Thomas Aquinas, on 2Tim 3:11

“Persecutions, afflictions: such as came upon me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra: what persecutions I endured, and out of them all the Lord delivered me.”

“Then in regard to enduring evils, he instructs him in regard to three things by reducing them to memory: first, the patience he had; second, the evil he suffered; third, divine help which aided him. First, therefore, he mentions patience, which has a perfect work (Jas 1:4); first, he mentions the occasion for patience, namely, persecutions in general: if they persecute you in one city, flee to another (Matt 10:23). More specifically, when he says afflictions, that is, persecutions which he suffered in his own body: thrice I suffered shipwreck, thrice I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned; a night and a day was I in the depth of the sea (2 Cor 11:25). Finally, persecutions in particular, when he says, such as came upon me at Antioch, at Iconium and at Lystra, at the hands of the Jews, when they persecuted him in Timothy's presence. But God's help was not far away, because out of them all the Lord delivered me: who comforts us in all our tribulation (2 Cor 1:4).”

Imported from an open dataset — not yet checked against the printed edition.