"Dates (Calendar)" from Publications Index 1986-2012

B.C.E.
4026, Adam created
3896, Seth born
3404, Enoch born
3339, Methuselah born
3152, Lamech born
3096, Adam dies
3039, Enoch transferred
2970, Noah born
2490, God’s pronouncement as to mankind (Ge 6:3)
2470, Japheth born
2468, Shem born
2370, Methuselah dies; flood begins
2369, post-Flood history begins; rainbow covenant (Ge 9:12-16)
2368, Arpachshad born
a. 2269, Tower of Babel built
2020, Noah dies
2018, Abraham born
1943, Abraham crosses Euphrates; Abrahamic covenant takes effect; 430-year period begins (Ex 12:40, 41; Ga 3:17)
b. 1933, Lot rescued; Abraham visits Melchizedek
1932, Ishmael born
1919, covenant of circumcision made with Abraham; Sodom and Gomorrah destroyed
1918, Isaac born; 450-year period begins (Ac 13:17-20)
1913, Isaac weaned; 400-year affliction begins (Ge 15:13)
1893, Abraham attempts to sacrifice Isaac
1881, Sarah dies
1878, Isaac weds Rebekah
1868, Shem dies
1858, Esau and Jacob born
1843, Abraham dies
1818, Esau weds
1795, Ishmael dies
1781, Jacob flees to Mesopotamia
1774, Jacob weds Leah and Rachel
1767, Joseph born
1761, Jacob returns to Canaa
c. 1761, Jacob is named Israel
1750, Joseph sold into slavery
1738, Isaac dies
1737, Joseph becomes prime minister of Egypt
1728, Jacob moves to Egypt
1711, Jacob dies
1657, Joseph dies
c. 1613, Job tried
a. 1600, Egypt becomes world power
1593, Moses born
1553, Moses flees to Midian
c. 1514, Moses at burning bush
1513, Exodus from Egypt; 400-year affliction ends (Ge 15:13); Law Covenant with Israel at Sinai; 430-year period ends (Ex 12:40, 41; Ga 3:17); Genesis written
1512, tabernacle completed; Aaronic priesthood installed; Exodus written; Leviticus written
c. 1473, Job written
1473, Numbers written; covenant with Israel at Moab; Deuteronomy written; Moses dies; Israelites enter Promised Land; spies enter Jericho; Jericho falls
c. 1467, conquest of Canaan completed; 450-year period ends (Ac 13:17-20)
c. 1450, Joshua written; Joshua dies
1424, first Jubilee celebrated
1173, Jephthah becomes judge
1117, Saul begins reign
1107, David born
c. 1100, Judges written
c. 1090, Ruth written
c. 1078, 1 Samuel written
1077, David king of Judah at Hebron; Ish-bosheth king of Israel
1075, Ish-bosheth assassinated
1070, David king over all Israel
a. 1070, David brings ark of covenant to Jerusalem; Kingdom covenant with David
c. 1040, 2 Samuel written
1037, Solomon begins reign
1034, Solomon begins temple
1027, Solomon completes temple
1026, Solomon dedicates temple
c. 1020, Song of Solomon written
b. 1000, Ecclesiastes written
998, Solomon dies
997, Rehoboam king, Israel divided into two kingdoms; Jeroboam king of Israel
993, Pharaoh Shishak invades Judah
980, Abijah (Abijam) becomes king of Judah
978, Asa becomes king of Judah
977, Asa’s first regnal year
c. 976, Nadab becomes king of Israel
c. 975, Baasha becomes king of Israel
967, Asa defeats Ethiopians
962, “thirty-sixth year” of Asa’s reign (2Ch 16:1)
c. 952, Elah becomes king of Israel
c. 951, Zimri becomes king of Israel for seven days; Omri and Tibni become rival kings of Israel
c. 947, Omri alone king of Israel
c. 940, Ahab becomes king of Israel
936, Jehoshaphat becomes king of Judah
c. 920, Ahab dies
c. 919, Ahaziah (son of Ahab) becomes king of Israel
c. 917, Jehoram (son of Ahab) becomes king of Israel
913, Jehoram (son of Jehoshaphat) reigns with father
911, Jehoshaphat dies
c. 906, Ahaziah (grandson of Jehoshaphat) becomes king of Judah
c. 905, Jehu anointed as king of Israel; Jehoram (son of Ahab) killed by Jehu; Ahaziah (grandson of Jehoshaphat) killed by Jehu; Athaliah usurps throne of Judah
c. 904, Jehu’s first year as king of Israel
898, Jehoash (son of Ahaziah) becomes king of Judah
c. 877, Jehu dies
876, Jehoahaz becomes king of Israel
860, Jehoahaz dies
c. 859, Jehoash (son of Jehoahaz) becomes king of Israel
859, Jehoash (son of Ahaziah) assassinated
858, Amaziah becomes king of Judah
c. 844, Jeroboam II becomes king of Israel, Jonah written
829, Uzziah (Azariah) becomes king of Judah
c. 820, Joel written
c. 818, Uzziah (Azariah) ‘becomes king’ (2Ki 15:1)
c. 804, Amos written; Hosea begins prophesying; Jeroboam II begins last regnal year
c. 803, Jeroboam II dies
c. 792, Zechariah becomes king of Israel
c. 791, Shallum becomes king of Israel for one month; Menahem becomes king of Israel
c. 790, Menahem’s first regnal year as king of Israel
c. 780, Pekahiah becomes king of Israel
c. 778, Isaiah begins prophesying; Pekah becomes king of Israel
777, Jotham becomes king of Judah; Micah begins prophesying
762, Ahaz becomes king of Judah
c. 758, Hoshea becomes king of Israel
753, Rome founded (tradition)
746, Ahaz dies
745, Hezekiah’s first regnal year as king of Judah
a. 745, Hosea written
742, Samaria besieged
740, ten-tribe kingdom of Israel falls
732, Sennacherib attacks Judah
a. 732, Isaiah stops prophesying, Isaiah written
b. 717, Micah written
c. 717, Proverbs compiled
717, Hezekiah dies
716, Manasseh becomes king of Judah
661, Amon becomes king of Judah
659, Josiah becomes king of Judah
b. 648, Zephaniah written
647, Jeremiah commissioned
645, Nabopolassar becomes king of Babylon
b. 632, Nahum written
632, Nineveh falls
629, Josiah dies, Pharaoh Necho(h) takes Carchemish; reestablishment of Assyrian Empire fails
628, Jehoahaz becomes king of Judah; Jehoiakim becomes king of Judah
c. 628, Habakkuk written
625, battle of Carchemish; Jeremiah has Baruch write prophecies; Nebuchadnezzar becomes king of Babylon
624, Baruch reads scroll in temple courtyard
620, Jehoiakim vassal to Nebuchadnezzar
618, Nebuchadnezzar besieges Jerusalem; Jehoiakim dies
618-617, Jehoiachin rules, is exiled
617, Zedekiah becomes king of Judah; first exiles from Jerusalem
614, Zedekiah and Seraiah to Babylon
613, Ezekiel commissioned
612, Ezekiel’s vision of false worship in temple
611, Ezekiel confirms Jerusalem to fall
609, final siege of Jerusalem begins
607, Jerusalem falls; Jerusalem destroyed; temple burned; Lamentations written; last exiles from Jerusalem
c. 607, Obadiah written
a. 607, Nebuchadnezzar takes Tyre
c. 606, Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of image (Da 2)
602, Nebuchadnezzar exiles more Jews, conquers Moab and Ammon, and invades Egypt
593, Ezekiel’s vision of future temple
c. 591, Ezekiel written
586 or 587, claim of being year that Jerusalem was destroyed by Babylonians
580, 1 and 2 Kings written; Jehoiachin released from prison in Babylon (Jer 52:31-34); Jeremiah written
560, Cyrus the Great becomes king of Persia
556, Nabonidus becomes king of Babylon
553, Belshazzar coregent with Nabonidus; Daniel receives vision (Da 7)
551, Daniel receives vision (Da 8)
550, Cyrus unites Medes and Persians
540, Meroë becomes capital of Ethiopia
539, Cyrus takes Babylon, becomes its king; Daniel receives prophecy of 70 weeks (Da 9)
538-537, Cyrus decrees release of Jews
537, Jews repatriated, altar erected
536, Daniel receives prophecy of kings of north and south (Da 10-12); temple foundation laid
c. 536, Daniel written
530, Cyrus the Great dies
529, Cambyses II begins rule
525, Cambyses II subjugates Egypt
522, Cambyses II dies, Smerdis (Bardiya or Gaumata) usurps Persian throne; ban on temple construction; Darius I (Hystaspis) ascends throne; Darius I (Hystaspis) defeats Nebuchadnezzar III
521-520, Darius I’s first regnal year as king of Babylon
520, Haggai and Zechariah prophesy; temple building resumed; Haggai written
518, Zechariah written
515, temple completed
496, Xerxes I coregent with father Darius I (Hystaspis)
490, battle of Marathon, Greece
486, Darius I (Hystaspis) dies
484, Ahasuerus (Xerxes I) decrees extermination of Jews
480, Xerxes I invades Greece; battle at Thermopylae
479, Greeks defeat Persians at Plataea
c. 475, Esther written
475, Artaxerxes Longimanus ascends throne
474-473, Artaxerxes Longimanus’ first regnal year
468, Ezra travels to Jerusalem
c. 460, 1 and 2 Chronicles written; Ezra written; Psalms completed
455, Artaxerxes Longimanus issues command to rebuild Jerusalem and walls; Jerusalem’s walls completed
c. 443, Nehemiah returns to Persia
a. 443, Malachi written, Nehemiah written
424, Artaxerxes Longimanus’ reign ends
423-422, Darius II’s first regnal year
406, rebuild of Jerusalem complete (Da 9:25)
404, Artaxerxes II (Mnemon) becomes king
358, Artaxerxes III (Ochus) becomes king
336, Alexander the Great ascends throne
334, Alexander invades Persia; Alexander defeats Persians at Granicus
333, Alexander defeats Persians at Issus
332, Alexander overthrows Tyre; Alexander enters Jerusalem; Alexander conquers Egypt
331, Alexander defeats Persians at Gaugamela; Persian Empire falls; Alexander enters Babylon
323, Alexander the Great dies
301, Alexander’s generals in power
c. 280, Septuagint begun
168, Jerusalem’s temple desecrated; Macedonia conquered by Rome
167, Maccabean revolt begins
165, Jerusalem’s temple rededicated
150, Septuagint completed
146, Macedonia a Roman province
63, Jerusalem falls to Rome
46, Julius Caesar begins rule
44, Julius Caesar assassinated
42, victory of Octavius and Mark Antony on Plain of Philippi
c. 39, Herod the Great becomes king of Judaea
c. 37, Herod the Great takes Jerusalem
31, Octavius begins rule; Octavius defeats Mark Antony
30, Octavius conquers Egypt; Rome a world power
27, Octavius becomes emperor, proclaimed “Augustus”
c. 17, Herod begins to rebuild temple
3, Gabriel foretells birth of John the Baptizer
2, John the Baptizer born; Jesus born
1, Herod the Great dies

C.E.
14, Tiberius becomes emperor
28-29, Tiberius’ fifteenth year (Lu 3:1)
29, spring, John the Baptizer begins ministry; fall, Jesus baptized, becomes Christ (Messiah)
30, Jesus cleanses temple
31, Jesus chooses 12 apostles; Jesus gives Sermon on Mount
32, Jesus attends Festival of Booths; Jesus resurrects Lazarus; John the Baptizer beheaded
33, Nisan 7, Jesus travels from Jericho to Bethany; Nisan 8, Jesus arrives in Bethany; Nisan 9, meal at home of Simon, entry into Jerusalem; Nisan 10, Jesus cleanses temple, teaches, Jehovah speaks; Nisan 11, Jesus’ ministry in and around Jerusalem; Nisan 12, Jesus in retirement, Judas offers to betray; Nisan 13, Passover preparations; Nisan 14; Nisan 15, Pilate permits guards for Jesus’ grave; Nisan 16, Jesus resurrected; after Nisan 16, Jesus commissions followers; Sivan 6, Christian congregation founded
c. 33-34, Stephen martyred; Ethiopian eunuch baptized
c. 34, Saul of Tarsus converted
c. 34-36, Saul preaches in Damascus
c. 36, Paul first visits Jerusalem as Christian; Paul visits Cephas (Peter) in Jerusalem (Ga 1:18); Paul taken to Caesarea, sent to Tarsus
36, Cornelius converted
37, Caligula (Gaius Caesar) becomes emperor
c. 41, Matthew written; Paul’s vision of “third heaven” (2Co 12:2)
41, Caligula assassinated; Claudius becomes emperor; Herod Agrippa I becomes king of all Palestine
43, Claudius begins conquest of southern Britain
c. 44, Agabus prophesies famine (Ac 11:28); James (son of Zebedee) martyred; Peter imprisoned, miraculously released
44, Herod Agrippa I dies
c. 46, foretold famine strikes; Paul and Barnabas bring relief to Jerusalem (Ac 11:28; 12:25)
c. 47-48, Paul’s first missionary tour
c. 47, Paul, Barnabas, and John Mark visit Salamis
c. 49, circumcision issue at Antioch; conference in Jerusalem; territory assignments (Ga 2:9); Paul resists Peter (Ga 2:11-14); Paul begins second missionary tour
c. 49-52, Paul’s second missionary tour; Barnabas and Mark preach in Cyprus
c. 49-50, Claudius expels Jews from Rome
c. 50, Luke joins Paul at Troas; Paul’s vision of Macedonian man; Paul visits Philippi; Philippian congregation founded; Thessalonian congregation founded; Paul visits Athens
c. 50-52, Paul visits Corinth; 1 Thessalonians written; Galatians written
c. 51, 2 Thessalonians written
c. 52-56, Paul’s third missionary tour
c. 52-55, Paul visits Ephesus
54, Nero begins rule
c. 55, 1 Corinthians written; Titus sent to Corinth; 2 Corinthians written
c. 56, Romans written; Paul resurrects Eutychus in Troas; Paul and Luke stay with Philip in Caesarea
56, Paul arrested in Jerusalem
c. 56-58, Paul in custody in Caesarea; Luke written
c. 58, Festus succeeds Felix
58, Herod Agrippa II hears Paul
c. 59, Paul departs Malta; Paul stops at Syracuse
c. 59-61, Paul’s first imprisonment in Rome
c. 60-61, Colossians written; Ephesians written; Philemon written; Philippians written
c. 60-65, Mark written
c. 61, Acts written; Hebrews written
c. 61-64, 1 Timothy written; Titus left in Crete; Titus written
b. 62, James written
c. 62, James (brother of Jesus) dies
c. 62-64, 1 Peter written; Mark serves with Peter
c. 64, 2 Peter written
64, Rome burns
c. 65, Paul’s second imprisonment in Rome and death; 2 Timothy written; Titus leaves for Dalmatia, Jude written
66, Jews seize Masada; Jews revolt against Rome; Cestius Gallus attacks Jerusalem; withdraws
67, Vespasian begins to quell Jewish uprising
68, Galba becomes emperor
69, Otho becomes emperor; Vitellius becomes emperor; Vespasian becomes emperor; Titus continues campaign against Jews
70, Jerusalem destroyed by Romans; temple burned
73, Masada falls
79, Titus becomes emperor
81, Domitian becomes emperor
96, Nerva becomes emperor; Revelation written
96-98, John released from exile
c. 98, John written; 1 John written; 2 John written; 3 John written
98, Trajan becomes emperor
c. 100, John dies
100, Herod Agrippa II dies
c. 112, letter from Pliny the Younger to Trajan on Christians
122, Hadrian begins wall in Britain
130, Hadrian rebuilds Jerusalem
132, Jews revolt under Bar Kokhba
 200, Symmachus translates Hebrew Scriptures
c. 245, Origen completes Hexapla
c. 252, Council of Carthage advocates infant baptism
286, Diocletian begins rule
303, Caesar Galerius instigates persecution of professed Christians; Diocletian decrees that Christian meeting places be razed and Scriptures burned
306, Constantine the Great becomes emperor
321, Constantine decrees Sunday a day of rest
325, Council of Nicaea
330, Constantine makes Byzantium (Constantinople) his capital
382, Jerome begins work on Latin Vulgate
395, Roman Empire permanently divided into East and West
405, Jerome completes Latin Vulgate
476, Rome falls
c. 570, Muḥammad born
622, Muḥammad flees Mecca
630, Mecca falls to Muḥammad
c. 636, Isidore of Seville contends that Hebrew, Greek, and Latin are only languages suitable for Bible
868, first books printed (China)
1054, final break between Greek and Latin churches
1079, Pope Gregory VII insists Bible remain inaccessible to those of “limited intelligence”
1096, First Crusade
1184, Inquisition established
1199, Pope Innocent III declares to be heretics any who translate and discuss Bible
1204, Fourth Crusade sacks Constantinople
1209, Albigensian Crusade
1231, medieval Inquisition begins in Italy and France
c. 1382, Wycliffe’s Bible translation in English released
1453, Constantinople falls to Turks
c. 1455, Gutenberg prints Latin Vulgate
1478, Spanish Inquisition begins
1492, Jews expelled from Spain; Rodrigo de Borja becomes Pope Alexander VI; Columbus reaches Americas
1494, Treaty of Tordesillas divides world between Spain and Portugal
1497-1499, Vasco da Gama’s voyage to India
1516, Erasmus produces Greek master text of Christian Scriptures
1517, according to tradition, Luther nails 95 theses to church door
1525, Tyndale completes English translation of Christian Scriptures
1526, Tyndale’s translation of Christian Scriptures distributed in England
1528-1557, Robert Estienne publishes Bible editions, introduces running heads and modern verse divisions
1530, Tyndale produces English translation of Pentateuch
1535, Coverdale produces complete English Bible
1536, Calvin publishes Institutes of the Christian Religion; Tyndale executed
1537, Coverdale’s translation published in England; Matthew’s Bible printed in Antwerp, Belgium
1538, King Henry VIII orders that all churches in England have a Bible
1539, Great Bible (English) produced
1542, Roman Inquisition begins
1545-1563, Council of Trent
1559, Pope Paul IV forbids possession of Bible in common tongue
1560, Geneva Bible (English) published in Geneva, Switzerland
1568, Bishops’ Bible (English) produced
1576, Geneva Bible (English) printed in England
1588, Britain defeats Spanish Armada
1618, Thirty Years’ War begins
1648, Peace of Westphalia ends Thirty Years’ War
1763, British Empire dominant
1789, French Revolution
1804, British and Foreign Bible Society formed
1815, Napoléon defeated at Waterloo, Belgium
1818/1819, Robert Morrison completes Chinese Bible
1835, Adoniram Judson completes Burmese Bible
1844, Millerites expect Jesus’ return (October 22)
1852, Russell born
c. 1868, Russell begins careful study of Scriptures
1870, Russell forms Bible study group
1876, end of appointed times of nations in 1914 first announced
1877, Barbour and Russell publish Three Worlds, and the Harvest of This World; Russell publishes The Object and Manner of Our Lord’s Return
1879, Russell withdraws from Herald of the Morning; Zion’s Watch Tower first published
1880, Russell tours northeastern U.S. to form study groups
1881, first tracts published, Zion’s Watch Tower Tract Society formed; call for 1,000 preachers; colporteur work begins; groups holding meetings asked to notify Society; Food for Thinking Christians published
1884, Zion’s Watch Tower Tract Society incorporated
1886, The Divine Plan of the Ages (Millennial Dawn, Volume I) released
1889, Bible House in Allegheny, Pennsylvania, completed
1890, Society begins Bible publishing with Rotherham’s New Testament, Second Edition
1891, first gathering of Bible Students to be termed a convention (Allegheny, Pennsylvania); Russell travels abroad
1894, speakers sent to congregations
1895, Dawn Circles for Bible Study begin
1896, name Zion’s Watch Tower Tract Society changed to Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society
1898, Tower Publishing Company donated to Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society; local assemblies begin
1900, first branch office established (London, England)
1901, American Standard Version (English) published
1903, tracts distributed house to house
1904, Russell’s sermons appear in newspapers
1905, Einstein publishes revolutionary papers on physics
1908, Dawn-Mobile introduced for delivery of Millennial Dawn sets
1909, Watch Tower Society moves headquarters to Brooklyn; Peoples Pulpit Association formed
1912, work begins on “Photo-Drama of Creation”
1914, “Photo-Drama of Creation” first shown; Archduke of Austria-Hungary assassinated; International Bible Students Association incorporated
1915, pastoral work (aspect of field ministry) begins
1916, Russell dies
1917, Rutherford elected president of Watch Tower Society; colporteurs and pastoral workers assigned territory; book The Finished Mystery released; opposition to Rutherford by four unconfirmed directors
1918, Rutherford confirmed as president of Watch Tower Society; “Millions” discourse first given; Spanish flu begins; Kingdom News No. 1 published; Rutherford and associates imprisoned; Rutherford and associates sentenced; headquarters transferred to Pittsburgh; World War I ends; service report
1919, League of Nations proposed; Rutherford reelected president of Society; Paris Peace Conference; Rutherford and associates released from Atlanta penitentiary; Rutherford and associates released from prison on bail; judgment against Rutherford and associates reversed, new trial ordered; Treaty of Versailles signed; first Cedar Point, Ohio, convention; Golden Age announced; Bible Students’ headquarters return to Brooklyn; Golden Age released; service directors appointed; Bulletin first published; service reports sent weekly to headquarters
1920, Treaty of Versailles in force; League of Nations established; first Watch Tower printed on Watch Tower Society press; first Golden Age printed on Watch Tower Society press; Romania branch office established; prosecution of Rutherford and associates withdrawn; “Millions” discourses resumed
1921, pastoral work discontinued
1922, Rutherford’s first radio discourse; Watch Tower Society printery moved to 18 Concord St., Brooklyn, New York; Watch Tower Society begins binding books; “Berean Questions” become regular feature of Watch Tower magazine; second Cedar Point, Ohio, convention; house-to-house work encouraged for all
1923, WBBR construction begins
1924, WBBR begins broadcasting
1926, Diaglott the first Bible printed on Watch Tower Society presses; Jehovah’s name specially emphasized since; pilgrims given added responsibilities; Sunday witnessing offering books for study encouraged; Workers’ Meetings monthly
1927, Watch Tower Society printery moved to 117 Adams St., Brooklyn, New York; elders not publicly witnessing removed; Sunday designated as best day for service
1928, pilgrims renamed regional service directors; Workers’ Meetings weekly
1931, adoption of name Jehovah’s Witnesses; Jehovah’s name on cover of The Watchtower
1932, election of elders and deacons eliminated; service committees elected; service directors appointed within service committees; Service Meetings replace Prayer, Praise and Testimony Meetings; term “pioneer” replaces “colporteur”
1933, testimony cards used; transcription machines used in field ministry
1934, phonographs used in field ministry; Witnesses worldwide send letters, cablegrams to Hitler’s government
b. 1935, resurrection of anointed begins
1935, Germany bans Bibelforscher (Bible Students); Washington, D.C., convention; attention directed to gathering “great crowd”; service report; term “Kingdom Hall” first used
1936, Bible studies using book Riches; Legal Department established at Watch Tower headquarters; placards used; regional service directors renamed regional servants
1937, first Model Study booklet received; “Jonadabs” given positions of congregation responsibility; Nazi persecution exposed; phonographs used on doorstep; special pioneers, “back-calls,” and “model studies” introduced
1938, all congregation servants appointed theocratically; “Jonadabs” invited to Memorial; regional servants serve assemblies; separate classes for young people discontinued; signs “Religion Is a Snare and a Racket”; singing at meetings suspended; zone assemblies (circuit assemblies) begin; zone servants visit congregations
1939, first Watchtower subscription campaign; name Peoples Pulpit Association changed to Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, Inc.; World War II begins
1940, “Courage” Testimony Period; magazines offered on street; vertical portable phonographs used in field ministry
1941, Japan and U.S. enter World War II
1942, “Declaration by United Nations”; Rutherford dies; Knorr becomes president of Watch Tower Society; Advanced Course in Theocratic Ministry begins in Brooklyn Bethel; King James Version the first complete Bible printed on Watch Tower Society presses; association of nations foretold to rise again; Gilead School proposed; servants to the brethren visit congregations; Watch Tower publications anonymous
1943, Gilead School opens; Course in Theocratic Ministry introduced for congregations; Supreme Courts in U.S. and Australia rule in favor of Jehovah’s Witnesses
1944, American Standard Version printed on Watch Tower Society presses; singing at meetings resumed; Watch Tower Society charter amended; congregations encouraged to establish Theocratic Ministry School libraries
1945, public meeting campaign launched; World War II ends; United Nations established; Knorr and Henschel tour Europe to provide help to brothers; service report
1946, missionary homes provided, regional servants renamed district servants; translation of Christian Greek Scriptures proposed
1947, translation of New World Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures begins
1948, State of Israel established; Zambia branch established; servants to the brethren renamed circuit servants
1949, translation of New World Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures completed; nine-story addition to Watch Tower printery in Brooklyn, New York
1950, Korean War begins; New World Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures released
1952, disfellowshipping of unrepentant sinners instituted
1953, house-to-house training program begins; New World Translation of the Hebrew Scriptures, Volume I, released
1955, name Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society changed to Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania
1956, international zone work begins; name Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, Inc., changed to Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc.; Watch Tower printery adds 77 Sands St., Brooklyn, New York
1957, WBBR sold
1958, Divine Will International Assembly becomes largest single gathering, Kingdom Ministry School announced
1959, Kingdom Ministry School begins
1960, translation of New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures completed
1961, New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures released
1965, first Assembly Hall
1967, Watch Tower printery adds ten-story building, Brooklyn, New York
1969, The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures released
1971, Governing Body chairmanship rotates; Governing Body enlarged; Governing Body members preside in rotation at morning worship at headquarters
1972, bodies of elders appointed; elders and ministerial servants recommended, then appointed
1973, Watch Tower printery added at Watchtower Farms, Wallkill, New York
1975, Governing Body committees approved, service report, six thousand years of man’s existence
1976, Governing Body committees begin functioning, Branch Committees begin functioning
1977, Knorr dies; Franz becomes president of Watch Tower Society; Pioneer Service School begins; studying two books with all new ones
1985, International Program begins
1986, Regional Building Committees appointed; The Watchtower permanently in color
1987, Awake! permanently in color; Ministerial Training School begins
1989, Berlin Wall falls
1992, assistants for committees of Governing Body; Franz dies; Henschel becomes president of Watch Tower Society
1993, European Court of Human Rights grants victory to Greek Witness over issue of freedom to preach
1994, Governing Body increased by one
1995, Gilead School moves to Watchtower Educational Center, Patterson, New York; School for Branch Committee Members inaugurated
1997, Public Affairs Office formed
1999, School for Traveling Overseers begins; Governing Body increased by four
2000, board of directors of Watch Tower Society changed; dispute over which land will first see; preparations and predictions for
2001, third millennium C.E. begins; Twin Towers of World Trade Center destroyed
2002, U.S. Supreme Court upholds right to preach without permit; move of Watch Tower Society printing in U.S. to Watchtower Farms announced
2003, “Year of the Bible” (Austria, France, Germany, Switzerland)
2004, Watch Tower Society printing in U.S. consolidated at Watchtower Farms, Wallkill, New York
2005, new Watch Tower printery at Watchtower Farms dedicated
2006, Awake! becomes monthly with more emphasis on Bible
2007, Great Recession begins
2008, The Watchtower begins public and study editions; School for Congregation Elders begins
2009, Congregation Bible study incorporated with Theocratic Ministry School and Service Meeting; start of scheduling monthly day to offer Bible studies; term “presiding overseer” replaced by “coordinator of the body of elders”; School for Congregation Elders expanded
2010, Bible School for Christian Couples announced; Ministerial Training School renamed Bible School for Single Brothers; shepherding visits arranged for district overseers and wives
2011, The Watchtower begins simplified study edition; Bible School for Christian Couples begins; Gilead School adjusted; “alternative” witnessing renamed “public” witnessing
2012, adjustments to Ministry School and Service Meeting; belief that world will end with Maya calendar cycle; Bible School for Christian Couples to be held in selected countries; redesigned jw.org Web site launched; special pioneers increased
2013, Awake! redesigned