“We say that Paul lost his ability to heal since he didn’t heal anyone in his later ministry. But is this a good proof? If he was in prison during his later ministry, how could he have healed anyone?”

Well, first of all, people in prison need healing just as much as other people! Sometimes even more so, due to the harsh conditions found in prisons in those days, and the “stripes” and other beatings that were often laid on Roman prisoners (Acts 16:23; 18:17).

But Paul was under a sort of house arrest during his first imprisonment, as we see in Acts 28:30:

“And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him.“

Under this house arrest type of incarceration, he was able to receive “all that came in unto him.”  That would have afforded him plenty of opportunity to heal people if he still had that ability.  And he seemed to be in the same kind of bonds during his second imprisonment, with people being able to visit him, and even stay with him (2 Tim. 4:9-13).

We know he lost his power to heal during his first imprisonment, however, when he gave Timothy medical advice (1 Tim. 5:23) instead of sending him a blessed handkerchief as he’d done before (Acts 19:11,12).  And during his second imprisonment, he mentioned having to leave a beloved co-worker behind “sick” in between his two incarcerations (2 Tim. 4:20).

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