In this passage, Paul begins the main body of this letter, in which he uncomfortably is forced to defend his ministry against malicious attacks by false apostles. His pastoral pain for the welfare of the church compels him to explain the integrity of his ministry, particularly from here through chapter 7. As we study “A Minister’s Pain,” we will do so under three headings:

1. The Pattern of The Minister’s Life (1:12–14)

2. The Proclamation of the Minister’s Lips (1:15–22)

3. The Purity of the Minister’s Love (1:23–2:4)