Corpus-Paul

[Richard Fellows <rfellows AT intergate.bc.ca>]

Alexander wrote:

>   Have we any strong evidence in Acts or Epistles that Paul was in
>Ephesian prison? Can  it be Rom. 16:7?

Paul certainly suffered some form of persecution in Ephesus.  The combined
weight of 2 Cor 11.23, 1 Cor 15.32, 2 Cor 1.8-10, Rom 16:3,7 and Acts
20.19-24 makes this clear.  We cannot be sure whether the persucution
included an imprisonment, but I think it is rather likely because there are
good reasons to place Philippians in this period.  

From the Corinthian letters and Acts 19.22 we can know the following:

When in Ephesus Paul planned to visit Macedonia, and AFTER having planned
this, he sent Timothy to Macedonia.  When Timothy was sent, Paul expected
to meet him again before his own arrival in Macedonia.  Paul planned to
travel to Macedonia very soon after meeting up with Timothy.

All this fits nicely with the anticipated movements of Timothy and Paul in
Phil 2.19-24.

Richard Fellows
Vancouver.