2 Corinthians 6:5

In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in watchings, in fastings.

In stripes ... "These were of two kinds, from Jewish whips, and Roman rods; but of the five scourgings (by the Jews), not one is mentioned in Acts, and only one of the Roman scourgings."[11] In this connection, it is mandatory to understand the New Testament as a very fractional record of all that either Jesus Christ or his apostles did. Any total record would have required more than a library (John 20:30; 21:25). The sacred narrative of all historical and personal data pertaining to that sacred company who brought mankind the gospel is piecemeal, only the tip of the iceberg. Therefore, arguments from the silence of the word of God on any subject are not merely unreliable, but are extremely foolish.

In imprisonments ... By this, Paul did not refer to either his imprisonment in Caesarea, or that in Rome, for they were subsequent to this letter. The imprisonment in Philippi had already occurred. "Clement of Rome states that Paul was in prison no fewer than seven times."[12]; In tumults ... All of the early preachers, especially the apostles, often found their services broken up with riots. "Paul was assaulted in Iconium, Lystra, Philippi, Thessalonica, Corinth, Ephesus and Jerusalem."[13] The New Testament records all of those instances, but no one knows how many were left unrecorded.

In labors ... This would include many and diverse activities; but the thought is that Paul pressed the work of preaching the gospel with the utmost vigor and perseverance. He constantly WORKED AT IT.

In watchings ... The Greek word here, according to Hughes, shows that we should understand this as "times of sleeplessness";[14] but certainly not as insomnia. Paul watched all night on the occasion of the shipwreck (Acts 27:29); and this may be taken as an example of things that often occurred in which Paul would have had no opportunity to sleep. His arduous physical labors would have made it certain that he could sleep when he had the chance!

In fastings ... has no reference to formal or religious fasts of any kind, but to periods of hunger brought on by times when he had insufficient money, or when incessant labor delayed the opportunity to eat.

[11] F. W. Farrar, op. cit., p. 145.

[12] William Barclay, op. cit., p. 238.

[13] James Macknight, Apostolical Epistles and Commentary (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1969), Vol. II, p. 376.

[14] Philip E. Hughes, op. cit., p. 225.