The Travels of Jesus
A chronological guide to the places Jesus visited during his life and ministry, from his birth in Bethlehem to his ascension from the Mount of Olives. It traces his path through Galilee, Judea, Samaria, and beyond.
Birth, Childhood, and Preparation (c. 6/5 BC – AD 27)
Matthew 1–4; Mark 1; Luke 1–4; John 1
Bethlehem
Jesus is born during the reign of Herod the Great, while Mary and Joseph are in Bethlehem for the Roman census. He is laid in a manger because there is no room at the inn. Shepherds arrive after the angels' announcement.
Jerusalem (Temple — presentation)
Mary and Joseph bring the infant Jesus to the Temple for purification rites. Simeon and Anna, both devout and advanced in years, recognize him as the promised Messiah. Simeon declares, 'My eyes have seen your salvation.'
Egypt
Warned in a dream about Herod's intent, Joseph flees with Mary and Jesus to Egypt. They remain there until Herod dies, fulfilling Hosea 11:1, 'Out of Egypt I called my son.'
Nazareth
Matthew 2:19-23; Luke 2:39-40, 51-52
After Herod's death, the family settles in Nazareth in Galilee rather than returning to Bethlehem, since Archelaus now rules Judea. Jesus grows up here; Luke says he 'grew and became strong, filled with wisdom.'
Jerusalem (Temple — age 12)
At age twelve, Jesus travels to Jerusalem for Passover. His parents find him in the Temple after three days, sitting among the teachers, listening and asking questions. He says, 'Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?'
Bethany beyond the Jordan
John 1:28; Matthew 3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21-22 · Location: debated
About eighteen years pass without recorded events. John the Baptist is preaching and baptizing at the Jordan. Jesus comes from Galilee to be baptized. The heavens open, the Spirit descends like a dove, and the Father's voice declares, 'This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.' The identification of 'Bethany beyond the Jordan' is disputed; candidates include a site near the Jordan's east bank opposite Jericho and Al-Maghtas in modern Jordan.
Judean wilderness
Matthew 4:1-11; Mark 1:12-13; Luke 4:1-13
Immediately after his baptism, the Spirit drives Jesus into the wilderness for forty days of fasting and temptation by the devil. He answers each temptation with Scripture. Angels minister to him afterward.
Early Judean and Samaritan Ministry (c. AD 27–28)
John 1–4
Bethany beyond the Jordan
John 1:29-51 · Location: debated
John the Baptist identifies Jesus as 'the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.' Andrew, Peter, Philip, and Nathanael become his first followers.
Cana
At a wedding feast, Jesus turns water into wine, his first sign. His mother says to the servants, 'Whatever he tells you, do it.'
Capernaum (brief stay)
Jesus goes down to Capernaum with his mother, brothers, and disciples for a few days.
Jerusalem (first Passover)
John 2:13–3:21
Jesus cleanses the Temple, driving out the money changers. He tells the Jewish leaders, 'Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.' Nicodemus comes to him by night; Jesus teaches about being 'born again' and declares, 'God so loved the world.'
Judean countryside
Jesus and his disciples baptize in the Judean countryside alongside John the Baptist's continuing ministry. John says of Jesus, 'He must increase, but I must decrease.'
Sychar, Samaria
Traveling north through Samaria, Jesus stops at Jacob's well near Sychar. He speaks with a Samaritan woman about 'living water' and reveals that he is the Messiah. Many Samaritans believe because of his words, and he stays two days.
Cana (return)
Back in Cana, a royal official from Capernaum begs Jesus to heal his dying son. Jesus says, 'Go; your son will live.' The boy is healed at the very hour Jesus spoke; this is his second sign.
Galilean Ministry (c. AD 28–29)
Matthew 4–18; Mark 1–9; Luke 4–9; John 5–6
Nazareth (rejection)
Jesus reads from Isaiah 61 in the synagogue at Nazareth and declares, 'Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.' The townspeople are at first amazed but soon turn hostile. They attempt to throw him off a cliff, but he passes through them.
Capernaum
Matthew 4:13-17; Mark 1:21-34; Luke 4:31-41
Jesus makes Capernaum his base of ministry. He teaches in the synagogue with authority, casts out demons, and heals Simon Peter's mother-in-law. Word spreads, and crowds bring the sick to him. He calls Peter, Andrew, James, and John from their boats.
Throughout Galilee
Matthew 4:23-25; Mark 1:35-39; Luke 4:42-44
Jesus travels throughout Galilee, preaching in synagogues, proclaiming the kingdom of God, and healing every disease. Crowds follow from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan.
Mount of Beatitudes (near Capernaum)
Jesus delivers the Sermon on the Mount, one of his fullest recorded blocks of teaching. It includes the Beatitudes, the Lord's Prayer, and the command to love your enemies. He teaches as one 'who had authority, and not as the scribes.'
Nain
Jesus raises a widow's only son from the dead at the town gate. Fear seizes the crowd, and they glorify God, saying, 'A great prophet has arisen among us!'
Sea of Galilee (calming the storm)
Matthew 8:23-27; Mark 4:35-41; Luke 8:22-25
As they cross the lake, a violent storm threatens to swamp the boat. Jesus sleeps until the disciples wake him. He rebukes the wind and waves: 'Peace! Be still!' They are filled with fear and ask, 'Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?'
Gerasenes (eastern shore)
Matthew 8:28-34; Mark 5:1-20; Luke 8:26-39
On the eastern shore, Jesus encounters a man possessed by a legion of demons, living among the tombs. He casts the demons into a herd of pigs. The locals, afraid, ask Jesus to leave. The healed man becomes a witness throughout the Decapolis.
Capernaum (Jairus's daughter)
Jairus, a synagogue ruler, pleads for his dying daughter. On the way, a woman who has bled for twelve years touches Jesus' garment and is healed. News comes that the girl has died, but Jesus says, 'She is not dead but sleeping,' and raises her up.
Bethsaida
Near Bethsaida, Jesus feeds 5,000 men, besides women and children, with five loaves and two fish. Twelve baskets of fragments remain. The crowd wants to make him king by force, but Jesus withdraws.
Sea of Galilee (walking on water)
Matthew 14:22-33; Mark 6:45-52; John 6:16-21
That night, the disciples strain at the oars against a headwind. Jesus comes to them walking on the water. Peter walks toward him but sinks when he sees the wind. Jesus catches him: 'O you of little faith, why did you doubt?'
Capernaum (Bread of Life)
In the synagogue at Capernaum, Jesus delivers the Bread of Life discourse: 'I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me shall not hunger.' Many disciples find the teaching hard and turn away. Peter responds, 'Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.'
Caesarea Philippi
Matthew 16:13-28; Mark 8:27–9:1
At the northern edge of Jesus' travels, near the pagan shrine at Banias, Peter confesses: 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.' Jesus blesses Peter and, for the first time, explicitly predicts his own suffering, death, and resurrection.
A high mountain (Transfiguration)
Matthew 17:1-13; Mark 9:2-13; Luke 9:28-36 · Location: debated
Six days later, Jesus takes Peter, James, and John up 'a high mountain.' His face shines like the sun, and his clothes become dazzling white. Moses and Elijah appear. A voice from the cloud says, 'This is my beloved Son; listen to him.' The disciples are afraid. The Gospels do not name the mountain; Mount Tabor is the traditional identification, dating from the 4th century, while some scholars favor a site on Mount Hermon because of its proximity to Caesarea Philippi. The map pin is placed at Tabor by convention, but the site remains uncertain.
Later Ministry and Journey Toward Jerusalem (c. AD 29–30)
Matthew 19–20; Mark 10; Luke 9:51–19:28; John 7–11
Galilee (departure)
Jesus 'sets his face toward Jerusalem.' He leaves Galilee for the last time, knowing what awaits him. No departure point is named; he may already have been traveling through Galilee at this stage. Along the way he teaches about the cost of discipleship.
A Samaritan village (rejected)
Luke 9:51-56 · Location: uncertain
An unnamed Samaritan village refuses to receive Jesus because he is heading to Jerusalem. James and John want to call down fire from heaven, but Jesus rebukes them. The text does not identify the village; the map pin is placed in the general region of Samaria.
Jerusalem (Feast of Tabernacles)
John 7:10-52; 8:12-59; 9:1-41
Jesus goes up secretly to the feast. He teaches in the Temple: 'If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.' He declares, 'I am the light of the world.' He heals a man born blind, sending him to wash at the Pool of Siloam. Tension with the authorities intensifies: 'Before Abraham was, I am.' They take up stones, but he leaves their midst.
Perea (beyond the Jordan)
John 10:40-42; Luke 13–16
Jesus withdraws to the region where John had been baptizing. Many believe in him there. He teaches the parables of the lost sheep, the lost coin, the prodigal son, and the rich man and Lazarus.
Bethany (raising of Lazarus)
When Lazarus dies, Jesus deliberately delays. He tells Martha, 'I am the resurrection and the life.' At the tomb, weeping, he commands, 'Lazarus, come out!' Lazarus emerges, still wrapped in grave clothes. This sign deepens belief in some and hardens the resolve of those plotting to kill Jesus.
Ephraim
After raising Lazarus, Jesus withdraws with his disciples to a town called Ephraim near the wilderness, because the Jewish leaders are now seeking to kill him.
Border of Samaria and Galilee
Traveling along the border, Jesus heals ten lepers. Only one, a Samaritan, returns to give thanks. Jesus asks, 'Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine?'
Jericho
Matthew 20:29-34; Mark 10:46-52; Luke 18:35–19:10
Near Jericho, Jesus heals blind Bartimaeus, who cries out, 'Son of David, have mercy on me!' In the city, Jesus calls Zacchaeus, a chief tax collector, down from a sycamore tree. 'Today salvation has come to this house,' he declares.
Bethany (anointing)
John 12:1-11; Matthew 26:6-13; Mark 14:3-9
Six days before Passover, Mary anoints Jesus' feet with costly nard. Judas objects to the 'waste.' Jesus says, 'She has done this for the day of my burial.' The chief priests also plot to kill Lazarus, since many are coming to faith because of him.
Final Week in Jerusalem (Passion Week) (c. AD 30 (Nisan 9–17))
Matthew 21–28; Mark 11–16; Luke 19:29–24:53; John 12:12–21:25
Bethphage / Mount of Olives
Matthew 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-10; Luke 19:29-44; John 12:12-19
Jesus sends two disciples to fetch a donkey, fulfilling Zechariah 9:9. He rides into Jerusalem as crowds wave palm branches and shout 'Hosanna to the Son of David!' He weeps over the city: 'If you had known the things that make for peace!'
Jerusalem (Temple — cleansing)
Matthew 21:12-17; Mark 11:15-19; Luke 19:45-48
Jesus drives out the buyers and sellers in the Temple for the second time: 'My house shall be called a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of robbers.' The chief priests and scribes seek to destroy him, but fear the crowds.
Mount of Olives (Olivet Discourse)
Matthew 24–25; Mark 13; Luke 21:5-36
Sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the Temple, Jesus teaches about the destruction of Jerusalem, the signs of the end, and his return. He urges watchfulness: 'Be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.'
Upper Room (Last Supper)
Matthew 26:17-30; Mark 14:12-26; Luke 22:7-38; John 13–17
Jesus celebrates Passover with the Twelve. He washes the disciples' feet. He institutes the Lord's Supper: 'This is my body... this is my blood of the covenant.' He identifies Judas as the betrayer. He then gives the Farewell Discourse (John 14–16) and the High Priestly Prayer (John 17).
Gethsemane
Matthew 26:36-56; Mark 14:32-52; Luke 22:39-53; John 18:1-12
In the garden at the foot of the Mount of Olives, Jesus prays in anguish: 'Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not my will but yours be done.' His sweat becomes like drops of blood. Judas arrives with soldiers and betrays Jesus with a kiss. Jesus is arrested, and the disciples flee.
Jerusalem (trials)
Matthew 26:57–27:26; Mark 14:53–15:15; Luke 22:54–23:25; John 18:13–19:16
Jesus is brought before Annas, then Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin. Peter denies him three times. In the morning Jesus is taken to Pilate, then to Herod Antipas, and then back to Pilate. The crowd calls for Barabbas. Pilate, finding no fault in him, nonetheless hands Jesus over to be crucified.
Golgotha
Matthew 27:33-56; Mark 15:22-41; Luke 23:33-49; John 19:17-37
Jesus is crucified between two criminals at 'the Place of the Skull.' He says, 'Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.' Darkness covers the land from noon to 3 PM. He cries, 'It is finished,' and dies. The Temple curtain is torn from top to bottom. The centurion says, 'Truly this was the Son of God.'
Tomb of Jesus (burial)
Matthew 27:57-66; Mark 15:42-47; Luke 23:50-56; John 19:38-42 · Location: debated
Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus take Jesus' body, wrap it in linen with spices, and lay it in Joseph's new rock-cut tomb nearby. A stone is rolled across the entrance. The chief priests set a guard. The location of the tomb is debated: the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, supported by tradition going back to the 4th century, and the Garden Tomb, proposed in the 19th century, are the two main candidates.
The empty tomb (resurrection)
Matthew 28:1-10; Mark 16:1-8; Luke 24:1-12; John 20:1-18 · Location: debated
Early on Sunday morning, women come to the tomb and find the stone rolled away. Angels declare, 'He is not here; he has risen!' Mary Magdalene sees the risen Jesus and mistakes him for the gardener until he says her name: 'Mary!' She runs to tell the disciples.
Road to Emmaus
Luke 24:13-35 · Location: debated
Two disciples walk to Emmaus, about sixty stadia, or roughly seven miles, from Jerusalem, grieving. A stranger joins them and explains from all the Scriptures how the Christ had to suffer. At supper, when he breaks bread, their eyes are opened: it is Jesus. He vanishes, and they hurry back to Jerusalem. The location of Emmaus is debated; candidates include Emmaus-Nicopolis (Amwas), Abu Ghosh, El-Qubeibeh, and Motza. The map pin is approximate.
Jerusalem (upper room appearances)
Jesus appears to the gathered disciples, showing his hands and side: 'Peace be with you.' Thomas, who was absent, doubts until the following week, when Jesus appears again and invites him to touch the wounds. Thomas exclaims, 'My Lord and my God!'
Sea of Galilee (restoration of Peter)
Seven disciples fish all night and catch nothing. At dawn, Jesus stands on the shore and tells them to cast on the right side. They haul in 153 large fish. Over breakfast at a charcoal fire, Jesus asks Peter three times, 'Do you love me?' restoring him after his three denials.
A mountain in Galilee (Great Commission)
Matthew 28:16-20 · Location: unknown
On an unidentified mountain in Galilee where Jesus had directed them, he gives the Great Commission: 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.' Matthew does not name the mountain; the map pin is placed in central Galilee as a general marker.
Mount of Olives (ascension)
Jesus leads the disciples out to the vicinity of Bethany on the Mount of Olives. He blesses them and is taken up into heaven. A cloud receives him from their sight. Two angels appear: 'This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go.'
Travel routes and locations are approximate. Coordinates are based on traditional and scholarly identifications.