Acts 16:26
Suddenly a strong earthquake shook the foundations of the prison. At once all the doors flew open and everyone’s chains came loose.
Scripture: Berean Standard Bible (BSB), public domain
- WHERE
- Philippi
- WHEN
- c. AD 49-52
ON THE MAP
WHEN
c. AD 49-52
counted from the text
The eighteen months in Corinth fit Paul into the Roman calendar in years, not just in order.
WHO RULED
- Claudius emperor of Rome AD 41-54
- Gallio proconsul of Achaia AD 51-52
- Herod Agrippa II king of Judea AD 50-93
- Antonius Felix procurator of Judea AD 52-59
MEANWHILE
-
c. AD 49 Italy
Claudius expels the Jews from Rome
That is why Aquila and Priscilla are in Corinth when Paul arrives, in Acts 18:2.
-
AD 51-52 Achaia
Gallio is proconsul of Achaia
The Delphi inscription dates his term, and with it the only fixed date in Paul's life.
SOURCES
- date — Acts 18:12 puts Paul before Gallio, proconsul of Achaia in AD 51-52 by the Delphi inscription. It is the anchor of the whole chronology of Paul.
- Claudius — Suetonius, Claudius; Tacitus, Annals XI-XII
- Gallio — Delphi inscription (SIG 801d), which dates his term; Acts 18:12. It is the only fixed date in Paul's chronology.
- Herod Agrippa II — Josephus, Jewish War II; Antiquities XX
- Antonius Felix — Josephus, Antiquities XX.7-8; Tacitus, Annals XII.54
- Claudius expels the Jews from Rome — Suetonius, Claudius 25.4; Orosius VII.6
- Gallio is proconsul of Achaia — Delphi inscription (SIG 801d); Acts 18:12
WHAT HAPPENED
-
The church in Europe begins in a house AD 50 (approximate date)
Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth, is the first recorded convert on the continent. The European church begins in a businesswoman’s living room.
SEE ALSO
- Acts 4:31 After they had prayed, their meeting place was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
- Acts 5:19 But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out, saying,
- Acts 12:7 Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He tapped Peter on the side and woke him up, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his wrists.
- Acts 12:10 They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city, which opened for them by itself. When they had gone outside and walked the length of one…
- Psalms 146:7 He executes justice for the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets the prisoners free,
- Matthew 28:2 Suddenly there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, rolled away the stone, and sat on it.
- Psalms 102:20 to hear a prisoner’s groaning, to release those condemned to death,
- Isaiah 42:7 to open the eyes of the blind, to bring prisoners out of the dungeon and those sitting in darkness out from the prison house.
Cross-references: OpenBible.info, CC BY 4.0
UPDATED