What is the chronological order and significance of Paul's epistles?

Understanding the order in which Paul wrote his epistles is of great importance because it helps us to determine the progression of the revelations that Paul received from the Lord. One must be aware that the Lord did not reveal ALL details of the Grace Program to Paul on the road to Damascus (Acts 9). Even during the 3 years that Paul spent in Arabia, it was not sufficient time to learn all the intricacies of the full revelation of grace. Furthermore, we can gather that Paul got even more revelation of hidden things of the heavenly program when he was stoned (Acts 14:19) and, either close to death, or having died, he was shown things pertaining to God's grace and the heavenly program while in spirit and in the 3rd heaven (2 Corinthians 12:2). 

As Paul writes his epistles, from the book of Galatians to the second book of Timothy (chronological order of the 13 epistles), we (as the reader or student) are taken from the initial revelations of grace salvation, progressively, and ever deeper into the truths of grace and God's revelation of his program for the Body of Christ. 

Throughout this journey of discovery and revelation, one must always be aware of what Paul already knows versus what he will still learn. It is critical not to assume knowledge from his later epistles and place them in his earlier writings. If one does this, it could skew the message and cause wrong understanding and context of doctrine. For example, during the missionary period of Paul's ministry, and within his Acts epistles (see below), he had to contend with a mixed people group. These Acts epistles contained content and instructions that would accommodate for Jews saved into the gospel of God (and were still under law) as well as for Gentiles saved into the gospel of Christ (and were under grace). Romans 14, and the two Corinthian letters have well documented content that handles disputes and ceremonial differences between these law and grace programs. This is why it is so important to continue to apply right division, not only between Paul's writings and the rest of scripture that is specific to Israel and the earthly program, but even to a moderate extent within Paul's Acts epistles.

What follows is a simple overview of the chronological order of Paul's writings to help you in further study and understanding of Paul's revelations for the grace program and to distinguish the 'mixed content' of his early epistles.

The first 6 of Paul's letters can be referenced within the Book of Acts — we can read Acts and then read Paul's letters and we can see where Paul was when he wrote these letters.

THE LETTER TO THE GALATIANS IS FIRST

In Acts 13 and 14 Paul and Barnabas went on their first apostolic journey which took them into Galatia—cities like Antioch, Lystra, Derbe, etc. Soon after Paul returned from this journey he wrote the letter to the Galatians (see Galatians 1:6 where Paul writes to the Galatians and says, you are "so quickly turned"). Galatians was written soon after Paul returned from that first journey—soon after Acts 14:27. That makes Galatians the earliest of Paul's letters.

1 & 2 THESSALONIANS

The next letters Paul wrote are the two letters to the Thessalonians. In Acts 17, Paul, on his second apostolic journey, came to Thessalonica and preached there. Many were saved, but Paul was driven out of town. Paul continued on to Corinth where he wrote the two letters to the Thessalonians. Timothy's return from Macedonia mentioned in Acts 18:5 is also reported in 1 Thessalonians 3:6. And in 2 Thessalonians 2:5 Paul reminds the Thessalonians of his teaching, as if it had not been very long since he had been with them. So, the writing of 1 and 2 Thessalonians can be placed into Acts 18 during Paul's ministry in Corinth, and that makes them the second and third letters that Paul wrote.

1 & 2 CORINTHIANS

The next two letters that Paul wrote are the two letters to the Corinthians. In Acts 18 Paul spent a year and a half ministering in Corinth—see Acts 18:11. He later returned to his home base at Antioch (Acts 18:22), and later in his third apostolic journey he arrived in Ephesus (his ministry in Ephesus extends all the way through Acts 19—a period of more than two years, see v10). It is here in Ephesus during Acts 19 that Paul wrote 1 Corinthians— see 1 Corinthians 16:19. Shortly after that Paul travelled to Macedonia (see Acts 20:1 and 2 Cor. 2:13) and that is where he wrote 2 Corinthians.

ROMANS

In Acts 20:2-3 Paul arrived in "Greece", i.e. in Corinth again, and spent three months there enjoying the hospitality of a believer named Gaius (mentioned in 1 Cor. 1:14). In Gaius's home, in Corinth, Paul wrote the letter to the Romans (see Rom. 16:23). This is the last letter written during the Book of Acts. In Acts 21:33 Paul was arrested in Jerusalem, and would spend the next 5 years in prison, right through the end of the Book of Acts.

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So, to sum up what we have seen so far, from Acts 9 through to Acts 28 we read of the earlier ministry of the Apostle Paul and find that during these years he wrote 6 of his 13 letters. 

The order of these first six books is:

1. Galatians—end of Acts 14
2. 1 Thessalonians—Acts 18
3. 2 Thessalonians—Acts 18
4. 1 Corinthians—Acts 19
5. 2 Corinthians—Acts 20
6. Romans—Acts 20

In Acts 21 Paul was arrested and remained a prisoner through to Acts 28, and beyond.

THE PRISON EPISTLES—EPHESIANS, COLOSSIANS, PHILEMON, AND PHILIPPIANS

Shortly after the end of the Book of Acts, while he was still a prisoner, now in Rome, Paul wrote four letters—the "prison epistles": Ephesians, Colossians, Philemon and Philippians. In each of these letters he writes of his "chains"— see Ephesians 6:20, Colossians 4:18, Philemon 13 and Philippians 1:13.

THE PASTORAL EPISTLES—THE LETTERS TO TITUS, AND 1 & 2 TIMOTHY

Paul was released from this imprisonment and continued his ministry for a few years, perhaps 3 years. During this time, he wrote the three letters known as the "Pastoral Epistles", because these letters were written to Paul's co-workers—Timothy and Titus. Finally, at the end of his life he is again in prison. This time he anticipates being beheaded for the Lord and writes the last letter, 2 Timothy.

SUMMARY:

We have surveyed the 13 letters written by the Apostle Paul, arranging them in the order in which Paul wrote them:

During the Book of Acts—6 letters, to a mixed audience of Jews and Gentiles:

• Galatians
• The 2 Thessalonian letters
• The 2 Corinthian letters
• Romans

Then after the Book of Acts ends—7 more letters exclusive to the Body of Christ:

The 4 Prison Epistles:

• Ephesians
• Colossians
• Philemon
• Philippians

Then the 3 Pastoral Epistles:

• Titus
• 1 Timothy
• 2 Timothy