1 Corinthians 4:11 (ESV)

11 To the present hour we hunger and thirst, we are poorly dressed and buffeted and homeless,

The suffering that is described in 1 Corinthians 4:11–13 is suffering that has continued to the present hour. This statement sheds light on Paul’s time in Ephesus (from which the letter to the Corinthians was written – see 1 Corinthians 16:19).

From Acts 19:1–41 we know that Paul became well-known in Ephesus, due to the extraordinary miracles that God performed through him. While many Ephesians came to faith through his preaching, there were also many who vehemently opposed him and his message.