Dating the New Testament

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Destruction of Jerusalem

Matthew

Mark

Luke

John

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Romans

1 and 2 Corinthians

Galatians

Ephesians

Phillippians

Colossians

1 and 2 Thessalonians

1 and 2 Timothy

Titus

Philemon

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The Epistle of James

1 and 2Peter

1, 2 and 3 John

1 and 2Peter

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Dating the Old Testament

The Letter to Titus

Titus was written by Paul, but there is limited biographical information in the book that can be used to discern its date. Titus was a gentile companion of Paul even before his first missionary journey (Gal 2:3). Paul is not in prison (Titus 3:17) when this letter is written, and he is planning to spend the winter in Nicopolis (Greece). Paul is already acquainted with Apollos (Titus 3:13), and he has left Titus in Crete (Titus 1:5) to lead the church there.

Since most of these details center around Greece or Greek contacts, the most likely date for this epistle would be toward the end of Paul's third missionary journey, after he had spent considerable time in Greece. His plan to spend the winter in Nicopolis would fit well with Paul's plan to return to Jerusalem from Greece in the spring. Therefore, the most likely date for letter to Titus would be in the fall of 57 A.D., in the year before Paul's return to Jerusalem and arrest.