Hey Bible readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble, and I'm your host for the Bible Recap.

Today we jumped into 2nd Corinthians, which is at least Paul's third letter to the

Corinthians because there's also zero Corinthians which we've never found and maybe more.

Yesterday, as we finished off 1st Corinthians, Paul told him he hoped that letter would help smooth out some of the tension. He said he's coming to visit soon and that in the meantime, they should collect money for the believers in Jerusalem. Between that letter and this letter, some people repented of the things he addressed, while others rebelled all the more. And for some of those who rebelled,

his subsequent visit is what God used to turn their hearts back to him. Paul writes this letter

in response to the whole situation. He starts out by praising the God of mercy and comfort. Paul

has experienced both of these things in the midst of all he has endured. He says God does that in part

so that when we experience

Christ's comfort, we know how to pass it on to others who are suffering. It's always helpful

for me to remember that he says to comfort those who are afflicted, not instruct them.

Paul reiterates this later in Romans 1215 when he says to weep with those who weep, not put

together a detailed list of how they could

have avoided this, or why it's not actually a big deal at all, or how to solve it. Instead, he calls

us to enter in and to speak comfort and hope. Paul and his traveling companions endured a lot

in Asia specifically, and he's probably talking about all the persecutions they experienced in

Ephesus. He says they despaired of life itself. But God carried them through, and he's probably talking about all the persecutions they experienced in Ephesus. He says they

despaired of life itself. But God carried them through and he hopes God will continue to. He asked for

them to pray for him and he says that helps. Prayer isn't pointless. It's engaging with God and it's

encouraging to believers. It blesses them. He wants them to know he is sincere in his ministry and his love for them.

Even though he wasn't able to visit them at the time he planned to, it wasn't because he didn't

want to. While it wasn't God's plan for him to visit them at that time, even God's know is still a yes

to the best things. And Paul says the only appropriate response to that is Amen to God be the glory. By the way,

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