What kinds of perils did Paul endure in his ministry?
He endured five scourgings, three beatings with rods, one stoning, three shipwrecks, and a night and a day in the deep. He also faced perils from robbers, his own countrymen, heathen, wilderness, and sea, plus weariness, hunger, thirst, cold, nakedness, and fastings.
Les explains that Paul’s suffering was severe: he was scourged five times, and normally a man could not survive 39 lashes, but they stopped short. Paul endured it without antibiotics or hospital care. He was beaten with rods three times, though not guilty, like the caning in Hong Kong that made the world cry brutal and inhuman. Les notes he was stoned once, shipwrecked three times, dumped into the ocean, and spent a night and a day in the deep. Beyond that were perils from robbers, his own countrymen, heathen, wilderness, and sea, plus weariness, hunger, thirst, cold, nakedness, and fastings. Les emphasizes Paul was human; he got tired, hurt, and ached like we do, yet he could write these things so we can rest on them.