Chronological Order of the New Testament Books
By Shadush Sachiska· 6 min read
In this article
Open your New Testament and you'll find Matthew first and Revelation last. But that's not the order the books were written. Paul was writing letters to young churches years before most of the Gospels were put into writing, and the letters themselves are arranged by length, not by date.
This guide lists all 27 New Testament books in the order they were most likely written, with dates, authors and places. It also gives a reading order that follows the events of the early church, and a simple timeline of the New Testament period.
New Testament dates are approximate, and scholars disagree on several of them. The dates below follow a widely used conservative chronology; the most debated points are explained further down.
New Testament books in the order they were written
| # | Book | Author | Approx. date | Written from |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | James | James, brother of Jesus | c. AD 45–49 | Jerusalem |
| 2 | Galatians | Paul | c. AD 49–55 | Antioch or Corinth |
| 3 | 1 Thessalonians | Paul | c. AD 51 | Corinth |
| 4 | 2 Thessalonians | Paul | c. AD 51–52 | Corinth |
| 5 | 1 Corinthians | Paul | c. AD 55 | Ephesus |
| 6 | 2 Corinthians | Paul | c. AD 56 | Macedonia |
| 7 | Romans | Paul | c. AD 57 | Corinth |
| 8 | Mark | John Mark | c. AD 55–65 | Rome (tradition) |
| 9 | Matthew | Matthew (Levi) | c. AD 50–65 | Uncertain (Judea or Antioch) |
| 10 | Luke | Luke | c. AD 60 | Uncertain (possibly Caesarea or Rome) |
| 11 | Acts | Luke | c. AD 62 | Rome |
| 12 | Ephesians | Paul | c. AD 60–62 | Rome (prison) |
| 13 | Colossians | Paul | c. AD 60–62 | Rome (prison) |
| 14 | Philemon | Paul | c. AD 60–62 | Rome (prison) |
| 15 | Philippians | Paul | c. AD 61 | Rome (prison) |
| 16 | 1 Timothy | Paul | c. AD 62–64 | Macedonia |
| 17 | Titus | Paul | c. AD 63 | Macedonia or Nicopolis |
| 18 | 1 Peter | Peter | c. AD 62–64 | Rome (“Babylon,” 5:13) |
| 19 | 2 Timothy | Paul | c. AD 64–67 | Rome (final imprisonment) |
| 20 | 2 Peter | Peter | c. AD 64–67 | Rome |
| 21 | Hebrews | Unknown | c. AD 64–69 | Unknown |
| 22 | Jude | Jude, brother of James | c. AD 65–80 | Unknown |
| 23 | John | John the apostle | c. AD 85–95 | Ephesus (tradition) |
| 24 | 1 John | John the apostle | c. AD 85–95 | Ephesus (tradition) |
| 25 | 2 John | John the apostle | c. AD 85–95 | Ephesus (tradition) |
| 26 | 3 John | John the apostle | c. AD 85–95 | Ephesus (tradition) |
| 27 | Revelation | John the apostle | c. AD 95 | Island of Patmos |
Why the New Testament isn't in chronological order
The New Testament is arranged by type of writing, not by date:
- The Gospels come first because they tell the story of Jesus, the foundation of everything else.
- Acts follows as the history of the early church.
- Paul's letters are arranged roughly by length — Romans is the longest, Philemon the shortest — with letters to churches before letters to individuals.
- The General Letters (Hebrews to Jude) come next, roughly by length as well.
- Revelation comes last, as it looks ahead to the end of history.
This arrangement makes sense for reading the story of Jesus first. But reading the letters in the order they were written helps you see how the church and its teaching grew. For the whole Bible, see the 66 books of the Bible in order with summaries.
Reading the New Testament in order of events
To read the New Testament as one unfolding story, read the Gospels, then follow Acts and read each letter at the point in Acts when it was written:
- Matthew
- Mark
- Luke
- John
- Acts 1–14
- James
- Galatians
- Acts 15–18
- 1 Thessalonians
- 2 Thessalonians
- Acts 19
- 1 Corinthians
- 2 Corinthians
- Romans
- Acts 20–28
- Ephesians
- Philippians
- Colossians
- Philemon
- 1 Timothy
- Titus
- 1 Peter
- 2 Timothy
- 2 Peter
- Hebrews
- Jude
- 1 John
- 2 John
- 3 John
- Revelation
This is the same order our chronological Bible reading plan uses for the New Testament, which takes you through it in about three months.
New Testament timeline
| Approx. date | Event |
|---|---|
| c. 6–4 BC | Birth of Jesus in Bethlehem |
| c. AD 26–30 | Ministry of John the Baptist and the start of Jesus' public ministry |
| c. AD 30 or 33 | Crucifixion, resurrection and ascension of Jesus; Pentecost (Acts 2) |
| c. AD 33–36 | Stephen martyred; Paul's conversion on the road to Damascus (Acts 7–9) |
| c. AD 46–48 | Paul's first missionary journey (Acts 13–14) |
| c. AD 49 | Jerusalem Council (Acts 15) |
| c. AD 49–52 | Paul's second missionary journey; 1–2 Thessalonians written (Acts 15:36–18:22) |
| c. AD 53–57 | Paul's third missionary journey; 1–2 Corinthians and Romans written (Acts 18:23–21:16) |
| c. AD 57–59 | Paul arrested in Jerusalem and held in Caesarea (Acts 21–26) |
| c. AD 60–62 | Paul under house arrest in Rome; prison letters written (Acts 28) |
| c. AD 64 | Great fire of Rome and Nero's persecution of Christians |
| c. AD 64–68 | Peter and Paul martyred in Rome (tradition) |
| AD 70 | Romans destroy Jerusalem and the temple |
| c. AD 85–95 | John writes his Gospel, letters and Revelation |
The most debated New Testament dates
- Which Gospel came first? Most scholars think Mark was written first and used by Matthew and Luke (“Markan priority”). Early church writers, such as Irenaeus, placed Matthew first.
- Galatians: some date it around AD 49, before the Jerusalem Council, making it Paul's first letter; others date it in the mid-50s.
- James: if written by James the brother of Jesus in the 40s, it may be the earliest book of the New Testament.
- Revelation: most date it around AD 95 under Emperor Domitian; some argue for around AD 68, under Nero.
- Hebrews: its author is unknown, but because it speaks of temple sacrifices as still ongoing, many date it before AD 70.
To learn more about who wrote each book, see books of the Bible and their authors. For the order of Jesus' own teaching, see all Jesus' parables in order.
Frequently asked questions
What was the first book of the New Testament written?
Most scholars point to James (c. AD 45–49) or Galatians (c. AD 49), with 1 Thessalonians (c. AD 51) close behind. Many consider 1 Thessalonians the earliest book whose date is most certain.
What was the last book of the New Testament written?
Revelation, written by John on the island of Patmos around AD 95. Some scholars date it earlier, around AD 68.
Which Gospel was written first?
Most scholars believe Mark was written first and used by Matthew and Luke. Early church tradition placed Matthew first. Either way, the first three Gospels were likely written between about AD 50 and 65, and John's Gospel later, around AD 85–95.
Were Paul's letters written before the Gospels?
Yes, most of them. Paul's earliest letters date from around AD 49–51, while the Gospels were written down from about AD 55 onward, though the stories of Jesus were preached and passed on from the start.
Why are Paul's letters in the order they are?
They're arranged roughly by length, longest to shortest: first his letters to churches (Romans to 2 Thessalonians), then his letters to individuals (1 Timothy to Philemon).
Should I read the New Testament in chronological order?
It's a great way to see the letters in their setting. Read the Gospels, then Acts with each letter inserted at the point Paul wrote it, as in the reading order on this page.
