Paul’s missionary journeys
Raising the land from the elevation data…
The journeys, stop by stop
Every place on the map, in order, with its verse in Acts.
First journey
- Antioch Acts 13:2
The church at Antioch sends Barnabas and Saul.
As they served the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Separate Barnabas and Saul for me, for the work to which I have called them.”
- Seleucia Acts 13:4
Antioch’s port at the mouth of the Orontes.
So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia. From there they sailed to Cyprus.
- Salamis Acts 13:5
They preach in the synagogues of Cyprus’s east coast.
When they were at Salamis, they proclaimed God’s word in the Jewish synagogues. They also had John as their attendant.
- Paphos Acts 13:9
The proconsul Sergius Paulus believes. Here Acts first calls Saul “Paul”.
But Saul, who is also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, fastened his eyes on him
- Perga Acts 13:13
John Mark leaves them and goes back to Jerusalem.
Now Paul and his company set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia. John departed from them and returned to Jerusalem.
- Antioch in Pisidia Acts 13:14
Over the Taurus mountains to the plateau. Paul’s first recorded sermon.
But they, passing on from Perga, came to Antioch of Pisidia. They went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and sat down.
- Iconium Acts 14:1
Many believe; the city divides, and they flee.
In Iconium, they entered together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spoke that a great multitude both of Jews and of Greeks believed.
- Lystra Acts 14:19
A lame man walks; the crowd calls them gods, then stones Paul.
But some Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there, and having persuaded the multitudes, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead.
- Derbe Acts 14:21
The farthest town. Its site is not certain; this pin is the mound most often named.
When they had preached the Good News to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch,
- Lystra Acts 14:21
Back the way they came, strengthening the new disciples.
When they had preached the Good News to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch,
- Iconium Acts 14:21
When they had preached the Good News to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch,
- Antioch in Pisidia Acts 14:23
They appoint elders in every church.
When they had appointed elders for them in every assembly, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord on whom they had believed.
- Perga Acts 14:25
When they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia.
- Attalia Acts 14:25
When they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia.
- Antioch Acts 14:27
They tell the church how God “opened a door of faith to the nations”.
When they had arrived and had gathered the assembly together, they reported all the things that God had done with them, and that he had opened a door of faith to the nations.
Second journey
- Antioch Acts 15:40
Paul and Barnabas part; Paul chooses Silas.
but Paul chose Silas and went out, being commended by the brothers to the grace of God.
- Derbe Acts 16:1
Acts says only “through Syria and Cilicia” (15:41). Our line takes the Roman road through Tarsus, Paul’s home city, and over the Taurus.
He came to Derbe and Lystra; and behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewess who believed, but his father was a Greek.
- Lystra Acts 16:1
Timothy joins them.
He came to Derbe and Lystra; and behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewess who believed, but his father was a Greek.
- Iconium Acts 16:4
As they went on their way through the cities, they delivered the decrees to them to keep which had been ordained by the apostles and elders who were at Jerusalem.
- Phrygia and Galatia Acts 16:6
Acts names regions here, not towns, and says the Spirit kept them from Asia. Our line passes Antioch in Pisidia.
When they had gone through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia.
- Troas Acts 16:9
Kept out of Bithynia too, they come down to the coast. A night vision: “Come over into Macedonia and help us.”
A vision appeared to Paul in the night. There was a man of Macedonia standing, begging him and saying, “Come over into Macedonia and help us.”
- Samothrace Acts 16:11
Setting sail therefore from Troas, we made a straight course to Samothrace, and the day following to Neapolis;
- Neapolis Acts 16:11
Setting sail therefore from Troas, we made a straight course to Samothrace, and the day following to Neapolis;
- Philippi Acts 16:14
Lydia believes. Paul and Silas are beaten and jailed, and sing at midnight.
A certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, one who worshiped God, heard us. The Lord opened her heart to listen to the things which were spoken by Paul.
- Amphipolis Acts 17:1
Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue.
- Apollonia Acts 17:1
Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue.
- Thessalonica Acts 17:2
Three Sabbaths in the synagogue, then a riot.
Paul, as was his custom, went in to them; and for three Sabbath days reasoned with them from the Scriptures,
- Berea Acts 17:11
The Bereans examine the Scriptures daily.
Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.
- Athens Acts 17:22
Paul speaks on the Areopagus. Acts says he was sent “to the sea” (17:14); the sea crossing is our reading.
Paul stood in the middle of the Areopagus and said, “You men of Athens, I perceive that you are very religious in all things.
- Corinth Acts 18:11
A year and six months. Gallio, proconsul of Achaia, hears the case against him.
He lived there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.
- Cenchreae Acts 18:18
Corinth’s eastern port. Paul cuts his hair for a vow.
Paul, having stayed after this many more days, took his leave of the brothers, and sailed from there for Syria, together with Priscilla and Aquila. He shaved his head in Cenchreae, for he had a vow.
- Ephesus Acts 18:19
A short stay; he promises to return “if God wills”.
He came to Ephesus, and he left them there; but he himself entered into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews.
- Caesarea Acts 18:22
When he had landed at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the assembly, and went down to Antioch.
- Jerusalem Acts 18:22
Acts says he “went up and greeted the assembly”. Most read this as Jerusalem.
When he had landed at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the assembly, and went down to Antioch.
- Antioch Acts 18:22
Acts does not say how he went down to Antioch. Our line takes the coast road.
When he had landed at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the assembly, and went down to Antioch.
Third journey
- Antioch Acts 18:23
After “some time” in Antioch, he sets out again.
Having spent some time there, he departed and went through the region of Galatia and Phrygia, in order, establishing all the disciples.
- Galatia and Phrygia Acts 18:23
Acts says he went “through the region of Galatia and Phrygia, in order, establishing all the disciples”. Our line visits the churches of the first journey.
Having spent some time there, he departed and went through the region of Galatia and Phrygia, in order, establishing all the disciples.
- Ephesus Acts 19:10
Two years and three months: the synagogue, then the school of Tyrannus, then the riot in the theatre.
This continued for two years, so that all those who lived in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.
- Troas 2 Corinthians 2:12
Acts says only that he left for Macedonia (20:1). Paul’s own letter puts Troas on the way. How he got there is not said.
Now when I came to Troas for the Good News of Christ, and when a door was opened to me in the Lord,
- Macedonia Acts 20:1
Acts names the region. Our line lands at Neapolis and goes up to Philippi.
After the uproar had ceased, Paul sent for the disciples, took leave of them, and departed to go into Macedonia.
- Greece Acts 20:3
Three months in “Greece”. Most read this as Corinth, where Paul wrote Romans.
When he had spent three months there, and a plot was made against him by Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he determined to return through Macedonia.
- Philippi Acts 20:6
A plot against him turns him back through Macedonia. He sails after the days of Unleavened Bread.
We sailed away from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread, and came to them at Troas in five days, where we stayed seven days.
- Troas Acts 20:6
Seven days. Eutychus falls from a window during Paul’s long talk.
We sailed away from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread, and came to them at Troas in five days, where we stayed seven days.
- Assos Acts 20:13
Paul goes by land, on foot, while the others sail round.
But we, going ahead to the ship, set sail for Assos, intending to take Paul aboard there; for he had so arranged, intending himself to go by land.
- Mitylene Acts 20:14
When he met us at Assos, we took him aboard and came to Mitylene.
- Chios Acts 20:15
Sailing from there, we came the following day opposite Chios. The next day we touched at Samos and stayed at Trogyllium, and the day after we came to Miletus.
- Samos Acts 20:15
Sailing from there, we came the following day opposite Chios. The next day we touched at Samos and stayed at Trogyllium, and the day after we came to Miletus.
- Miletus Acts 20:17
He calls the elders of Ephesus and says goodbye: “you all … will see my face no more.”
From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called to himself the elders of the assembly.
- Cos Acts 21:1
When we had departed from them and had set sail, we came with a straight course to Cos, and the next day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara.
- Rhodes Acts 21:1
When we had departed from them and had set sail, we came with a straight course to Cos, and the next day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara.
- Patara Acts 21:2
They change to a ship crossing to Phoenicia.
Having found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, we went aboard and set sail.
- Tyre Acts 21:4
Seven days. They pass Cyprus on the left. The disciples tell Paul not to go up to Jerusalem.
Having found disciples, we stayed there seven days. These said to Paul through the Spirit that he should not go up to Jerusalem.
- Ptolemais Acts 21:7
When we had finished the voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais. We greeted the brothers and stayed with them one day.
- Caesarea Acts 21:11
At Philip’s house. Agabus binds his own hands and feet with Paul’s belt.
Coming to us and taking Paul’s belt, he bound his own feet and hands, and said, “The Holy Spirit says: ‘So the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt, and will deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’”
- Jerusalem Acts 21:17
The brothers receive them gladly. Days later Paul is seized in the temple.
When we had come to Jerusalem, the brothers received us gladly.
Voyage to Rome
- Caesarea Acts 27:1
Two years a prisoner here. He appeals to Caesar and sails as a prisoner.
When it was determined that we should sail for Italy, they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners to a centurion named Julius, of the Augustan band.
- Sidon Acts 27:3
The next day, we touched at Sidon. Julius treated Paul kindly and gave him permission to go to his friends and refresh himself.
- Myra Acts 27:5
They sail under the lee of Cyprus, against the wind, then change to a grain ship of Alexandria.
When we had sailed across the sea which is off Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, a city of Lycia.
- Cnidus Acts 27:7
“Sailed slowly many days, and had come with difficulty.”
When we had sailed slowly many days, and had come with difficulty opposite Cnidus, the wind not allowing us further, we sailed under the lee of Crete, opposite Salmone.
- Salmone Acts 27:7
When we had sailed slowly many days, and had come with difficulty opposite Cnidus, the wind not allowing us further, we sailed under the lee of Crete, opposite Salmone.
- Fair Havens Acts 27:8
Paul warns them not to sail on. “The Fast had now already gone by”: autumn.
With difficulty sailing along it we came to a certain place called Fair Havens, near the city of Lasea.
- Cauda Acts 27:16
The storm wind Euraquilo seizes the ship.
Running under the lee of a small island called Clauda, we were able, with difficulty, to secure the boat.
- Malta Acts 28:1
Shipwrecked; all 276 reach land. Three months on the island.
When we had escaped, then they learned that the island was called Malta.
- Syracuse Acts 28:12
Three days in port.
Touching at Syracuse, we stayed there three days.
- Rhegium Acts 28:13
From there we circled around and arrived at Rhegium. After one day, a south wind sprang up, and on the second day we came to Puteoli,
- Puteoli Acts 28:13
Brothers ask them to stay seven days.
From there we circled around and arrived at Rhegium. After one day, a south wind sprang up, and on the second day we came to Puteoli,
- Forum of Appius Acts 28:15
Believers from Rome walk out to meet him on the Appian Way.
From there the brothers, when they heard of us, came to meet us as far as The Market of Appius and The Three Taverns. When Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage.
- Three Taverns Acts 28:15
“When Paul saw them, he thanked God, and took courage.”
From there the brothers, when they heard of us, came to meet us as far as The Market of Appius and The Three Taverns. When Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage.
- Rome Acts 28:16
Two whole years in his own rented house, preaching “with all boldness, without hindrance”.
When we entered into Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard, but Paul was allowed to stay by himself with the soldier who guarded him.
About this map
What the map shows
This is the land and sea between Rome and Jerusalem, about 2,300 km across, built from measured heights, with no modern borders, roads or towns drawn on it. Pick one of Paul’s four journeys and step through its places in the order Acts names them. At each place you see the verse that puts Paul there, in the {bible}, and the leg that brought him: how far it is by the Roman roads or across the sea, and how long it took, when Acts tells us.
Added up along our lines, the four journeys come to about 7,180 km by road (4,460 miles) and 7,890 km by sea (4,900 miles), some 9,400 miles in all. The lines are ours, though, and not a trace of Paul’s footsteps. Acts names the towns but never the roads between them, and it says nothing of the many years Paul spent in other places.
The mountains are drawn five times taller than they are, so that you can see the ranges Paul crossed, and a note in the corner of the map says so.
The verse at each place and the lines from Paul’s letters are Scripture, in the {bible}. Where each town stood comes from OpenBible.info and Pleiades, where the Roman roads ran comes from the Itiner-e atlas, and the date of Paul’s stay in Corinth comes from the Gallio inscription at Delphi. Everything else is our own work: we picked the road between each pair of named places, drew every sea crossing, measured the distances along them, and worked out the days on foot and the years of each journey.
A few places rest on readings someone could dispute, and the note at each one says so. We take “Greece” in Acts 20 to mean Corinth and the “went up” of Acts 18 to mean a visit to Jerusalem, we choose the towns that stand for the regions Acts names, and we judge which visit a line in one of his letters remembers.
How we drew the roads, the sea and the times
Between two places Acts names, we followed the shortest way along the roads in the Itiner-e atlas of Roman roads. Itiner-e grades every road by how well its course is known: “certain” where it is known, “conjectured” where scholars have inferred it, and “hypothetical” where it is a guess. Most of the roads of inland Asia Minor are conjectured, and each place tells you how much of the road that brought Paul there is. Where a town sits off the network, a short straight line joins it to the roads, and that line counts in the distance.
We drew the sea crossings ourselves, taking the shortest open water between the named places, keeping a few kilometres off the coast, and passing the places Acts says the ship passed, such as Cyprus “on the left hand”. Ships went where the wind let them rather than in straight lines, so the real voyages were longer than ours.
On land we count a day’s walk as 20 Roman miles, about 29.6 km. Vegetius, in his handbook on the Roman army, says recruits had to cover that distance at the ordinary military step in five summer hours (Epitoma rei militaris 1.9). It is our assumption and not a record of Paul, who stopped, preached, worked and waited for ships.
At sea we give days only where Acts gives them: two days from Troas to Neapolis and five on the way back, a day for each hop down the coast of Asia, fourteen nights in the storm, and two days from Rhegium to Puteoli. Where Acts gives no time, neither does the map.
The years start in Corinth, where Paul was brought before Gallio, proconsul of Achaia (Acts 18:12). An inscription at Delphi, dated to about AD 52, names Gallio as proconsul, and so most scholars put Paul’s year and a half in Corinth around AD 50–52. We count the other years from there with the spans of time Acts gives, and scholars’ dates for them differ by a year or two.
The highest point on each road leg comes from the heights Itiner-e records along its roads. The land itself is drawn from the Terrain Tiles at zoom level 7, which give a height about every kilometre, so the valleys and peaks come out smoother than they are.
The coast has moved since Paul’s day, too. Ephesus and Miletus were ports then, but their harbours have silted up and the sea is now kilometres away, so their sea lines run to the old cities.
Sources and licences
- Scripture: the World English Bible, public domain.
- Places: OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding Data, CC BY 4.0, for where each place in Acts was; checked against Pleiades, CC BY 3.0. For 40 of the 48 places the two agree to within 3 km, except the island of Samothrace, where they are 7 km apart at most. We could not match the other eight in Pleiades (Seleucia, Berea, Cnidus, Salmone, Cauda, Malta, Syracuse and Rhegium), so they rest on OpenBible alone.
- Roads: “Itiner-e: the digital atlas of ancient roads © 2024 by Brughmans, Pažout, de Soto and Bjerregaard Vahlstrup is licensed under CC BY 4.0.” Data: doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17122148 (static version 2024); paper: de Soto and others, Scientific Data (2025), doi.org/10.1038/s41597-025-06140-z. We chose the roads between places and measured them.
- Elevation: Terrain Tiles on AWS, terrarium format, zoom 7, built by Mapzen with tilezen/joerd. SRTM and GMTED2010 terrain data courtesy of the U.S. Geological Survey; ETOPO1, U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Produced using Copernicus data and information funded by the European Union – EU-DEM layers. We joined and cropped the tiles, rounded land heights to the metre and drew the sea flat. The European Union does not endorse this page.
- The Gallio inscription: Bible Odyssey (Society of Biblical Literature), “Erastus, Gallio, and Paul: Insights from Inscriptions”.
- The day’s march: Vegetius, Epitoma rei militaris 1.9, Latin text at The Latin Library, public domain: “Militari ergo gradu XX milia passuum horis quinque dumtaxat aestiuis conficienda sunt.”
- Drawn with three.js (MIT licence).
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Stops (CSV)Legs (CSV)Map lines (GeoJSON)
The order of the stops, our notes, the distances and the sea lines are by Christian Pure and released under CC BY 4.0. The road lines follow the Itiner-e atlas (CC BY 4.0). The place points come from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0), and some of those from OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL). Keep those credits if you reuse the files. You may link to us or not, and any link may carry nofollow.
Cite this page
Christian Pure. "Paul's Missionary Journeys: Map and Route Data." Updated November 8, 2026. https://christianpure.com/pauls-missionary-journeys/.
Made by the Christian Pure editorial team. Last updated November 8, 2026. Found a mistake? Tell us, and see the corrections log.