Question 23 : Did st. Paul visit Corinth Church between 1st and 2nd Corinthians letters? Any internal or external evidence found?

Yes—most scholars agree that Paul the Apostle did visit Corinth between writing 1 Corinthians and 2 Corinthians, even though that visit is not recorded in the Book of Acts. 

This conclusion comes from both internal (biblical) and external (historical reconstruction) evidence.

1. Internal Evidence (from the Bible)

A “Painful Visit” is mentioned

In Second Epistle to the Corinthians 2:1, Paul writes:

• “I made up my mind not to make another painful visit to you.”

This clearly implies:

He had already made a visit that was painful

That visit happened after 1 Corinthians, because his first visit (Acts 18) was fruitful, not painful

Reference to a previous visit

In 2 Corinthians 13:1, Paul says:

• “This will be my third visit to you.”

That means:

• First visit → founding the church (Acts 18)
• Second visit → the “painful visit” (not recorded in Acts)

Planned third visit → after 2 Corinthians

The “Severe Letter”

In 2 Corinthians 2:3–4 and 7:8–9, Paul mentions a tearful, severe letter:

Written after the painful visit

Caused sorrow but led to repentance

This letter is:

• Not 1 Corinthians
• Likely a lost letter

2. Reconstructed Timeline

Based on internal clues:

• First Visit → Acts 18 (church planted in Corinth)
• 1 Corinthians written (from Ephesus)
• Painful Visit (quick, unrecorded trip)
• Severe Letter sent (lost)
• 2 Corinthians written
• Third Visit planned (fulfilled in Acts 20:2–3)

3.External Evidence 

While no early church father explicitly describes the “painful visit,” scholars widely affirm it based on internal consistency:

• F. F. Bruce
• Gordon D. Fee
• Craig S. Keener

They agree:

• Acts is selective, not exhaustive (see Acts of the Apostles)
• So an unrecorded visit is historically plausible

The internal references in 2 Corinthians are too strong to ignore

4. Why Acts Doesn’t Mention It

Luke the Evangelist, the writer of Acts:

• Focuses on major missionary movements
• Often omits short or difficult episodes

Example:

Paul’s conflicts and emotional struggles are understated in Acts

But fully revealed in his letters

Final Conclusion

Yes—there is strong internal biblical evidence that Paul made a second, painful visit to Corinth between 1 and 2 Corinthians.

• Clearly implied in 2 Corinthians
• Fits perfectly with Paul’s travel patterns
• Supported by nearly all modern scholarship
• Not recorded in Acts (but Acts is selective)