The book of Acts records a highly detailed account of the apostle Paul’s missionary journeys. We can read about every town or city he visited, and in what order. Luke did not record some other mundane details, however, including the costs of the trips, exactly how long it would take to get from one place to another, that sort of thing. Well, OpenBible.info has given interested historians that data by way of Stanford University’s ORBIS.
Stephen Smith of OpenBible.info provides some interesting numbers on distance traveled, duration of each journey, and cost per person in denarii. For your consideration: statistics on Paul’s missionary journeys, including his trip to Rome for trial.
The second link I want to share is an even more detailed look at Paul’s missionary journeys written by Dale Bargmann of Hosanna Lutheran Church in Houston, TX. Bargmann provides a detailed look at each step along the way. He provides historical context, discussing relevant cultural, geographical, and religious issues. He also provides a variety of photographs of these locations, to give the reader an idea of what Paul was looking at when he came through town or stood up to preach.
For your consideration: a detailed historical and visual look at Paul’s missionary journeys.
Could you find this kind of data in good Bible dictionaries and atlases? Sure! But these are online resources that you can access for free right through your phone, tablet, or laptop. I suggest you give these a look.
A blog by Adam W. Christman 