Hardships Endured by Paul 
as He Preached the Gospel
Wayne Dixon
Immediately prior to Saul’s baptism recorded in Acts 9:18, the Lord informed Ananias of what the future held for this new apostle, “For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake” (Acts 9:16 NKJV).
Let’s look at some of the suffering, both mental and physical, Saul, later the apostle Paul (Acts 13:9), endured as he carried out the evangelistic mission given to him by God. This mission was described to Ananias in Acts 9:15 “…to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel.” We learn elsewhere in God’s Word that he was an apostle specifically assigned to the Gentles (Romans 11:13), but he was to present the Gospel to the Jews first (Acts 13:46; Romans 1:16)
Mental stress and physical trauma were major components of this apostle’s life, who was “born out of due time” (l Corinthians 15:8b). Some of these mentally and physically stressful events can be itemized as follows:
- Acts 9:19-25, Damascus: At the very outset of his recorded preaching career, an attempt was made on his life. With the Jews watching the gate 24/7, the brethren saved the apostle Saul’s life by lowering him over the wall in a basket under the cover of darkness.
- Acts 9:26-30, Jerusalem: “…they attempted to kill him” (Acts 9:29). As was the case in Damascus, the brethren came to his assistance. They took him to the seaport of Caesarea so he could sail
home to safety.
- Acts 13:7-8, Island of Cyprus: Barnabas and the apostle Saul are on the first missionary journey. At Paphos, Barnabas and Saul are “…withstood…” (Acts 13:8) by Elymas as they complied with Sergius Paulus’ request to hear the Gospel.
- Acts 13:45-50, Antioch of Pisidia: Paul’s preaching of “…the word of God” (Acts 13:44) resulted in “contradicting and blaspheming” (Acts 13:45). When this action didn’t stop the preaching, “…Jews… prominent women and the chief men… expelled them [Paul and Barnabas] from their region” (Acts 13:50).
- Acts 13:5-6, Iconium: An attempt to kill Paul and Barnabas was made, “…to abuse and stone them” (Acts 14:5). They were made aware of the plot (likely by brethren) “…and fled to Lystra and Derbe…” (Acts 14:6).
- Acts 14:19, Lystra: Paul was stoned to the point, “supposing him to be dead.”
- Acts 15:37-39, Antioch of Syria: Paul and Barnabas had a major disagreement about taking John Mark on the second missionary journey. The heated argument was based on Paul’s displeasure with John Mark because he left the first missionary effort at Perga (Acts13:13). The sad result was that they parted company, and “…Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus” (Acts 15:39).
- Acts 16:19-24, Philippi: Paul and Silas were falsely accused, beaten and imprisoned. After their beating of “…many stripes…” (Acts 16:23),
additional pain was inflicted when the jailer “… fastened their feet in the stocks” 
(Acts 16:24).
- Acts 17:1-10, Thessalonica: “But the Jews who were not persuaded”
(Acts 17:5) with the help of others caused a riot in the city. As a result, the lives of Paul and Silas were in jeopardy. “Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night unto Berea…” (Acts 17:10).
- Acts 17:11-14, Berea: Jews came from Thessalonica “…and stirred up the crowd” (Acts 17:13b). To save Paul’s life, the Berean brethren escorted Paul to Athens (Acts 17:14-15).
- Acts 18:1, 9-10, Corinth: Understandably, Paul likely experienced fear numerous times during his preaching career. One of those times was at Corinth when the Lord told him, “…Do not be afraid…” (Acts 18:9) and assured him “…no one will attack you to hurt you…” (Acts 18:10).
- Acts 27:24, at sea: Paul also experienced fear as we all would in violent seas, but again, was reassured, “…Do not be afraid, Paul…” (Acts 27:24a).
- Acts 19:23-41, Ephesus: Demetrius, the silversmith, fueled a disturbance into a citywide riot (v. 29). Paul escaped being caught, but two of his fellow evangelists, Gaius and Aristarchus, were captured. Brethren and a friend further protected Paul from probable death by restraining him from his attempt to rescue his two fellow workers from the theatre into which they had been taken (vs. 30-31).
- Paul gave the Corinthian brethren a summary of his tribulations over the years in 2 Corinthians 11:23-28. Let us note v. 28 in particular, which reads, “Besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches.” So, he concluded that all the physical trauma he endured was strictly external and intermittent, but that which resided in his heart on a daily basis was the well-being of the brethren.
- Also, let us not forget that the apostle Paul carried out the Lord’s work
with all the associated mental and physical tribulations while being medically afflicted. We read in 2 Corinthians 12:8 that Paul prayed three times to be cured. God’s response was, “…My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness…” (2 Corinthians 12:9).
- Paul summarized it beautifully in 1 Corinthians 15:10, where the record says, “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.”
- The grace of God remains for all today, as then, through Christ, “…for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus” (1 Corinthians 1:4b)
Are you a partaker of this grace through obedience to His will?
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