2 Corinthians 11

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1. 1I wish you would bear with me a little in my foolishness; indeed, bear with me.
2. 2I'm jealous for you, and it's a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband — Christ — so I could present you to him as a pure virgin.
3. 3But I am afraid that somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve through his cunning, your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
4. 4Because if someone comes along and preaches a different Jesus than the one we preached, or offers you a different spirit than the one you received, or a different gospel than the one you accepted — you seem perfectly happy to put up with it!
5. 5I don't think I am in any way inferior to the very chiefest apostles.
6. 6I may not be a polished speaker, but I certainly know what I'm talking about. We've made that clear to you in every possible way.
7. 7Did I commit an offense by humbling myself so that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you free of charge?
8. 8I robbed other churches by taking wages from them so that I could serve you.
9. 9When I was with you and ran short on money, I didn't burden any of you. The brothers who came from Macedonia covered what I needed. I've made it a point never to be a financial burden to you, and I intend to keep it that way.
10. 10As surely as the truth of Christ lives in me, no one in all of Achaia will take this boast away from me.
11. 11Why? Is it because I don't love you? God knows.
12. 12I'll keep doing exactly what I'm doing so I can cut the ground out from under those who are looking for an excuse to claim they work on the same terms we do.
13. 13These people are false apostles — dishonest workers who disguise themselves as apostles of Christ.
14. 14That shouldn't surprise anyone. Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.
15. 15So it is no great thing if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. In the end, they'll get exactly what their actions deserve.
16. 16Let me say it again: don't think I'm a fool. But even if you do, at least hear me out the way you'd humor a fool, so I can do a little boasting of my own.
17. 17What I'm about to say isn't something the Lord told me to say. I'm speaking like a fool, with this bold confidence of boasting.
18. 18Since so many others are boasting about their human credentials, I'll boast too.
19. 19After all, you're so wise that you gladly put up with fools!
20. 20You put up with anyone who enslaves you, exploits you, takes advantage of you, puts on airs, or even slaps you in the face.
21. 21I'm ashamed to admit that we were apparently too "weak" for that kind of behavior. But whatever anyone else dares to boast about — I'm speaking foolishly here — I dare to boast about it too.
22. 22Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I.
23. 23Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; I have labored more abundantly, been beaten beyond measure, been imprisoned more frequently, and faced death often.
24. 24Five times the Jewish authorities gave me thirty-nine lashes.
25. 25Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I survived shipwrecks. I once spent a full night and day adrift in the open sea.
26. 26I have been on frequent journeys, in perils from rivers, in perils from robbers, in perils from my own countrymen, in perils from the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils at sea, in perils among false believers.
27. 27In weariness and hardship, in many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, in frequent times without food, in cold and nakedness.
28. 28On top of all that, I carry the daily pressure of my concern for all the churches.
29. 29Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn?
30. 30If I have to boast, I'll boast about the things that show my weakness.
31. 31The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed forever, knows that I'm not lying.
32. 32In Damascus, the governor serving under King Aretas posted guards around the city to have me arrested.
33. 33I was lowered in a basket through a window by the wall and escaped his hands.