Important Dates in the Lives of Jesus and Mary 

lie!)  (Gal 1:18 20). The 3 years could be counted from either Paul's conversion or from his return to 

Damascus. 

    Paul visited Jerusalem again long after his conversion.  Then after fourteen years I went up again to 

Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me.  (Gal 2:1). The 14 years could be counted either from 

Paul's conversion or from the previous trip to Jerusalem. Paul's visit to Jerusalem after 14 years is often called 

his second visit, since it is the second visit to Jerusalem, after his conversion, described in Galatians. Paul 

specifically states that he did not visit Jerusalem between his conversion and his first visit, the one after 3 years 

(Gal 1:17). However, he does not say whether or not he visited Jerusalem between the visit after 3 years and 

the one after 14 years (Cf. Gal 2:1). Some commentators conclude that Paul did not, but an analysis of Acts of 

the Apostles indicates that Paul did visit Jerusalem between the visit after 3 years and the visit after 14 years. 

    Acts of the Apostles describes Paul's first visit to Jerusalem. In Acts 9:26 30, Paul, who is still called Saul at 

this point in time, visits Jerusalem and tries to join the disciples. At first they distrust him, but, with the help of 

Barnabas, he is accepted and preaches the Gospel among them. Clearly this is Saul's first visit to Jerusalem. 

He seeks acceptance from the brethren of Jerusalem because they have not yet met with him since his 

conversion. Also, he is still called  Saul,  so this visit to Jerusalem occurred closer to his conversion. Only 

later in Acts, after some length of time has passed, is he called  Paul.  

    In Acts 9, Barnabas introduces Saul to the apostles. But in Galatians, Paul emphatically states that he saw 

only Cephas and James the Less (Gal 1:19 20). The reason is that Paul, in Galatians, is using the word 

 apostles  (Gal 1:19) to refer only to the Twelve, since he uses the expression  those who were apostles before 

me  (Gal 1:17). The expression  before me  could have a similar meaning to the expression used by John the 

Baptist,  He who comes after me ranks before me .  (Jn 1:15). Thus Paul is not only referring to the fact that 

the Twelve Apostles came before him in time, but also that they have a greater authority in the Church than he 

does; they rank before him. In contrast, Acts of the Apostles seems to use the word  apostles  in the more 

general sense. Thus, Acts 9 is describing the same visit to Jerusalem as the first visit of Galatians, the one after 

three years (Gal 1:18). 

    Paul's visit to Jerusalem after 14 years (Gal 2:1) is the one described in Acts 15:1 35, where the leaders of 

the Church resolve a dispute as to whether or not Christians had to follow Mosaic Law. Paul refers to this 

conflict in Galatians 2:3 7. He tells us that he presented his teachings among the Gentiles (which certainly did 

not require them to follow Mosaic Law) to the apostles (Gal 2:2) and that as a result even Titus was not 

required to follow Mosaic Law by being circumcised (Gal 2:3). Acts 15 relates this same controversy about 

Mosaic Law and circumcision (Acts 15:1 2), and specifically mentions Paul's role in debating these issues 

(Acts 15:12). Furthermore, in the text of Galatians, Paul mentions that Barnabas went to Jerusalem with him 

on this visit, which also agrees with the text of Acts 15. In addition, Acts 15:36 41 describes a disagreement 

between Paul and Barnabas, which caused them to go their separate ways. Paul's visit to Jerusalem after 14 

years must have occurred before this disagreement, since Barnabas was still with Paul at that time. 

    Acts of the Apostles agrees well with Galatians concerning the visit by Paul to Jerusalem after 3 years and 

the one after 14 years. However, Acts of the Apostles describes an additional visit by Paul to Jerusalem, 

though mainly  to the surrounding area of Judea. In Acts 11:27 30 and 12:25, Saul and Barnabas are sent to 

Judea during a famine (Acts 11:28), during the reign of Claudius (Acts 11:28), and about the time of the death 

of Herod Agrippa I (Acts 12:1 23). Their purpose is to bring relief to the brethren of Judea. The city of 

Jerusalem itself is not mentioned until Acts 12:25, which states:  And Barnabas and Saul returned from 

Jerusalem when they had fulfilled their mission, bringing with them John whose other name was Mark.  (Acts 

12:25). Saul spent most of his time during this mission traveling around Judea, bringing relief to various 

Christians affected by the famine. He likely visited Jerusalem, at least briefly, to communicate with the leaders 

of the Church in Judea about this mission, resulting in the reference to Jerusalem in Acts 12:25. 

    Notice that the verse stating that Barnabas and Saul had been to Jerusalem (Acts 12:25) occurs after the 

passage in which Herod died (Acts 12:23). The intervening verse (Acts 12:24) is about the spread of the Gospel 

and indicates that there was some time between Herod's death and Saul's visit to Jerusalem. Saul spent most 

of his time bringing relief to those in need in the surrounding area of Judea. He and Barnabas likely avoided 

Jerusalem, the seat of Roman authority in the area, lest they be put to death as James the Greater had been, or 

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