When did Paul first visit Ephesus?

When did Paul first visit Ephesus?

• A. During his first missionary journey, around A.D. 40
• B. During his third missionary journey, around A.D. 60
• C. During his second missionary journey, around A.D. 51
• D. During his fourth missionary journey around A.D. 70

Answer: (C)

The main idea being tested is the timeline of Paul's travels and when he first encountered Ephesus. In Acts, Paul’s second missionary journey includes a brief stop in Ephesus on the way back toward Syria, where he preached in the synagogue and left Priscilla and Aquila there. He promised to return if God willed, marking Ephesus as his first contact with the Ephesian church, around AD 51. The famous lengthy stay in Ephesus happens later, during his third journey, not the first encounter. So the first visit fits with the second journey, around AD 51. The other dates belong to different stages: the first journey (about AD 40) does not include Ephesus, and the long stay in Ephesus occurs on the third journey (not the first), with a later date near the mid-50s to 60s.

The main idea being tested is the timeline of Paul's travels and when he first encountered Ephesus. In Acts, Paul’s second missionary journey includes a brief stop in Ephesus on the way back toward Syria, where he preached in the synagogue and left Priscilla and Aquila there. He promised to return if God willed, marking Ephesus as his first contact with the Ephesian church, around AD 51. The famous lengthy stay in Ephesus happens later, during his third journey, not the first encounter. So the first visit fits with the second journey, around AD 51. The other dates belong to different stages: the first journey (about AD 40) does not include Ephesus, and the long stay in Ephesus occurs on the third journey (not the first), with a later date near the mid-50s to 60s.