Corinthian Correspondence

Paul first planted the church in Corinth towards the end of his Second Missionary Journey. Acts records that as his only visit to Corith. His subsequent letters to the church that are preserved in Scripture for us, i.e., 1 & 2 Corinthians, however, hints at other visits and other letters. This is a summary of the various events surrounding Paul's letters to the church in Corinth that need some reflection to appreciate Paul's relationship with that church. No attempt is made to summarize any conclusion here.

(For a fuller discussion, see the main article on 1 Corinthians. )

Visits & Occasions of Personal Encounters

V1 - Paul's first visit to Corinth at the end of the Second Missionary Journey (Acts 18).

V2 - A visit to the church mentioned by Paul in 2 Cor 2:1 that Paul describes as "a painful visit". We do not know when this took place; there is no record in the book of Acts of Paul making any more visits after V1.

V3 - A "third visit" Paul mentions he was "ready to" make in 2 Cor 12:14, 20. We do not know if Paul ever did make this visit.

V-Tim - Timothy's assignment from Paul to Corinth according to 1 Cor 4:17 & 16:10. Paul's remark in v18 ("Some of you have become arrogant, as if I were not coming to you") suggests that, as of this assignment, Paul had not made any further visit other than V1 when he sent Timothy and when 1 Cor was written.

V-SFA - Visit to Paul by Stephanus, Fortunatus and Achaicus noted by Paul in 1 Cor 16:17.

Correspondence

EL - An "earlier letter" that Paul mentions in 1 Cor 5:9 he wrote to the church to instruct them "not to associate with immoral people." This establishes a sequenes, viewed broadly, as V1 → EL → 1 Cor.

CL - A letter that the Corinthians sent Paul, apparently asking for instructions or clarification on a number of issues, that Paul takes up in 1 Cor.

L-Chloe - Paul refers to news he had received concerning the church in Corith "from Chloe's household" (1 Cor 1:11). We cannot be sure that this information came to Paul through a letter or personal communication when some members of Chloe's household met Paul, whether incidentally or intentionally.

1 Cor - First Corinthians.

SL - The "sorrowful letter" Paul refers to in 2 Cor 2:4 that he had sent them that "caused you sorrow" (7:8). This description does not fit 1 Cor, so SL was likely written after 1 Cor.

2 Cor - Second Corinthians.