Codex Sinaiticus
(earliest substantial witness) |
c. AD 330-360 |
|
2 Timothy |
c. AD 80-100 |
Papyrus 32 |
c. AD 200 |
|
Titus |
c. AD 80-100 |
Papyrus 32 |
c. AD 200 |
|
Philemon |
c. AD 55-62 |
Papyrus 46 |
c. AD 175-225 |
|
Hebrews |
c. AD 60-90 |
Papyrus 46 |
c. AD 175-225 |
|
James |
c. AD 70-100 |
Papyrus 20 |
c. AD 200-250 |
|
1 Peter |
c. AD 70-90 |
Papyrus 72 |
c. AD 250-300 |
|
2 Peter |
c. AD 80-120 |
Papyrus 72 |
c. AD 250-300 |
|
1 John |
c. AD 90-110 |
Papyrus 9 |
c. AD 200-250 |
|
2 John |
c. AD 90-110 |
Papyrus 74 |
c. AD
600-700* |
|
3 John |
c. AD 90-110 |
Papyrus 74 |
c. AD 600-700* |
|
Jude |
c. AD 80-110 |
Papyrus 72 |
c. AD 250-300 |
|
Revelation |
c. AD 90-96 |
Papyrus 98 |
c. AD 150-250 |
*For 2 and 3 John the manuscript
evidence is notably sparse; there are no surviving second- or third-century
papyri containing those tiny letters.
Timeline of Main Writers following
the death of Jesus
Dates are approximate and often
debated.
AD 30-100: Apostolic Age
|
Date |
Person/event |
Significance |
|
c.
30-33 |
Jesus crucified;
resurrection proclaimed |
Beginning of Christian
movement |
|
c. 33 |
Pentecost |
Earliest
Jerusalem church |
|
c.
34-36 |
Conversion of Paul |
Christianity begins
expanding beyond Judaism |
|
C. 40-60 |
Paul's
missionary journeys |
Churches
established across eastern Mediterranean |
|
c.
45-62 |
James, brother of
Jesus |
Leader of Jerusalem
church |
|
c. 50-60 |
Paul's major
letters written |
Earliest
Christian writings |
|
c.
62 |
James martyred |
End of first Jerusalem
leadership |
|
c. 64-67 |
Peter
martyred in Rome (traditional) |
Leading
apostle of early church |
|
c.
64-68 |
Paul martyred in Rome
(traditional) |
Greatest missionary of
early Christianity |
|
c. 70 |
Destruction
of Jerusalem Temple |
Major turning
point |
|
c.
65-75 |
Gospel of Mark |
First Gospel |
|
c. 80-90 |
Matthew and
Luke-Acts |
Expansion of
written traditions |
|
c.
90-100 |
John, Johannine
letters, Revelation |
Final apostolic
generation |
|
c. 95-100 |
Death of John
(traditional) |
Last
surviving apostle |
These are the figures closest to
the apostles themselves.
|
Approx. Dates |
Figure |
Importance |
|
c.
35-100 |
Clement of Rome |
1 Clement, earliest
surviving Christian text outside NT |
|
c. 80-120 |
Didache
(anonymous) |
Early church
manual |
|
c.
85-115 |
Ignatius of Antioch |
Letters stressing
bishops, Eucharist, church unity |
|
c. 95-130 |
Papias |
Preserves
early traditions about Gospel origins |
|
c.
69-155 |
Polycarp of Smyrna |
Disciple of John; link
to apostolic age |
|
c. 100-160 |
Shepherd of
Hermas |
Extremely
influential devotional work |
These writers show Christianity
transitioning from apostolic leadership to institutional church structures.
AD 150-250: Apologists and Early Theologians
|
Approx. Dates |
Figure |
Importance |
|
c. 100-165 |
Justin martyr |
First major christian
philosopher |
|
c. 130-202 |
Irenaeus of
lyons |
Defended
four-gospel canon; opposed gnosticism |
|
c. 155-220 |
Tertullian |
First major latin
theologian |
|
c. 150-215 |
Clement of
Alexandria |
Integrated
Greek philosophy and Christianity |
|
c.
185-253 |
Origen |
Greatest biblical
scholar of the early church |
|
c. 170-235 |
Hippolytus |
Important
theologian and commentator |
|
c.
200-258 |
Cyprian of Carthage |
Influential bishop and
martyr |
AD 250-325: Age of
Persecution and Transition
|
Date |
Event |
|
249-251 |
Decian persecution |
|
303-311 |
Great Persecution under
Diocletian |
|
312 |
Constantine's conversion |
|
313 |
Edict of Milan legalises
Christianity |
|
325 |
Council of Nicaea |
Christianity moves from a
persecuted minority to an imperially favoured religion.
AD 300-400: The Great Church Fathers
This is often called the Golden
Age of Patristics.
|
Approx. Dates |
Figure |
Importance |
|
260-339 |
Eusebius of Caesarea |
First great church
historian |
|
296-373 |
Athanasius |
Defender of
Nicene Christianity |
|
329-379 |
Basil the Great |
Major architect of
Trinitarian theology |
|
330-390 |
Gregory
Nazianzen |
"The
Theologian" |
|
335-395 |
Gregory of Nyssa |
Profound mystical
theologian |
|
347-420 |
Jerome |
Latin Vulgate
translator |
|
339-397 |
Ambrose of Milan |
Influenced Augustine |
|
349-407 |
John
Chrysostom |
Greatest
preacher of the early church |
|
354-430 |
Augustine of Hippo |
Most influential
Western theologian |
|
1st Century |
2nd Century |
3rd Century |
4th Century |
|
Paul |
Ignatius |
Tertullian |
Eusebius |
|
Mark |
Polycarp |
Clement of
Alexandria |
Athanasius |
|
Matthew |
Papias |
Origen |
Basil |
|
Luke |
Justin
Martyr |
Cyprian |
Gregory
Nazianzen |
|
John |
Irenaeus |
Gregory of Nyssa |
|
|
Clement of Rome |
Ambrose |
||
|
Jerome |
|||
|
John
Chrysostom |
|||
|
Augustine |
