2 Corinthians 11:25
Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea;
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
Paul doesn't just list his sufferings as a boast; he deliberately frames them as unwilling entries into a contest he never wanted. Notice how he piles up the "threes" and the "once" and the "once," almost as if he's struggling to recall them all, highlighting how these terrible experiences were forced upon him, not chosen.
Paul is recounting the incredible hardships he's faced in his ministry to demonstrate his genuine apostleship, contrasting it with the false apostles who were trying to discredit him. He's deliberately detailing these severe sufferings to show he’s endured more for Christ than his opponents ever could. This catalog of suffering leads directly into his declaration that he will boast about his weaknesses, because in them Christ's power is made perfect.
Paul lists some pretty intense experiences here. It wasn't just intellectual debate for him; it was dangerous work. What drove him to endure such hardship?
A Hardship Inventory
Paul isn't bragging here, but detailing the real cost of his ministry. He faced:
These aren't abstract trials; they are life-threatening events. Paul's willingness to endure them highlights his profound commitment to the message he preached.
How does someone keep going after experiencing such trauma and loss? Paul's endurance points to a power beyond himself.
The Source of Resilience
Paul's ability to survive and continue his ministry isn't a testament to his own toughness, but to God's sustaining grace.
Understand the original words
rhabdizō · Greek Verb
A common form of corporal punishment in antiquity using a rod or staff; often used to punish, discipline, or persecute those considered agitators.
lithazō · Greek Verb
A method of execution or extreme physical assault involving throwing rocks at a person until they die. It was a formal penalty under Jewish Law for certain crimes like blasphemy.
Paul's ministry was marked by intense, physical suffering and constant danger, far beyond what many might imagine for a spiritual leader. These experiences weren't isolated incidents but recurring realities that shaped his resilience and message.
c. AD 33-34
Paul's Conversion and Early Ministry
Shortly after Jesus' ascension, Saul (later Paul) converts and begins his ministry in Damascus and Arabia, then Jerusalem.
c. AD 46-48
First Missionary Journey
Paul, with Barnabas, travels through Cyprus and Asia Minor, facing opposition and persecution, establishing churches.
c. AD 50-52— this verse
Second Missionary Journey
Paul revisits churches in Asia Minor and travels to Europe (Macedonia and Achaia), facing significant trials, including beatings in Philippi and Thessalonica.
c. AD 53-57
Third Missionary Journey
Paul spends extended time in Ephesus and travels throughout Greece, facing intense opposition and hardships, including riots and shipwrecks.
This passage describes Paul being stoned and left for dead in Lystra, directly mirroring the 'once I was stoned' experience mentioned in 2 Corinthians 11.
Acts 16:22-23Here, Paul and Silas are publicly beaten with rods and thrown into prison, vividly illustrating the 'three times I was beaten with rods' part of his suffering.
Acts 27:27-44This chapter details Paul's shipwreck and survival after being adrift at sea for days, confirming the 'three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea' experiences.
2 Corinthians 6:4-5This passage provides a broader context for Paul's sufferings, listing many of the hardships he endured, including beatings and shipwrecks, as evidence of his genuine ministry.
Paul doesn't just list his sufferings as a boast; he deliberately frames them as unwilling entries into a contest he never wanted. Notice how he piles up the "threes" and the "once" and the "once," almost as if he's struggling to recall them all, highlighting how these terrible experiences were forced upon him, not chosen.
Paul is recounting the incredible hardships he's faced in his ministry to demonstrate his genuine apostleship, contrasting it with the false apostles who were trying to discredit him. He's deliberately detailing these severe sufferings to show he’s endured more for Christ than his opponents ever could. This catalog of suffering leads directly into his declaration that he will boast about his weaknesses, because in them Christ's power is made perfect.
Paul is recounting the incredible hardships he's faced in his ministry to demonstrate his genuine apostleship, contrasting it with the false apostles who were trying to discredit him. He's deliberately detailing these severe sufferings to show he’s endured more for Christ than his opponents ever could. This catalog of suffering leads directly into his declaration that he will boast about his weaknesses, because in them Christ's power is made perfect.
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about 2 Corinthians 11:25 is available in the Sola app.
His repeated, severe trials were not roadblocks, but the very path God used to shape him and advance His kingdom.
c. AD 57
Imprisonment in Rome
Paul is arrested in Jerusalem and eventually sent to Rome, where he spends two years under house arrest, continuing to preach.
"Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea;" — Paul doesn't just list his sufferings as a boast; he deliberately frames them as unwilling entries into a contest he never wanted. Notice how he piles up the "threes" and the "once" and the "once,"…
