Others have had them and God ministered to them.. and through them too. Paul the Apostle says he bears “marks,” the Greek word stigmata refers to literal scars—evidence of suffering for Christ.
* Scripture confirms this clearly. Remember how Paul suffered:
- "Forty Stripes Minus One" (2 Cor 11:24): This refers to the Jewish punishment of 39 lashes (known as Malkot), designed to avoid exceeding the Deuteronomic limit of 40.- "Beaten with Rods" (2 Cor 11:25): These were Roman beatings, which were different from the Jewish lashings, indicating persecution from Roman authorities.- "Brand-marks" (Galatians 6:17): Paul uses the Greek term stigmata, referring to scars from beatings, torture, or hard labor that marked him as a slave of Jesus Christ
Not one time. Yeah, you saw that right: He said, “Five times I received… forty stripes minus one… three times I was beaten with rods…” (2 Corinthians 11:24–25)
And “I bear on my body the brand-marks…” (Galatians 6:17)
These were not symbolic wounds. They were physical scars on Paul's person from persecution, proof that he belonged to Christ—like a servant branded by his master in the ancient world. Read more...
