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The second of Paul's two letters to the Corinthians to be included in the New Testament tells of strength in weakness, comfort in distress, provision in need, fellowship in loneliness, certainty in doubt, guidance in perplexity, protection in peril and hope for the future. Above all, it tells of the surpassing love of Jesus Christ: if Paul the apostle loved and cared for the troublesome Corinthian church as intensely as he did, he no more than reflected, albeit dimly, the grace of God to his believing people. Joy in the Lord and in his people, pastoral tenderness, righteous anger, self-vindication in the interests of the ministry, profound theology and concern for harmony, both at home and with churches elsewhere, all vie for expression. Each strand interweaves with the others. This volume covers chapters 8-13 of the epistle, in which Paul encourages his readers to support generously the collection for the poor saints at Jerusalem, tells of his plans to visit Corinth and mounts a vigorous defense of his minstry in the face of attacks from false teachers.
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