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New Testament

Paul’s Letters

What was the nature of the thorn?

Paul does not say. However, theories abound. One theory is that the thorn referred to those who persecuted him. Another theory is that based on Paul’s use of fraught language, the thorn referred to an emotional problem, such as bipolar disorder. Still another theory is that based on veiled references in his letters to the Galatians (4:13, 4:15, 6:11), the thorn to which Paul referred was an eye disorder.