Reading for November 4th

Read 2 Corinthians 1.1-7
In verses 1-2: Greeting.
This greeting resembles other Pauline greetings (1 Thess 1.1; Phil 1.1-2).
Timothy joins Paul in addressing the church.
He had participated in the church's founding (1.19; Acts 18.5) and was well know to the church ( 1 Cor 4.17; 16.10-11).
In verses 3-7: prayer of blessing.
Pauline letters usually open with a prayer of thanksgiving (Rom 1.8-15; 1 Cor 1.4-9).
Here Paul uses the Jewish prayer of blessing ("berakah") found elsewhere in the New testament (Eph 1.3-14; 1 Peter 1.3-9).
Paul had recently experienced great affliction and suffering in his dealings with the church.
This has given way to consolation and a sense of relief that a serve crisis has passed.
Comments or Questions..