The letters of 1 and 2 Corinthians were written by Paul during his third missionary journey, which encompassed the years 52-57 A.D. There is sufficient biographical information in both the letters to the Corinthians and in the book of Acts to allow these letters to be dated very accurately. The sequence of events is described below:
Paul visits Corinth for the first time and establishes a church there (Acts 18:1-17). Among his converts were Sosthenes, who is listed as a co-author of 1 Corinthians (1 Corinthians 1:1 … and Sosthenes our brother,).
Paul travels to Ephesus, where he stays for three years. It is here that he writes his first letter to the Corinthians, however, this letter is not our canonical First Corinthians, it is called “the previous letter” (1 Corinthians 5:9 I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:). We will call this letter “Corinthians A.”
Paul receives news from various sources about trouble at Corinth (1 Corinthians 1:11 For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. 1 Corinthians 7:1 Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me:… 1 Corinthians 16:17 I am glad of the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus: for that which was lacking on your part they have supplied.). In response he writes the letter we know as 1 Corinthians. This is written from Ephesus (1 Corinthians 16:8 But I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost.)
Paul apparently visits Corinth for a second time, although we have no record of this visit. We know it occurred because Paul writes 2 Corinthians 12:14 Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you; and that he intends to visit for a third time 2 Corinthians 13:1-2 This is the third time I am coming to you.
Things seem to have worsened in the aftermath of the visit, leading Paul to write the “severe letter”. Paul mentions this letter in 2 Corinthians 2:4 and 2 Corinthians 7:8.
Paul was worried about the severe letter and overall situation. He hurried to meet Titus, who was returning with a response (2 Corinthians 2:13, 7:5, 7:13). Paul was encouraged by the news from Titus, and wrote another letter, the letter of 2 Corinthians. Some scholars believe the other letters of Paul may have been added into our canonical 2 Corinthians. For example the “severe letter” may have been added, now forming 2 Corinthians 10-13, and another portion may have been tucked into 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1.
1 Corinthians 5:7-8 seems to say that Passover season is imminent. The time frame for both letters then is quite narrow, with 1 Corinthians being written just before Passover in 55 AD. and 2 Corinthians being written in 56 AD.
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