Five times I received from the JewsThis phrase highlights the repeated persecution Paul faced from his own people, the Jews. Historically, the Jewish leaders often opposed the early Christian movement, viewing it as a threat to traditional Jewish beliefs and practices. Paul's background as a Pharisee and his conversion to Christianity made him a particular target for Jewish authorities. This persecution reflects the broader tension between early Christians and Jewish leaders, as seen in
Acts 9:23-25, where Paul narrowly escapes a plot against his life by the Jews in Damascus.
the forty lashes minus one
The practice of administering "forty lashes minus one" is rooted in Jewish law, specificallyDeuteronomy 25:1-3, which prescribes a maximum of forty lashes as a punishment to prevent excessive beating. To avoid accidentally exceeding this limit, the Jews customarily administered only thirty-nine lashes. This punishment was intended to be severe enough to serve as a deterrent but not so severe as to endanger life. The Apostle Paul’s endurance of this punishment multiple times underscores his commitment to his mission and the extent of his suffering for the sake of the Gospel. It also connects to the sufferings of Christ, who was scourged before His crucifixion, as recorded inMatthew 27:26, highlighting the theme of sharing in Christ's sufferings.
Persons / Places / Events
1.
Paul the ApostleThe author of 2 Corinthians, Paul is recounting his sufferings for the sake of the Gospel. He is a central figure in the New Testament, known for his missionary journeys and epistles.
2.
The JewsReferring to the Jewish authorities or leaders who administered the punishment. This highlights the tension between early Christians and Jewish leaders who did not accept Jesus as the Messiah.
3.
Forty Lashes Minus OneA form of punishment prescribed in Jewish law, based on
Deuteronomy 25:3, which limited lashes to forty to prevent excessive punishment. The practice was to give thirty-nine lashes to avoid accidentally exceeding the limit.
Teaching Points
Endurance in FaithPaul’s willingness to endure such severe punishment underscores the importance of perseverance in the Christian faith. Believers are called to remain steadfast even in the face of persecution.
Identifying with ChristJust as Paul bore physical marks for his faith, Christians today are called to bear spiritual marks, living lives that reflect Christ’s suffering and sacrifice.
Understanding PersecutionRecognizing that persecution is a part of the Christian journey can prepare believers to face opposition with grace and courage.
The Cost of DiscipleshipPaul’s experiences remind us that following Christ may come with significant personal cost, but the eternal rewards far outweigh temporary sufferings.
Community SupportThe early church often supported those who suffered for their faith. Modern believers should also support and pray for those facing persecution.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1.What is the meaning of 2 Corinthians 11:24?
2.How does Paul's suffering in 2 Corinthians 11:24 inspire perseverance in our faith?
3.What does "five times I received" reveal about Paul's commitment to his mission?
4.How can Paul's endurance in 2 Corinthians 11:24 encourage us in modern trials?
5.Connect Paul's sufferings with Jesus' teachings on persecution in Matthew 5:10-12.
6.How can we apply Paul's example of resilience to our daily spiritual battles?
7.Why did Paul receive "forty lashes minus one" from the Jews in 2 Corinthians 11:24?
8.What historical context explains the punishment described in 2 Corinthians 11:24?
9.How does 2 Corinthians 11:24 reflect Paul's commitment to his mission?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from 2 Corinthians 11?
11.What is the significance of 39 lashes?
12.2 Corinthians 11:24 – Where is external evidence that Paul was flogged five times by Jewish authorities, since such punishments were well-documented elsewhere?
13.How do faith and perseverance overcome persecution and adversity?
14.If faith is required for salvation, why does the Bible contain so many stories where God reveals Himself directly?What Does 2 Corinthians 11:24 Mean
Five times I received• Paul’s words highlight repetition—five separate occasions of the same brutal punishment (2 Corinthians 11:23-24).
• Each beating testifies to unwavering commitment to Christ; he kept preaching despite mounting scars (Acts 14:19;2 Timothy 3:11).
• His endurance authenticates his apostleship, contrasting with “false apostles” (2 Corinthians 11:13).
• Jesus had forewarned, “If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you as well” (John 15:20), and Paul’s life confirms that prediction.
from the Jews• The floggings came under synagogue authority, not Roman law, fulfilling Jesus’ words: “You will be handed over to the councils and beaten in the synagogues” (Mark 13:9).
• Paul’s own people carried out the punishment—even though he still longed for their salvation (Romans 9:1-3).
• Acts recounts similar hostility: “Some Jews arrived… and persuaded the crowds to stone Paul” (Acts 14:19); “I went from one synagogue to another to imprison and beat those who believed” (Acts 22:19, Paul recalling his pre-conversion role).
• The opposition underscores the cost of following Christ, yet also the gospel’s power to change hearts—Paul himself had moved from persecutor to persecuted (Galatians 1:13-16).
the forty lashes minus one•Deuteronomy 25:3 limited corporal punishment to forty stripes; Jewish practice stopped at thirty-nine to ensure the limit was not exceeded.
• Thirty-nine blows with a leather whip could cripple a man; receiving them five times totals 195 stripes.
• Such bodily suffering fulfills Christ’s call to take up the cross (Luke 9:23) and explains Paul’s later statement, “I bear on my body the marks of Jesus” (Galatians 6:17).
• His scars became living evidence that the gospel is worth any cost, reinforcing his plea to the Corinthians to value true, sacrificial ministry over flashy rhetoric (2 Corinthians 11:19-21).
summaryPaul’s simple line, “Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one” (2 Corinthians 11:24), pulls back the curtain on staggering perseverance. Repeated beatings by his own people, within legal limits set by Scripture, left lasting marks that validated his apostleship, mirrored Christ’s sufferings, and proved the surpassing worth of the gospel he preached.
(24)
Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.--None of these are recorded in the Acts. It is probable that the words refer to the early period of his work in Cilicia, which is implied though not recorded in that book. (See Note on
Acts 15:41). The number of the stripes in Jewish punishments of this kind rested on the rule of
Deuteronomy 25:3, which fixed forty as the
maximum. In practice it was thought desirable to stop short of the full number in order to avoid exceeding it. The punishment was inflicted with a leather scourge of three knotted thongs, and with a curiously elaborate distribution: thirteen strokes were given on the breast, thirteen on the right shoulder, and thirteen on the left.
Thrice was I beaten with rods.--This, as we see inActs 16:22-23, was distinctively, though, perhaps, not exclusively, a Roman punishment. The instance at Philippi, as above, is the only one recorded in the Acts. As a Roman citizen he could claim exemption from a punishment which was essentially servile (Acts 16:37), and at Jerusalem (Acts 22:25) he asserted this claim; but it may well have happened elsewhere, as at Philippi, either that the reckless haste of Roman officials led them to order the punishment without inquiry; or that they disregarded the appeal, and took their chance of impunity; or that there were reasons which led him to prefer enduring the ignominious punishment in silence, without protest. . . .
Verse 24. -
Five times. Not one of these Jewish scourgings - which yet were so severe that the sufferer often died under them - is mentioned in the Acts. This paragraph is the most striking proof of the complete fragmentariness of that narrative, marvellous as it is. On the circumstances which probably led to these Jewish scourgings, see 'Life of St. Paul,' exc. 11; and comp.
Acts 22:19;
Acts 26:11;
Matthew 23:34. The question arises - Was St. Luke entirely unaware of all these scenes of anguish and daily martyrdom? Had St. Paul, in his humble reticence, never cared to speak of them? or were the Acts only intended for a sketch which made no pretension to completeness, and only related certain scenes and events by way of specimen and example?
Forty stripes save one (
Deuteronomy 25:3). On this instance of Jewish scrupulosity, and for all that is known of the
rationale of Jewish scourgings, see 'Life of St. Paul,'
ubi supra.
Parallel Commentaries ...
Greek
Five timesπεντάκις(pentakis)Adverb
Strong's 3999:Five times. Multiplicative adverb from pente; five times.I receivedἔλαβον(elabon)Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 2983:(a) I receive, get, (b) I take, lay hold of.fromὙπὸ(Hypo)Preposition
Strong's 5259:A primary preposition; under, i.e. of place, or with verbs; of place (underneath) or where (below) or time (when).[the] JewsἸουδαίων(Ioudaiōn)Adjective - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 2453:Jewish. From Iouda; Judaean, i.e. Belonging to Jehudah.[the] forty [lashes]τεσσεράκοντα(tesserakonta)Adjective - Accusative Feminine Plural
Strong's 5062:Forty. The decade of tessares; forty.minusπαρὰ(para)Preposition
Strong's 3844:Gen: from; dat: beside, in the presence of; acc: alongside of.one.μίαν(mian)Adjective - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 1520:One. (including the neuter Hen); a primary numeral; one.
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NT Letters: 2 Corinthians 11:24 Five times from the Jews I received (2 Cor. 2C iiC 2Cor ii cor iicor) 
