Does Paul’s history contradict Luke’s in the Book of Acts?

Paul and Luke contradict one another in their account of Timothy coming to Athens.

The conflict in these passages is one of omission. The Bible teaches that it relates history truly, but it does not claim to relate history fully or exhaustively (Jn. 21:25). In this case, Luke omits any mention of Silas and Timothy’s travels to Athens. Yet, this can be harmonized quite easily:

1. Paul goes to Athens (“Now those who escorted Paul brought him as far as Athens” Acts 17:15).

2. Silas and Timothy come to Athens. This is not mentioned in Acts. However, Luke does write that Paul told them “to come to him as soon as possible” (Acts 17:15).

3. Paul writes, “We sent Timothy… to strengthen and encourage you” (not mentioned in Acts; 1 Thess. 3:2). Thus, Timothy went back to Thessalonica to check on them.

4. Paul leaves Athens and travels to Corinth (Acts 18:1).

5. Silas and Timothy come to Corinth with money from Macedonia (Acts 18:5). They also come to Corinth with good news about the church of Thessalonica (“Timothy has come to us from you” 1 Thess. 3:6).

6. Paul writes 1 and 2 Thessalonians from Corinth. This might be what Luke means by writing, “Paul began devoting himself completely to the word” (Acts 18:5).

Some solve this difficulty by simply saying that Paul was using an “epistolary we.” That is, Paul was merely writing in the first-person plural as a literary convention. Though, others state that “it is difficult to regard the plural in this verse as epistolary when elsewhere in the letter it appears to be a real plural.”