New Testament
2 Corinthians
Paul's most personal letter — strength made perfect in weakness.
Letter · 13 chapters · About 40 minutes
Paul, c. AD 55–56
Overview
Paul's relationship with Corinth has been strained to breaking. This letter is him with his guard down: defending his ministry, describing his sufferings, and refusing to boast about anything except his weakness.
Its treasures are found in the cracks: treasure in jars of clay, a thorn in the flesh, grace sufficient, power perfected in weakness.
No letter gives more comfort to people who feel like cracked vessels.
What it keeps returning to
Jars of clay
The fragility of the container proves the treasure is God's, not ours.
Comfort
The God of all comfort comforts us so we can comfort others — pain recycled into ministry.
Sufficient grace
God's answer to Paul's thorn is not removal but supply.
Start here
2 Corinthians 1:3–11
The God of all comfort.
2 Corinthians 4
Treasure in jars of clay.
2 Corinthians 12:1–10
The thorn, and 'my grace is sufficient for you.'
“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”