Where was the first place that Paul started a church?

Answer 1

AnswerIn his Epistle to the Galatians, Paul seems quite clear about his main travels for his first seventeen to twenty years as a missionary. He said that after his conversion, he travelled first to Arabia, then Damascus (bypassing Jerusalem), Jerusalem, then Syria and Cilicia, and back to Jerusalem. At some stage after the last visit to Jerusalem, he appears to have visited Antioch with Peter. He must have spent 3 years in Damascus, and he spent14 years in Syria and Cilicia. He went to probably to Thessalonia, certainly to Corinth and, and later to Rome.

On the other hand, Acts of the Apostles says that Paul went first to Damascus and Jerusalem. After some short trips in Palestine, he began his "first missionary journey" to Antioc, Seleucia, Cyprus, South Galatia and back to Antoch and Jerusalem. Acts says that he then went on his second missionary journey to Syria and Cilicia, South Galatia, Phrygia and North Galatia, Mysia and Tross, Phillipi, Amphipolis, Apolonia, Thessalonica, Beroea, Athens and Corinth. Acts says that his third mission was to North Galatia and Phrygia, Ephesus, Macedonia, Achaia, Macedonia, Philippi, Troas, Miletus, Tyre, Ptolemais, Caesaria and back to Jerusalem. He later went to Rome.

The three journeys of Acts are only a convenient classification developed by students of Acts. In his undisputed letters Paul gives us no information about the first missionary journey. This itinerary for the third missionary journey has also been called into doubt by some scholars. Only the second missionary journey seems to approximate Paul's own travel itinerary. Many scholars would rely on Paul's account in preference to Acts of the Apostles.

Answer 2

According to Acts 13:1-3, Paul (still called "Saul" at this point) was in Antioch with other believers when God called him and Barnabas to begin their first missionary journey. Verse 4 mentions them going to Seleucia and Cyprus, but it doesn't say that they preached there. The first section of verse 5 (NIV) states that "When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues." Thus, it appears that Paul's first missionary journey actually began in Salamis.

Answer 3

We can say the first stop was Salamis on the island of Cyprus.

A church was already formed in Antioch and Paul went there after visiting Jerusalem. It is in Antioch that Paul and Barnabas are commissioned to go on the missionary journey. They travel to Seleucia to get a boat to Cyprus. When they get to Salamis in Cyprus they begin their mission:

Act 13:5 And coming unto Salamis, they announced the Word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. And they also had John as a helper.

Answer 4

According to Acts 13:1-15:12, Paul's first missionary journey was to Antioch, then Seleucia, Salamis, Cyprus, South Galatia, Antioch and Jerusalem. So, the first stop on this journey was Antioch.

Raymond Brown (An Introduction to the New Testament) cautions that Paul gives us no information about the first missionary journey In his undisputed letters. He says the three journeys are only a convenient classification developed by students of Acts.

Answer 5

Raymond E. Brown (An Introduction to the New Testament) says that the three journeys are only a convenient classification developed by students of Acts of the Apostles, which says that Paul began his "first missionary journey" to Antioch, Seleucia, Cyprus, South Galatia and back to Antioch and Jerusalem.

However, in his own undisputed letters Paul gives us no information about the first missionary journey. Most scholars would rely on Paul's account in preference to Acts of the Apostles, which has been described as an unreliable history.

Answer 6

According to Acts 13:5, Salamis on the island of Cyprus was the first place Barnabas and Saul preached. (Paul was still being called Saul at the time.)

Answer 7

Paul built the first church at Antioch.