<Table> <Tr> <Th> Book </Th> <Th> Date or range of dates most widely held by scholars </Th> <Th> Earliest known fragment </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Gospel of Matthew </Td> <Td> 80 -- 90 CE . This is based on three strands of evidence : ( a ) the setting of Matthew reflects the final separation of Church and Synagogue , about 85 CE ; ( b ) it reflects the capture of Jerusalem and destruction of the Temple by the Romans in 70 CE ; ( c ) it uses Mark , usually dated around 70 CE , as a source . </Td> <Td> P ( \ displaystyle ( \ mathfrak ( P ) ) ) ( 150 -- 200 CE ) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Gospel of Mark </Td> <Td> 68 -- 70 CE . References to persecution and to war in Judea suggest that its context was either Nero 's persecution of the Christians in Rome or the Jewish revolt . </Td> <Td> P ( \ displaystyle ( \ mathfrak ( P ) ) ) ( 250 CE ) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Gospel of Luke </Td> <Td> 80 -- 90 CE , with some scholars suggesting 90 -- 100 . There is evidence , both textual ( the conflicts between Western and Alexandrian manuscript families ) and from the Marcionite controversy ( Marcion was a 2nd - century heretic who produced his own version of Christian scripture based on Luke 's gospel and Paul 's epistles ) that Luke - Acts was still being substantially revised well into the 2nd century . </Td> <Td> P ( \ displaystyle ( \ mathfrak ( P ) ) ) , P ( \ displaystyle ( \ mathfrak ( P ) ) ) ( 175 -- 250 CE ) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Gospel of John </Td> <Td> 90 -- 110 CE , the upper date based on textual evidence that the gospel was known in the early 2nd century , and the lower on an internal reference to the expulsion of Christians from the synagogues . </Td> <Td> P ( \ displaystyle ( \ mathfrak ( P ) ) ) ( 125 -- 160 CE ) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Acts </Td> <Td> 95 -- 100 CE . If Acts uses Josephus as a source , as has been proposed , then it must have been composed after 93 CE ; it does not show any knowledge of Paul 's letters , which also supports a late date ; and the social situation is one in which the faithful need `` shepherds '' to protect them from heretical `` wolves '' , which again reflects a late date . </Td> <Td> P ( \ displaystyle ( \ mathfrak ( P ) ) ) , P ( \ displaystyle ( \ mathfrak ( P ) ) ) , P ( \ displaystyle ( \ mathfrak ( P ) ) ) , P ( \ displaystyle ( \ mathfrak ( P ) ) ) , P ( \ displaystyle ( \ mathfrak ( P ) ) ) ( 250 CE ) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Romans </Td> <Td> c. 57 CE . One of the genuine Pauline letters , written to the Romans as Paul was about to leave Asia Minor and Greece , and expressing his hopes to continue his work in Spain . </Td> <Td> P ( \ displaystyle ( \ mathfrak ( P ) ) ) ( late 2nd century or 3rd century CE ) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1 Corinthians </Td> <Td> c. 56 CE . Another of the Genuine Pauline letters . Paul expresses his intention to re-visit the church he founded in the city c. 50 -- 52 CE . </Td> <Td> P ( \ displaystyle ( \ mathfrak ( P ) ) ) ( late 2nd century or 3rd century CE ) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2 Corinthians </Td> <Td> 57 CE . Another of the genuine Pauline letters . It was written around the fall of 57 CE , though its parts may have been separated by intervals of at least some months . </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Galatians </Td> <Td> c. 55 CE . Paul does not express any wish to revisit the church in Galatia , which he founded , and so some scholars believe the letter dates from the end of his missionary work . The letter concerns the question of whether Gentile converts are required to adopt full Jewish customs . It has also been dated to either 48 - 50 CE or 54 - 55 CE . </Td> <Td> P ( \ displaystyle ( \ mathfrak ( P ) ) ) ( late 2nd century or 3rd century CE ) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Ephesians </Td> <Td>
<Table> <Tr> <Th> Book </Th> <Th> Date or range of dates most widely held by scholars </Th> <Th> Earliest known fragment </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Gospel of Matthew </Td> <Td> 80 -- 90 CE . This is based on three strands of evidence : ( a ) the setting of Matthew reflects the final separation of Church and Synagogue , about 85 CE ; ( b ) it reflects the capture of Jerusalem and destruction of the Temple by the Romans in 70 CE ; ( c ) it uses Mark , usually dated around 70 CE , as a source . </Td> <Td> P ( \ displaystyle ( \ mathfrak ( P ) ) ) ( 150 -- 200 CE ) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Gospel of Mark </Td> <Td> 68 -- 70 CE . References to persecution and to war in Judea suggest that its context was either Nero 's persecution of the Christians in Rome or the Jewish revolt . </Td> <Td> P ( \ displaystyle ( \ mathfrak ( P ) ) ) ( 250 CE ) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Gospel of Luke </Td> <Td> 80 -- 90 CE , with some scholars suggesting 90 -- 100 . There is evidence , both textual ( the conflicts between Western and Alexandrian manuscript families ) and from the Marcionite controversy ( Marcion was a 2nd - century heretic who produced his own version of Christian scripture based on Luke 's gospel and Paul 's epistles ) that Luke - Acts was still being substantially revised well into the 2nd century . </Td> <Td> P ( \ displaystyle ( \ mathfrak ( P ) ) ) , P ( \ displaystyle ( \ mathfrak ( P ) ) ) ( 175 -- 250 CE ) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Gospel of John </Td> <Td> 90 -- 110 CE , the upper date based on textual evidence that the gospel was known in the early 2nd century , and the lower on an internal reference to the expulsion of Christians from the synagogues . </Td> <Td> P ( \ displaystyle ( \ mathfrak ( P ) ) ) ( 125 -- 160 CE ) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Acts </Td> <Td> 95 -- 100 CE . If Acts uses Josephus as a source , as has been proposed , then it must have been composed after 93 CE ; it does not show any knowledge of Paul 's letters , which also supports a late date ; and the social situation is one in which the faithful need `` shepherds '' to protect them from heretical `` wolves '' , which again reflects a late date . </Td> <Td> P ( \ displaystyle ( \ mathfrak ( P ) ) ) , P ( \ displaystyle ( \ mathfrak ( P ) ) ) , P ( \ displaystyle ( \ mathfrak ( P ) ) ) , P ( \ displaystyle ( \ mathfrak ( P ) ) ) , P ( \ displaystyle ( \ mathfrak ( P ) ) ) ( 250 CE ) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Romans </Td> <Td> c. 57 CE . One of the genuine Pauline letters , written to the Romans as Paul was about to leave Asia Minor and Greece , and expressing his hopes to continue his work in Spain . </Td> <Td> P ( \ displaystyle ( \ mathfrak ( P ) ) ) ( late 2nd century or 3rd century CE ) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1 Corinthians </Td> <Td> c. 56 CE . Another of the Genuine Pauline letters . Paul expresses his intention to re-visit the church he founded in the city c. 50 -- 52 CE . </Td> <Td> P ( \ displaystyle ( \ mathfrak ( P ) ) ) ( late 2nd century or 3rd century CE ) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2 Corinthians </Td> <Td> 57 CE . Another of the genuine Pauline letters . It was written around the fall of 57 CE , though its parts may have been separated by intervals of at least some months . </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Galatians </Td> <Td> c. 55 CE . Paul does not express any wish to revisit the church in Galatia , which he founded , and so some scholars believe the letter dates from the end of his missionary work . The letter concerns the question of whether Gentile converts are required to adopt full Jewish customs . It has also been dated to either 48 - 50 CE or 54 - 55 CE . </Td> <Td> P ( \ displaystyle ( \ mathfrak ( P ) ) ) ( late 2nd century or 3rd century CE ) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Ephesians </Td> <Td>
what is the oldest book in the new testament
what is the oldest book in the new testament
Gospel of Matthew
Gospel of Matthew