1 Corinthians 4:21

What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness? (KJV)

Then: Paul swerves back to his earlier announcement about coming to see the Corinthians and asks what kind of visit it should be. Sometimes parents do use corporal punishment, "rods," to get children back on track. Certainly Paul intends this part of the question as a metaphor. He would, of course, prefer to return in love and gentleness and be able to speak with chastised Corinthians already working to change and grow spiritually.

Now: Baker (p. 75)) tells us that scholars determine Paul did visit with disastrous results. He left Ephesus and sailed directly to Corinth, but when he arrived no one paid attention to his concerns (2 Cor 1:15-2:4). His hopes for the Corinthian church were dashed against the rocks of the Aegean Sea, so to speak. Nothing could have downed his spirits more than to know so many called to the kingdom were overcome by counterfeit teachings.

Extra source: Cornerstone Biblical Commentary 1Corinthians (William Baker), 2 Corinthians (Ralph Martin & Carl Toney), ed. by Philip Comfort. Carol Stream: Tyndale House Publishers, c2006.