If you are teaching the book of Acts to preteens, Paul’s second missionary journey is a fascinating story—but it can also feel like a long list of unfamiliar place names.
Where did Paul go? Who traveled with him? What happened along the way?
A Paul’s second missionary journey map can help preteens see that this wasn’t simply a series of stops on a map. Paul traveled from place to place, met different people, faced opposition, shared the gospel, and watched God open unexpected doors.
Paul’s second missionary journey is recorded primarily in Acts 15:36–18:22. Let’s follow the journey and discover what happened along the way.
Paul’s Second Missionary Journey Map – Where Did Paul Go?
Paul began his second journey after deciding to visit the believers in the cities where he had previously preached.
This time, Paul traveled with Silas. Along the way, they also met Timothy, who joined them in their ministry.
Their journey took them through several important locations:
Derbe → Lystra → Troas → Philippi → Thessalonica → Berea → Athens → Corinth
Each location became part of a much bigger story.
For preteens, following Paul’s route on a map can make Acts 16–18 much easier to understand. Instead of seeing individual stories as disconnected events, they can begin to see how the events fit together as one journey.
Derbe and Lystra
Paul and Silas traveled through the region of Galatia, visiting believers in the churches Paul had previously helped establish.
At Lystra, Paul met a young believer named Timothy.
Timothy became an important part of Paul’s ministry team and later became one of Paul’s closest coworkers.
This is a great reminder for preteens that God can use young people as part of His work.
Timothy wasn’t simply a name in Paul’s story. He became part of the journey.
Troas: A Change in Direction
Paul’s journey took an unexpected turn when he received what Acts describes as a vision of a man from Macedonia asking for help.
Paul and his companions understood this as God’s direction to travel into Macedonia.
They set sail from Troas.
This moment is important because it shows that Paul’s plans did not always unfold exactly as expected.
Sometimes following God means being willing to change direction.
For preteens, this raises an interesting question:
What do you do when your plans and God’s direction don’t seem to match?
Philippi: Lydia and a Prison
Paul and his companions arrived in Philippi, where they met a group of women praying beside a river.
One of them was Lydia, a seller of purple cloth.
Lydia listened to Paul’s message, believed, and was baptized along with her household.
But Paul’s time in Philippi quickly became difficult.
After Paul cast an evil spirit out of a slave girl, her owners became angry because they had lost their source of income.
Paul and Silas were beaten and thrown into prison.
And this is where one of the most memorable moments of the journey takes place.
Instead of giving up, Paul and Silas prayed and sang hymns to God at midnight.
Then an earthquake shook the prison.
The doors opened and the prisoners’ chains came loose.
The jailer was terrified, but Paul and Silas stayed rather than escaping. The jailer eventually asked what he needed to do to be saved.
The story shows preteens that faith isn’t only something we talk about when life is going well. Paul and Silas continued to trust God when things went very badly.
Thessalonica
After leaving Philippi, Paul and Silas traveled to Thessalonica.
Paul reasoned with people from the Scriptures, explaining that Jesus was the Messiah.
Some believed.
Others opposed Paul and Silas.
Once again, opposition forced them to leave.
The journey continued.
Berea
Paul and Silas then traveled to Berea.
The people there were described as being eager to hear the message, but they didn’t simply accept everything they heard without checking.
They examined the Scriptures to see whether Paul’s teaching was true.
This makes Berea particularly relevant for preteens today.
Kids hear information constantly—from friends, social media, videos, teachers, and the internet.
The Bereans provide a powerful example:
Don’t believe something simply because someone says it. Check it against God’s Word.
Athens
Paul eventually reached Athens, a city filled with idols and temples.
While walking around the city, Paul noticed an altar with the inscription:
“TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.”
Paul used this as an opportunity to explain who the true God is.
Instead of simply criticizing the people around him, Paul started with something they already understood and used it to point them toward God.
For preteens, Athens provides an opportunity to discuss how Christians can talk about their faith with people who believe differently.
Corinth
Paul then traveled to Corinth, where he stayed for a significant period of time.
There he met Priscilla and Aquila, a married couple who worked with Paul.
Paul also worked as a tentmaker while continuing to teach and share the gospel.
His time in Corinth became one of the longest stops on this journey.
Eventually, Paul continued his travels and eventually returned toward Antioch, bringing this second missionary journey to a close.
Paul’s Second Missionary Journey at a Glance
Here’s a simple way to remember the major stops:
| Location | What Happened? |
|---|---|
| Derbe | Paul traveled through the region |
| Lystra | Timothy joined Paul and Silas |
| Troas | Paul received the Macedonian vision |
| Philippi | Lydia believed; Paul and Silas were imprisoned |
| Thessalonica | Paul taught from the Scriptures |
| Berea | People examined the Scriptures carefully |
| Athens | Paul spoke about the true God |
| Corinth | Paul worked and ministered with Priscilla and Aquila |
When preteens can see these locations connected on a map, the journey becomes much easier to remember.
Why a Map Makes Paul’s Journey Easier to Teach
A map does more than show geography.
It helps students understand movement, sequence, and story.
Paul didn’t simply appear in Philippi, then Athens, then Corinth. He traveled through a real world filled with cities, roads, ports, people, cultures, opportunities, and opposition.
That makes the story much more engaging.
You can ask students:
- Where did Paul begin?
- Who joined Paul’s team?
- Where did Paul receive the Macedonian vision?
- Where did Lydia meet Paul?
- Where were Paul and Silas imprisoned?
- Where did the Bereans examine the Scriptures?
- Where did Paul speak about the unknown God?
- Where did Paul meet Priscilla and Aquila?
Suddenly, the map becomes part of the Bible investigation.
Turn Paul’s second missionary journey map Map Into a Bible Investigation
Instead of simply showing preteens a completed map, why not let them work out Paul’s route themselves?
Give them the relevant passages from Acts 16–18 and challenge them to identify the places Paul visited.
They can search the Scriptures, record the locations, put them in order, and discover what happened at each stop.
This changes the activity from “Look at Paul’s journey” to “Investigate Paul’s journey.”
And that’s exactly the approach used in the Paul’s Journey #2 Escape Room.
Explore Paul’s Journey With the Paul’s Journey #2 Escape Room
If your preteens enjoy puzzles, Bible detectives, teamwork, and challenges, take Paul’s second missionary journey one step further.
Paul’s Journey #2 Escape Room turns Acts 16–18 into an interactive Bible adventure.
Students don’t simply read about Paul’s journey—they investigate it.
They will:
- 🗺️ Investigate where Paul traveled
- 🔎 Search Scripture for clues
- 👥 Discover who Paul encountered
- 🧩 Solve connected Bible puzzles
- 📖 Explore events from Acts 16–18
- 🧠 Use reasoning and problem-solving
- 🤝 Work together as a team
- 🔐 Discover hidden answers as they progress
- 🏆 Complete the final mission
The Escape Room is designed for preteens ages 10–13 and works well for Sunday School, church groups, Christian classrooms, homeschool settings, or a special Bible activity.
Ready to Turn Paul’s Journey Into an Adventure?
Don’t just show your preteens Paul’s second missionary journey map.
Let them investigate the journey themselves.
Paul’s Journey #2 Escape Room takes students through the people, places, and events of Acts 16–18 using connected Bible puzzles and challenges.
Read the Bible. Solve the clues. Follow Paul’s journey. Complete the mission.
👉 Explore Paul’s Journey #2 Escape Room and give your preteens a Bible adventure they won’t forget.
You can also go to our Etsy store and purchase the Escape Room Puzzle on Paul’s Second Journey directly.