When and where was 2 Thessalonians written?

• A. AD 65 from Rome
• B. AD 51 from Corinth
• C. AD 45 from Ephesus
• D. AD 70 from Athens

Answer: (B)

The timing and place of writing 2 Thessalonians is the main idea being tested here. The letter is best dated to about AD 51 and linked to Corinth. This follows Paul’s pattern of writing a quick follow-up to the Thessalonians after the first letter, addressing a misinformation about the Lord’s return and encouraging a persecuted group. The opening greeting names Paul along with Silas (Silvanus) and Timothy, a trio Paul often used during the Corinth phase of his second missionary journey, which fits the Corinth setting. Because of that close connection to 1 Thessalonians and the particular issues being corrected—especially the confusion about the timing of Christ’s coming—the Corinth date in AD 51 best fits the historical and relational context.

Dates from other places like Rome, Athens, or Ephesus don’t align as neatly with the letter’s references and with Paul’s itinerary at that time, and the later date from Rome or the earlier date from other cities would clash with the evident sequence of events and relationships in the Thessalonian correspondence.