Remarkable Proportions in the Composition of 2 Corinthians.

A new aspect is added to the discussion of the unity of 2 Corinthians: stichometric analysis. Application of the ancient standard line for prose texts, the stichos of fifteen syllables, reveals that the two great apologias in 2:14-7:4 and 10:1-13:10 are of the same length, and the section 8:1-9:15 is exactly half of that. In fact, the letter as a whole appears to be composed in a uniform way. This conclusion contradicts the several hypotheses dividing the epistle into different parts written at different times. Arguments presented to justify these divisions are contrasted with counterarguments supporting the epistle's integrity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]