Place Written: Ephesus

Writing Completed: c. 55 C.E.

3. What moved Paul to write his first letter to the Corinthians?

³ Deep concern for their spiritual welfare moved Paul to write his first letter to the Corinthian Christians while in the course of his third missionary tour. A few years had passed since he had resided in Corinth. It was now about 55 C.E., and Paul was in Ephesus.

4. What proves that Paul wrote First Corinthians from Ephesus?

⁴ But how do we know Paul wrote First Corinthians from Ephesus? For one thing, in concluding the letter with greetings, the apostle includes those of Aquila and Prisca (Priscilla). (16:19) Acts 18:18, 19 shows that they had transferred from Corinth to Ephesus. Since Aquila and Priscilla were residing there and Paul included them in the closing greetings of First Corinthians, he must have been in Ephesus when he wrote the letter. A point that leaves no uncertainty, however, is Paul’s statement at 1 Corinthians 16:8: “But I am remaining in Ephesus until the festival of Pentecost.” So First Corinthians was written by Paul at Ephesus, apparently near the end of his stay there.