2 Corinthians 10-13

Paul defends his ministry against the accusations of the many who were against him, and speaks briefly of the authority he had from Christ as an apostle to punish such enemies of God.  He warns the Corinthians to beware of false apostles and prophets, who are continually attempting to deceive any who will listen to them.  Even so, there were none of those false teachers who could point to the things they suffered for Christ, which Paul lists as evidence of his own selfless service for Jesus, and for his readers.  He also relates the time that he was taken up to see the third heaven, which probably occurred when he was stoned in Lystra (Acts 14:19), and left for dead, although he was not allowed to speak about what he saw and heard in heaven.  He also makes mention of his own infirmity in the flesh, which the Lord would not heal, even after much prayers.

Paul commended himself in many ways to the Corinthians, but he was not seeking to promote or puff himself up in their eyes, but rather to show them the lengths that he had gone to, so that they might believe, and grow into Christian maturity.  He’s telling them that he has earned the right to speak to them as a father, which none of the false teachers could likewise prove.