Paul's writings to the Christians at Corinth appear as only two epistles in the Bible. But within these two, some scholars feel there is evidence of four letters.
I Cor. 5: 9 most likely refers to a previous letter, the first of Paul's communications, which urged the church at Corinth to disassociate itself from immorality. The message evidently had little effect, or I Corinthians (the second letter from Paul), with its discussion of this same subject, would not have been necessary. Yet this second letter also met with listless inactivity and even active opposition. While the Corinthians admitted Paul's letters were weighty and strong, some were inclined to sneer at his unimpressive physical appearance and to call his speech contemptible (a fact mentioned in the later message of II Cor. 10-13). Nor had the second letter been effective in correcting moral laxity.
At this stage, Paul may have visited Corinth, hoping to put the matter straight. At the writing of I Corinthians, he had visited Corinth only once (when he founded the church) while II Cor. 13:1 records his hope to visit a "third time." A second visit, then, probably occurred between the writing of I Corinthians and II Cor. 10-13.
