You can read the text here . Paul continues his discussion of his persecution continuing to insist on a particular way of framing them. Paul and his coworkers may be fragile,[1] but what they contain within them is something very, very valuable, and something that was given to them by God; not their own. The glory of Jesus' resurrection life, on display in their ministry is what gives them the strength to endure all hardships. It's the reason they suffer, so that Jesus empowering and transforming life can be seen in them in how they persevere as a witness to him. It may look like they are dying in the process, but their death brings life to all who come to follow Jesus as a result of their witness in and through suffering. In a way their life is a replica of Jesus pattern of death and resurrection.[2] Like the psalmist, Paul has to speak about what (who) he has seen: the resurrected Jesus! He speaks because he knows all who are faithful to the resurrected Lord will experien...