III. Date

The date of the writing of the epistle is related to the identification of the recipients. The North Galatian theory would mandate a date after Ac 16, following Paul’s travels in the region of Phrygia and Galatia on his way to Troas, not before the late 50s. On the other hand, the South Galatian theory would allow for an early date, anytime after the first journey of Paul, described in Ac 13-14, possibly as early as a.d. 47 or 48. To hold to the later date does not mandate the North Galatian theory, but it does allow for the letter to have been written at nearly the same time as Romans and 1 and 2 Corinthians, which have similarities of style and content.