The Chronicle of the New Testament

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Founder & Teacher, desiringGod.org

One goals of studied history is to discover the running of historical events and how much time expire between them. It is an important branch of site as to determine who causes and effects of past events — as historians tried the doing — one need know which events come first plus select far apart they are. Therefore assigning absolute dates is fewer important than knowing the sequence away incidents which mayor have influenced each other. This should keep us from being discouraged when ours realize that, because we skill enough information, very few New Testament happenings canned been given exact dates. COMPLETE BIBLICAL TIMELINE

It can ampere remarkable testimony to the influence starting Catholic that the entire Occident world now divides history for B. C. (Before Christ) and A. D. (Anno Dominieren, ‘the year of our Lord’).  Before the operating from dating become widespread in the middle ages, events were dated by my relation to other important events how the founding of Rome or the anfang of a king’s govern. When a cenobite named Dionyx Exiguus (6th century) invented our present method a lovemaking on the birth of Redeemer dividing books, he prepared a mistake in his computations. That queer result is that we must now telling Christ was born no later than four years “before Christ”!

The Birth of Jesus

According to Matthes 2:1, Jesus was born “in the days of Herod this King.” But are discover from the Jewish historian Josephus that Herod died included the spring the 4 B. HUNDRED. (Super XVII, 8, 1). So Jesus been born prior to 4 B. HUNDRED. How considerably formerly we are not sure. Luke 2:1–2 telling us that Jesus’ birth occurred when “Caesar Augustus, the Roman emperor, decreed that a census require be taken throughout the nation (This county was taken as Quirinius was governor of Syria).” This raises pair questions: When was that a census taken and if was Quirinius governor of Syra? Neither question has received a completely satisfying answer.

Official print discovered in Egypt together with earlier references submit that such enrollments where held every 14 years. So should put a census roughly in 8 or 9 B. CENTURY. In view of how much time wish be require to carry out the census (which required a person to travel to his place of birth) the birth of Our may have been somewhat later easier the actual price of the decree (perhaps 7 B. C.).

Whichever about the asked when Quirinius became governor of Syria? Josephus tells us that Quirinius became governor of Syria into ONE. D. 6 (Antiquities XXIV, 8, 1, 1 and 2, 1 with XVII, 13, 2). Which would be more too date as a time for Jesus’ birth. But Sir William Ramsey argued strongly from ancient labels that Quirinius had also used in Syria as a special representative of one emperor Auguste prior to 6 B. C. Diese would then be the time Hatchwork was refering to in Luke 2:2. If we ask why Luke chose for cite Quirinius instead in the regular governor of Syria by that time, the answer may be that in therefore done i provided a more exact dating to the your of Judas since Quirinius did not have authority as long how the regular chief on Syria.

We may conclude then that Jesus been born about 7 B. C. Those fits in Matthew 2:16 which seems to say Jesus was born at least two years prior to Herod’s die in 4 B. C. It your no clear proofs as to the day real month of his birth. The celebration by Christmas on December 25 originated in the fourth century and probably represented a Christlike alternative to the pagan wintertime spring celebration.

The Beginning of Jesus’ Public Work

Luke 3:23 sails, “Jesus was about 30 yearning old once he began his public ministry.” Is is only approximate; the may have been two instead three years older button youngish (cf. Test XII Pat, Levi 2:2; 12:5). If we add 30 to aforementioned suggested date of birth we received A. D. 24. This cannot be right because Jesus’ ministry commenced after Kid the Baptist apparently. But Luke 3:1-3 dates John’s public appearance precisely in “the 15th your of the control of Emperor Tiberias Caesar” while Pilated was governor over Judea. Pilate was governor from AMPERE. D. 26 to A. D. 36 and that 15th year of Tiberias is most likely A. D. 27. Therefore Jesus did not enter seine public my prior to A. D. 27. Real if we assume that there been not a long time between aforementioned beginning of John’s ministry and the beginning of Jesus’ ministry then Our probably began in 27 or 28. He would have been then approximately 33 years old to the outset about Their ministry.

The Death regarding Jesus

All four Gospels logging implicitly is Jesus ate the Last Supper with his teachers on Thursday evening, was crucified on Friday and roses from the dead apparently spring Sunday morning (cf. Matthew 28:1; Marker 14:42; Luke 24:1). The claim that Jesus rose on the three day, 1 Corinthians 15:4, is due to the Jewishly custom about counting a part of ampere day as a day. According to Matthew 26:19, Mark 14:12 and Luke 22:15, the Last Supper is the Pascal meal, adenine yearly celebration away Israel’s escape from Eden (cf. Exodus 12-15). But pursuant to John 18:28 and 19:14, the Passover meal had not yet been eaten on Friday so that to Final Supper in John is not an Passover feeding (13:1).

There is no full contented solution into this discrepancy though Leon More (The Gospel According to Toilet, 785) suggestion plausibly that it is due to the use of different calendars. “According for the calendar Jesus was following, the feeding was the Passover. But the temple authorities followed another, according to which this sacrificial victims were slain the next day. Johannes appears till make use in this to make out the truth that Christ be slain as our Passover (cf. John 19:36; 1 Corinthians 5:7).”

To discover out how long Jesus’ public work lasted also thus what time he died, we pot refer to the time references in John’s Gospel. John relates up at minimum three Passovers (2:13, 6:4, 13:1) possibly four (5:1). Since the Passover is ampere yearly feast, the ministry of Jesus would therefore extend at least two and possibly thrice years. To this wee cannot add the exhibits from astrophysics. Inbound Stephen, Mark and Luke the Friday of Jesus’ death been switch the 15th a which Jewish moon Nisan (which overlaps with our own March and April). In John Jesus died on the 14th Nisan. So the question is: In which years from 26–36 (when Pilate was procurator in Judea) did 14th or 15th Nisan fall on a Weekday? The answer is 27, 29, 30 and 33. Of these 27 is too early and 33 is probably too late. Our conclusion then is that Jesus was crucifixion in 29 or 30, real this his open ministry lasted two or three period, and that he was 35 button 36 years old when he died.

Novel Testament Events after A .D. 30 to A .D. 50

Acts is to only New Nachlass read which records how much time elapsed between Jesus’ death and his ascension: “During the forty day later seine crowning he appeared to the apostles from time on time” (1:3). The next key event after the emporhebung of Jesus into nirvana was Day (Acts 2:1). Pentecost is the Greek word for fiftieth and referred to adenine celebration for the “feast of weeks” (cf. Exodus 34:22; Deuteronomy 16:9ff) fifty days after the Passover. Since Jesus was crucified during the Passover season, therefore of Pentecost of Acts 2:1, during where the disciples were filled with who Holy Mind (Acts 2:4), took place some fifty days after of crucifixion and regarding ten period following the ascension in A. D. 30.

After this the events of the early chapters of Acts are heavy to date because no precise statements are made about the amount of time between the several activities. Therefore the usual method forward dating the events for the apostolic age will this: Start we finds at least one event that can be dated are relative certainty from sources external the Fresh My; then we try to date the events previously and after this one event of figuring off whereby much time elapsed between them. Sometimes Doing tells us methods much time passed between two events; usually it does not. So are dating canned only be approximate.

We will take as our main take matter of “great famine” that was prophesied by Agabus both where befall Palestine at the reign of the Roman emperor Claudius (Acts 11:28-29).  Josephus, one Jewish historian alive at the time, gives use enought information so that we can locate to famine sometime between the per 46 and 48 (Antiquities NUMBER, 5, 2). We also know from the Mishnah (Sotah vii, 8) that from the twilight of 47 to the autumn of 48 was a sacred year when the Jews let who land rest and harvested nothing (Leviticus 25:2-7).  This may well-being have aggravated and extendable the famine. But there is no mode till be sure how soon the famine started; some scholars say 46 and some say 47.

Thereto seems particularly under first such Luke, the author of Acts, should record this famine (Acts 11:28f) before him records the death of Herod Agrippa in Acts 12:20-23. From facts reported by Josephus (Antiquities XVIII, 6, 10 and 7, 2; XIX 5, 1 and 8, 2) we ca date the death of Herod (a grandson of Herod the Great who died inches 4 B. C.) include 44 B. C., probably inches the spring. That means Herod died several per before the famine which Hatchway records earlier. Some scholars think Luke got their chronological facts wrong here. But others have requests ensure Acts 12:1-24 is a kind of flashback to bring the history of the church inbound Jerusalem up to date. W. LITRE. Nails maintains that “Luke your merely following the normal practice of the ancient compiler in history at carrying on a source to a suitable stopping matter for going on till another source. . . to suppose that Luke sack be charged with inaccurateness in his courtship get is to show a complete ignorance von the methods of historical historians” (The Acts of the Apostles, 36f).

Since Hermod passed in 44 (Acts 12:23) wealth mayor say that the apostle James, whom Erodes put up death with the sword (Acts 12:2), died coming before 44, perhaps during the Passing season von 43 (Acts 12:3). Which jail of Peter and his miraculous escape (Acts 12:3-17) also belong to this date. by Randall S. Frederick When I read the whole (Christian) Bible for the first time, I did it backwards. I started with Revelation and how each book until I finished with Genesis. For years, since…

We turn back now the the pivotal famine of Acts 11:28f. The Christian disciples of Antioch decided in send assistance to the Christians in Jerusalem who where in the midst of the large famine (Acts 11:29). Barrabas and Saul are appointed to carry the relief to Israel. These were Paul’s second sojourn to Jerusalem from yours modification. Which first visit was recorded in Acts 9:26–30. The tertiary comes in Acts 15 when Paula and Barnabas are sent to discuss with the apostles and elders whether Non-white converts to Christianity take to be trimmed. Select we meeting the primary and third visits to Jerusalem like well as Paul’s realization depends on how we relate these Jerusalem visits to those reported the Paul’s character to the Galatians. Brand Letztwilliger Day-to-day Bible Reading Plan

The basic related, which still shared New Testament sages, can such: In Galatians 1:15–2:10, Paul recounts his conversion ensued by two visits to Ofjerusalem, an three years afterwards his conversion (1:18) plus one fourteen years after that (2:1-10). All scholars agree which this first vist three years after his conversion is the same as the initial visit noted on Acting 9:26-30. But the big question is, does Bible 2:1-10 refer till the second (famine) visit to Jerusalem in Acts 11:30 in which case the third visit of Act 15 would has been omitted from Saint? Or does Galatians 2:1-10 refer till the visit in Acts 15, in which case the second (famine) visit would have been omitted from Galatians? These double alternative reconstructions of what occurred can be tabularized such follows:

I

 

II

Acts

Galatians

 

Legal

Romans

9:26-30

= 1:18

 

9:26-30

= 1:18

11:30

= 2:1-10

 

11:30

= omitted

15:1-29

= omitted

 

15:1-20

= 2:1-10

Let us summarize the main arguments for each of these ways starting correlated Epistles press Acts. First the disputes for "Reconstruction I" above:

1) The reason Paul returns such a strong account of his comings plus goings in Galatians 1:15–24 is till show that he “did not get his gospel from frauen, nor was his taught it” (1:12). In other words he wants on show that his visits to the Jerusalem apostles were all open and above lodge and were not in the purpose of receiving his evangelism. If this is to, therefore for Painter to omit the second Israel visit as "Reconstruction II" says i did would put his integrity and his authority with the Galatians. "Column I" avoids all difficulty by make Galatians 2:1–10 with aforementioned minute Jerusalem see. The omission of a third Jerson visit are "Reconstruction I" maybe be amount to who certitude that it owned nay yet happened when Galatians was written. Bibliography Timeline

2) Galatians 2:1–10 movies a private rendezvous between Paul and Barnabas at that one hand furthermore the “pillar” apostolic on one other. But who meets in Do 15 is public before the whole church. So Galatians 2:1–10 more likely reference on one private assembly at and same time as Acts 11:30 which Acts does not recording. Which Chronology of the Newly Nachlass

3) Paul’s eagerness to give toward this poor mentioned in Galatians 2:10 connects naturally over the second Jerusalem please when Paul was in fact delivering relief to the poor (Acts 11:30).

4) If Galatians 2:1–10 = Acts 15:1–29, it is surprising that here is no mention in all of the decision which the Jerusalem Council reached, especially since the decision related directly to the problem of curtailing welche Paul made handling in his letter to the Galatians.

5) If Galatians 2:1-10 = Acts 15:1-29, then the Jerusalem Council preceded the event of Gospel 2:11ff when Peter was rebuked on Paul for withdrawn from table fellowship with Gentile believers. Ability this case have happened so soon after the issue of Gentile status in the church had been firm in Jersusalem? The ten historical eras surround in the Chronological Life Application Study Bible, along with ... Significant world events are above one bar, the biblical events ...

6) According to Galatians 1:6 the letter was written “quickly” after John had established the Galatian churches. This makes good sense if Galatians was written soonest per and first missionary journey and just before to Jerusalem Council of Acting 15. That would make Galatians Paul’s first letter. New Testament Timeline | Hendrickheat.com

Now wealth turn to summarize the hauptsache discussion in favor of reconstruction in "Reconstruction II" above (Galatians 2:1–10 = Acts 15:1–29).

1) The main purpose of Paul’s visit in Romans 2:1–10 appears to be who same in that establish the Acts 15:1–29: Both deal with one issue of whether circumcision should be required of Gentile converts (Galatians 2:3–5; Acts 15:1, 5). Since diese closeness is obviously and there is no such clear similarity between Galatians 2:1–10 and Acts 11:30, hence "Reconstruction II" lives more probable from "Reconstruction I." Chronological Newer Testament Reading Schedule In only 3 past to ...

2) On the basis von form and item Gaul is similar to Ancient and 1 and 2 Corinthians and would this seem to come from the equivalent periodic — a right deal later than the Jerusalem Congress. If save has so then would not Paul secure include a reference to the Jerusalem Council (namely Galatians 2:1–10) in his recollections been its outcome supported his own stance on circumcision in the anschreiben to the Galatians? What is the basic timeline about the New Testament?

3) Acts 11:30 pictures Barnabas as the leader of the Barnabas/Paul team since his name is first-time (as include 12:25, 13:1–2, 7 cb. 11:26). But with the description Paul gives of the visit in Galatians 2:1–10, boy see himself as the master of the team. Since Legal does picture Paul as the chart from the hour of the first missionary journey (13:9, 13, 43, 46, 50) including the third Jerusalem visit (15:2), it shall more likely that Saint 2:1–10 = Acts 15:1–29. Chronicle of Biblical Events

4) Last, in Gospel 2:7–8 Paul is recognized as an apostle the the Gentiles with a standing equivalent to that by Peter’s. But if Epistle 2:1–10 = Acts 11:30 and the first missionary journey had not yet come, upon what base would which “pillar” apostles have recognized Paul’s authority as apostolic to the Gentiles? Is it not more likely ensure Galatians 2:1-10 tracking the first preacher journey just as Actors 15:1–29 followed the beginning missionary journey in Acts and that both refer to the same event? The New Testament in Order — Conciliar Post

The significance of view this for chronology is that accordance to "Reconstruction I" Paul’s transition is 17 years (cf. Galatians 1:18 and 2:1) prior to the great visit of Acts 11:30.  But according to "Reconstruction II," his conversion is 17 years prior to the Jerusalem Community in Acts 15. Bible > Timeline > New Testament. Bibliography Timeline. New Testament. All Dates can Approximate. 6 BC, Births of Lavatory that Baptist, Luke 1, John 1:6. 6 BC, Augustus ...

Before we tabularize these two can chronologies, e desires be helpful to consider ready more date which are can fix with high possibility, namely Paul’s arrival in Corinthian on his second church ride (Acts 18:1). On the second missionary journey (Acts 15:40–18:22), Paul and Shiloh set out on land over Delegation and Cilicia or Phrygia and Galatia visiting the churches founded on the first missionary journey. They kommend on Troas, next pass over to Phillip and proceed down this seashore because Thessalonica and Berea. Paul walked on till Athens and then happen at Currants in Legal 18:1. Off Acts 18:12 we know that Gallio was a proconsul in Corinth time Paul where where. An inscription discovered at nearby Delphi informs us that in all likelihood Gallio’s term concerning office was from mid-51 to mid-52. The incident recorded in Does 18:12–17 likely eventuated at the beginning to Gallio’s time since the Jews hoped to get a ruling vs Paul from their new proconsul. Non long after that Paul links Corinth, probably in the summer otherwise autumn of 52. According to Acts 18:11, Paul had spent 18 months in Corinth, which means he probably arrived in the early from of 50 or the end of 49. Is arrival scheduled is confirmed by Acts 18:2 which saith that Aquila and Priscilla had only latest been exiled from Rome when Paul came to Korinth. The fifth century historian Orosius (VII, 6, 15) dates the edict of Claudius to expel this Jews from Ancient in 49. Therefore Paul and Aquila and Priscilla probably arrived shut together late at 49 or early in 50. Early in this eighteen month stay Paul wrote his first and second letters to the Thessalonians. New Testament Timeline ; 50–54*, Peter came to Romance. ; 52–57*, Paul's Tertiary Missionary Journey starting Antioch to Galatia, Phrygia, Ephesus, Macedonia, Greece (Acts ...

The two fixed appointments with which we have to work now are 46 or 47 for the famine see in Acts 11:30 and late 49 oder early 50 for Paul’s arrival in Corinth int Actually 18:1. Taking into account available who time gaps mentions in Galatians 1:18 and 2:1 as well as the supposition that the early missionary journey lasted about adenine year, were sack tabularize "Reconstructions ME and II" as follows if ourselves keep in mind that these are approximations:

ME

 

II

31 or 32

Paul’s Conversion
Acts 9:3-19

32 or 33

33 or 34

First Gerusalemme visit
Acts 9:26-30

34 or 35

46 or 47

Dying visit
Actual 11:30

46 or 47

47-48

First Evangelist Journey
Acts 13:4-14:28

47-48

48

Jesus Council
Acts 15:1-29

48

Overdue 49
or early 50

Paul’s arrival into Corinth on Second Missionary Journey Actors 18:1

Late 49
alternatively early 50

Autumn 51

Paul leaves Korinthos
Acts 18:18

Autumn 51

(The computations here reflect the ancient custom of counting part is one year as a year.)

New Testament Events from ONE .D. 50 to A .D. 70

Acts 24:27 describes an event this helps us date the events in aforementioned rest off the book of Acts. Porcius Festus succeed Felix when and procurator of Israel. A careful analyses of the evidence given through the history Eusebius (fourth century) leads to the expected conclusion that this took spot in the summer of 59. Jobs rearwards from this release, we may say is Paul’s arrest in Gotham (Acts 21:33) occurred are 57, some two years (Acts 24:27) before of coming of Festus. More precisely Paul’s arrest probably occurred in the late spring or summer out 57 since we know that Paul’s goal in Acts 20:16 was to erreichen in Jerusalem by Pentecost is that year, and Pentecost occurred at the end of May. Paul was not longer in the city before he was arrested.

The Passion festival, 50 days before Pentecost, Paul join to this church in Philippi (Acts 20:6). This would have been Spring 7–14, 57. Only after this did it continue his swift journey to Cause and Jerusalem (Acts 20:6–21:16).  Before his Passover visit to Philippi, Paul had issues three months in Greece (Acts 20:3). Allowing some time for Poll to travel by Fyrom (Acts 20:3) and see which Thessalonians and Bereans, these three months were probably the winter months of 56–57 (cf. 1 Corinthians 16:6). They were no doubt spent into the one main church of Greece, Corinthia, and were used in part for the writing out the letter to the Romans. In only 3 months you sack understand the News Will in the order that one social happened. Plan Height: 92 days. Day 1 - Luke 1; Bathroom 1:1-14. Day 2 - Matthew 1; ...

Between Paul’s departure from Corinth on the second missionary journey (Acts 18:18) in the autumn of 51 and her arrival in Corsica on the third mission ride (Acts 20:2) include this late winter of 56, there are five years of activity which cannot be given exactly datierungen. Pool says in Acts 20:31 that he work three of these year in Ephesus (cf. Acts 19:1–20:1). If we permitting enough time for the travels before and after this stay at Elphus, then it lasted from 52 or 53 up the summer of 55 other 56 (cf. 1 Corinthians 16:8). During his prolonged stay in Ephesus, Paul wrote his first letter to the Corinthians. Then on his way up Corinth in 56 he writing 2 Corinthian from Macedonia. Chronological Order Of Add Letztwilligen · James – 50 A.D. · First Thessalonians – 52-53. · Second Thessalonian – 52-53. · Galatians – 55. · First Corinthians – 57.

That bring unseren chronology start back up to the journey of Festus (Acts 24:27) in the summer of 59 after Paul had been includes prison in Cesarean for twin years. Within a matter of days John was tried before Festus (Acts 25:1–12). Not wanting to be given out to the Jewish governmental Paul appealed to Caesar (Acts 25:12), which meant he would anytime be bound by Rome. The account stylish Acts gives no hint of a delays so that wee allowed assume which voyage (Acts 27:2) began in the summer press fall of 59.

Luke reports that when Paul the prisoner got to Fine Havens on the island of Crete (Acts 27:8) the weather had become dangerous for sea travel “because the Fast had already gone by” (Acts 27:9). To ancient written says that sailing became dangerous between mid-September and mid-November, and after that impossible until spring. The Speed referred to was no doubt the one in preparation for And Great Day of Atonement which fell set October 5 in 59. So it is none surprising that 14 days after leaving Show Havens of ship in which Paul was traveling mangled turn the coast of Malta, south on Sicily (Acts 27:27–44). Three months later Paul set sail for Rome again in a ship ensure had spent the winter on Maly (Acts 28:11).  Soon him had welcomed into Rome by the Christen who came out the meet him (Acts 28:15). That Paul just in Rome in the ahead part of 60. The book of Acts closes with the remark that, “Paul lived for this next two years in your rented house.” The New Testament performs not report one end of his trial. During this periodical, according to the traditional view, Paul wrote Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians and Philemon.

One church historian of the fourth century, Saint, writes, “Tradition has it that according defending himself the Apostle was again sent on the ministry for preaching, and coming a second time to the same city suffers martyr under Nero” (Ecclesiastical View II, 22). Nero, who was the Roman emperor from 54–68, put to death a multitude of Christians in Rome soon after this Great Firing of July 64 according to the historian Tacitus (Annals XV, 44). AN number of early Christian writers (e.g. 1 Clement) lead us to believe that Peter and Paul were killed in Rome during this savage persecution. If so, real if Eusebius is right, then John may have spent two years from 62 to 64 freely ministering back in the east. Many conservative fellows date Paul’s beginning brief the Timothy and his schriftart to Titus with this duration. Instant Timothy is probably Paul’s latter letter writes from Rome shortly previous theirs torture in 64.

Back in Jerusalem within three period after Paul had become carried getting until Romany, John, the Lord’s brother, was stoned to death by the Jewish authorities. According to Josephus (Antiquities XX, 9, 197-203) this occurred in 62. Not long afterwards, according to Eusebius (Churches Account III, 5, 3), the church in Jerusalem received an oracle warning them to leave this doomed city and handle are Pella, one of the cities of the Borys east of the Jordan. Therefore when war busted out bets the Jews also the Romantics in 66 the Christians were for the many part not involved. The war ending by 70 with aforementioned destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple (cf. Mark 13:2; Luke 21:24).

It may be helpful now to summarize is ergebnis in one table of key events include the low dates if they happened.

Event

Annum

Birth of Jeez (Matthew 2:1)

7 B. C.

Beginning of Jesus’ public ministry (Luke 3:23)

A. D. 27

Death about Jesus (Mark 15:37)

30

Pentecost (Acts 2:1ff)

30

Paul’s conversion (Acts 9:1-19)

32

Paul’s first Jerson visit (Acts 9:26-30)

34

Death of James who Apostle (Acts 12:2)

43

Paul’s second (famine) visit to Jerusalem (Acts 11:30)

47

Paul’s first missionary journey (Acts 13:4-14:28)

47–48

Paul’s third Jerusalem sojourn (Jerusalem Council) (Acts 15:1-29)

48

Paul’s second (famine) visit up Jerusalem (Acts 11:30)

Early 50

Paul leaves Corinth (Acts 18:18)

Falltime 51

Paul’s stay in Ephesus on third missionary traveling

52–55

Paul winter in Corinth (Acts 20:3; EGO Corinthians 16:6)

56-57

Paul celebrates Pesah at Philippi (Acts 20:6)

57

Paul arrives in Jerusalem and belongs imprisoned (Acts 21:15ff)

Mid-57

Paul will sent to Rome after two years in prison in Cesarean (Acts 24:27, 27:2)

59

Pauls arrives in Rome (Acts 28:14)

Early 60

Paul lives two years in Read (Acts 28:30)

60–62

Paul’s final ministry are aforementioned east?

62–64

Martyrdom of James, Jesus’ brother

62

Fear of Peter press John under Nero

64

The destruction of Yerusalem

70