Themed chart
New Testament Timeline
The life of Jesus and the birth of the church
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How to read it: The whole New Testament fits in a single century — zoom into the Gospels window, then watch the church spread after Pentecost.
About this chart
The New Testament covers about a century, but a momentous one — the life of Jesus and the explosive first decades of the church. This timeline places the Gospels and the events of Acts in order, from the Nativity to the close of the apostolic age, so the letters can be read against the history that produced them.
It clarifies how the pieces fit: the three years of Jesus' ministry, the resurrection and Pentecost, the conversion of Paul, the spread of the gospel to the Gentiles, and the missionary journeys that planted churches across the empire. Dates in the Gospels are approximate (the Nativity around 6–4 BC, the crucifixion around AD 30–33), while the Acts era is anchored by several fixed historical points.
Written by the Selah Editorial Team. Dates are approximate; biblical chronology is debated and shown as ranges.
Events in this chart
The Birth of Jesus
Jesus is born in Bethlehem — the Word made flesh. Dated before the death of Herod the Great (4 BC).
The Ministry of Jesus
Jesus is baptized by John, calls his disciples, teaches, and works miracles throughout Galilee and Judea.
The Crucifixion & Resurrection
Jesus is crucified and rises from the dead in Jerusalem — the center of the Christian faith. AD 30 and AD 33 are the leading proposed years.
Pentecost
The Holy Spirit is poured out on the disciples and the church is born; Peter preaches and thousands believe.
The Conversion of Paul
Saul of Tarsus, a persecutor of the church, encounters the risen Christ on the road to Damascus and becomes the apostle Paul.
Paul's Missionary Journeys
Paul carries the gospel across the Roman world on three missionary journeys, planting churches and writing letters.
The Destruction of the Temple
Rome destroys Jerusalem and the second temple, as Jesus foretold — ending the sacrificial system.
Related charts & eras
Frequently asked
What period does the New Testament cover?
Roughly 6 BC to AD 100 — from the birth of Jesus to the end of the apostolic age and the writing of the last New Testament books.
What is the order of events in the New Testament?
The birth and life of Jesus, his crucifixion and resurrection, Pentecost and the birth of the church, the conversion of Paul, and the spread of the gospel through the missionary journeys.
How long after Jesus was the New Testament written?
Its books were written across the second half of the first century, within decades of the events — the letters from the 40s–60s and the Gospels and remaining books later in the century.
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