No. Paul didn't write that. I have often heard others misquote Paul in that way. Rather Paul wrote:Dwight you wrote:Paul said, to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.
We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. (2Co 5:8)
I understand this to mean, we would rather be absent from this present mortal body, and to be present with the Lord with the immortal resurrection body.