By ICC Fellow Greg Cochran, PhD Almost 2,000 years ago, the Apostle Paul engaged in a mission on behalf of Christ and nearly paid for it with his life. In 2 Corinthians 1:8-11, he speaks with gravity about the situation, saying he and his companions “despaired of life itself.” Their circumstances pointed to a single, unmistakable conclusion: It’s over; we’re going to die! Which historical mission placed Paul and his companions so decisively in the jaws of death? No one knows for sure.