You can read the text here . Paul and his coworkers know and respect God. And given the coming judgment they seek to bring others to know and fear the Lord. But it's not only other people they are open to scrutiny from, God knows them well and approves of them and Paul hopes that the Corinthians share in that judgment.[1] Paul's not trying to convince the Corinthians that God is with them and working through them. He is letting them know how God works so that they can counter those who argue against the divine origins of Paul's mission based on his outward appearance. Yes, Paul did not display ecstatic religious behavior before them, but those experiences were private and not something that would benefit the Corinthians to see. They carry on and persevere in their perilous apostleship because Jesus' love compels them;[2] they need to spread the good news! Jesus died a death for all,[3] so that we would serve him as our Lord and Master, living to please him rather than
You can read the text here . Paul further expands on the hope that gives him strength to carry out his ministry. In a nutshell this hope is resurrection.[1] Paul knows that after death, the perishable human body will be no more, and the imperishable resurrection body will be gained, it's waiting for us, prepared by God. Life in the body was hard and full of suffering, but if we are approved by God,[2] then there will be more to the end than death; resurrection life will await.[3] Paul and his companions faced much opposition and persecution that broke their bodies, however their longing wasn't for death as an end to suffering, but a new mode of existence where suffering and weakness were no more. In fact, that is what God was preparing them for, little by little in this life, through the agency of the Holy Spirit. Those changes and victories that were alluded to earlier in the letter were God's guarantee of the fullness of life to come when the resurrection happens. Life