What is the date and place of writing of 1 Thessalonians?

• A. AD 45; Written from Corinth
• B. AD 51; Written from Ephesus
• C. AD 60; Written from Rome
• D. AD 51; Written from Corinth during Paul's second missionary journey

Answer: (D)

AD 51 from Corinth, during Paul’s second missionary journey, is the best fit for 1 Thessalonians. This aligns with the timeline in Acts: after establishing the church in Thessalonica on his first journey, Paul moved on but later wrote this letter while in Corinth, where he stayed about a year and a half during the second journey. The opening greeting in the letter names Paul along with Silas and Timothy, which matches the companion team Paul had with him in Corinth at that time. The tone also fits a situation where Paul longs to visit the Thessalonians but has been prevented, a detail that matches the pattern of Paul writing to communities he couldn't immediately reach. Historically, dating it to AD 50–51 from Corinth is widely accepted because it reflects the sequence of events in Acts and the relational network Paul had with the Thessalonians from the earlier mission.

Choosing a later date from Rome or a different city like Ephesus conflicts with the travel chronology of the second journey and the specific accompanying coworkers named in the opening, making those possibilities inconsistent with the historical record.