Theologians generally agree that, following his baptism by John, Jesus's ministry began in either 26AD or 29AD, and his death occured on either Friday 7th April 30AD or Friday 3rd April 33AD. As Jesus was born in 5 or 6BC (shortly before the death of Herod the Great in 4BC), he would have been 31 or 32 years old in 26AD.

Using these methods, most scholars assume a date of birth between 6 and 4 BC, and that Jesus' preaching began around AD 27–29 and lasted one to three years. They calculate the death of Jesus as having taken place between AD 30 and 36.