debilitating, only aggravating’,365 and by Martin, who argues that in Corinth ‘any physical weakness would have seemed a liability’.366 These comments, however, tend to imply that the affliction was, after all, a fairly minor problem. But this scarcely harmonises with Paul’s repeated prayers to be relieved of it. If we conclude that the ‘thorn’ was physical in nature, we should need to opt for some form of illness which has severe effects when it occurs but allows for periods of intermission in which