Book of Philemon Summary: Forgiveness, Brotherhood, and the Gospel in Action. The Letter to Philemon is the shortest of Paul’s writings, but it may be the most personal. Addressed not to a congregation but to an individual, Philemon reveals the power of the gospel to transform relationships. At its center is the story of Onesimus, a runaway slave who encountered Paul, became a believer, and was sent back to his master Philemon.

Book of 1 Timothy Summary: Guarding the Gospel and Ordering the Church. 1 Timothy is one of the most personal and pastoral letters in the New Testament. Addressed to Paul’s trusted co-worker Timothy, it provides instruction on guarding the purity of the gospel, confronting false teaching, and ordering life within the church. More than just a manual for church structure, it is a heartfelt charge for faithful ministry in the face of opposition.

The Regional Letters: Paul’s Network in Asia Minor. When we think of Paul’s letters, we often divide them into categories like “Prison Epistles” or “Pastoral Epistles.” These categories are helpful, but they do not fully capture the web of connections that link certain letters together by geography, personnel, and theme. A closer look at Ephesians, Colossians, Philemon, and 1 & 2 Timothy reveals that they function as regional letters.

Book of Colossians Summary: Christ Over All. Colossians is Paul’s exalted vision of Christ as supreme over creation, the church, and every spiritual power. Written to a community Paul had not personally founded, the letter is both pastoral and theological, addressing false teachings that threatened to diminish Christ’s sufficiency.

Book of Philippians Summary: Joy in Christ Amid Chains. The letter to the Philippians is often called Paul’s “letter of joy,” but that joy is no shallow optimism. It was written from prison, under chains, with the real possibility of death ahead. Despite those circumstances, Paul presents one of the most uplifting and Christ-centered writings in the New Testament. Philippians reveals what true Christian joy looks like: not rooted in circumstances, but in Christ Himself.

Book of Ephesians Summary: The Church in Christ. Ephesians is Paul’s grand vision of the church — not as an institution, but as the body of Christ, chosen before creation, redeemed by His blood, and empowered by the Spirit. Where Galatians thunders against false gospels, Ephesians soars in worshipful praise and cosmic perspective. It lifts believers’ eyes to God’s eternal plan in Christ, then brings that vision down into practical instructions for daily life.

Book of Galatians Summary: Freedom in Christ. The letter to the Galatians is Paul at his most fiery and passionate. Written to a group of churches in the Roman province of Galatia, it tackles a crisis: false teachers had infiltrated, insisting Gentile believers must obey the Jewish law — especially circumcision — in order to be saved. Paul responds with urgency: salvation comes by grace through faith in Christ, not by works of the law.

Paul’s Thorn in the Flesh: Weakness, Faith, and God’s Strength. Few passages have sparked as much debate as Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 12:7–10: “So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud. Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, ‘My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.’”

Book of 2 Corinthians Summary: Strength in Weakness. 2 Corinthians is one of Paul’s most personal and emotional letters. Unlike Romans, which reads like a theological essay, this letter reveals Paul’s heart: his pain, his defense of his ministry, and his encouragement to a church that doubted him. It is a book of paradoxes — boasting in weakness, strength through suffering, and God’s power displayed in fragile vessels.

Book of 1 Corinthians Summary: The Gospel in a Divided Church. 1 Corinthians is a letter from Paul to the church in Corinth, a wealthy, diverse, and notoriously immoral port city. The church reflected its culture: divided, proud, morally compromised, and confused about spiritual gifts, worship, and resurrection. Paul’s letter confronts sin, corrects errors, and calls the church to unity under Christ.

Book of Romans Summary: The Gospel of God’s Righteousness. Paul’s letter to the Romans is his most thorough explanation of the gospel. Written to a church he had not yet visited, Romans lays out the righteousness of God revealed in Jesus Christ — available to Jew and Gentile alike through faith. Romans is both theological and practical: it begins with the universal problem of sin, moves to justification by faith, and ends with how believers should live together in unity and m

What Philippians 4:13 Really Means. “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:13 is the most embroidered, hashtagged, tattooed, and out-of-context verse in the entire New Testament. It’s printed on gym bags, stitched onto athletic jerseys, and weaponized as a motivational mantra for everything from job interviews to deadlifts. But Paul was not writing about touchdowns, promotions, or personal ambition. He was writing about survival.

Are Rebukes Pastoral? In every generation, some believers recoil at strong rebuke or forceful correction from pastors and teachers. A common objection sounds spiritual on the surface: “You’re not Jesus or an apostle. You don’t have authority to speak that strongly. You need to be more ‘pastoral.’”