Overview

This comes from something I have been working on for years - to put the New Testament in the order it was written based on whatever I think is the best research available. I am not a Biblical scholar so take all that for what it is worth. I update this often as I learn new things and as old things get more clear or cloudy depending on the research. It is also not meant to be overly detailed or picky. I am dealing with big blocks to give a sense, not a retranslation of everything. I am just using the research and cutting and pasting the New RSV.

Paul probably went to Corinth and established the church there over the protests of the Jews in the town around 50 or 51 on his first missionary expedition. He stayed in Corinth probably longer than anywhere else, but Ephesus later on in his life. A couple of years after this, maybe while he was in Ephesus, he began hearing disturbing reports about the church which gave rise to the letters. We have 1 and 2 Corinthians. But these are probably not his only letters to the church and 2 Corinthians, in particular, was altered from the original letters. Scholarship is all over the map on this, but there may have been two or up to seven letters. Our 1 Corinthian will be the first we have, but it refers to another letter that doesn't look like any of the others we have.

I think we have about three letters or pieces that Paul wrote and an insertion added later in his style if not him. The letters were probably written over about a two to three year period. And this is important because in the writings of Paul, we just don't have brilliant or inspired writing, but an example of the process of Paul's life, how a person of Spirit and a leader of the early church grew and changed in his response to the spirit's call in his life (and sometimes not the spirit's call).

His love of the church in Corinth is a testy one, so enjoy the feisty dialogue that challenges this great spiritual leader of our faith.

- Ted Pecot, Jan. 2008

Paul's Letters to the Church at Corinth

• First Letter, 53-56 CE

• Second Letter, Our 1 Corinthians

• Third Letter, The Sorrowful Letter (2 Corinthians 10-13)

• Fourth Letter (2 Corinthians 1-9 less 6:14-7:1)

  • A late insertion (2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1)

• Read the entire set of letters, from the beginning

PBS Program: In the Footsteps of Paul

photo from www.pbs.org

Journey in Paul's footsteps around the greatest empire the world had ever known. This series, part of PBS's "Peter and Paul and the Christian Revolution", includes photos, video, and descriptions in an easy-to-follow format. Here is the part of the story at Corinth.