2 Corinthians 11

I wish that you would bear with me in a little bit of foolishness, but you are indeed bearing with me!

For I am jealous {for} you with a godly jealousy, for I joined you to one husband, to present {you} {as} a pure virgin to Christ. \*

But I am afraid that somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds might be corrupted from the sincerity and the purity {that are} to Christ.

For if indeed one coming proclaims another Jesus whom we did not proclaim, or you receive a different spirit which you did not receive or a different gospel which you did not accept, you are bearing with {it} well! \*

For I consider {myself} not to fall short of the “super-apostles.”

But even if I am untrained in this speech, yet not in this knowledge, but in everything having made this clear to you in all things. \*

Or did I commit a sin, humbling myself so that you yourselves might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you without payment?

I robbed other churches, having accepted a wage for the ministry {to} you.

And being present with you—and having lacked—I did not burden anyone. For the brothers having come from Macedonia completely met my need, and in everything I kept and will {continue to} keep myself {from being} a burden to you. \*

The truth of Christ is in me, that this boasting will not be shut to me in the regions of Achaia.

Why? Because I do not love you? God knows {I do}! \*

But what I do I will also {continue to} do so that I may cut off the opportunity of the ones desiring an opportunity that in what they are boasting about they may be found just as we also {are}.

For the ones of such kind {are} false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves {as} apostles of Christ. \*

And no wonder, for Satan himself disguises himself {as} an angel of light.

Therefore, {it is} no great thing if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works. \*

I say again: Let no one think me to be foolish. But if not, receive me at least as a fool so that I too may boast a little bit.

What I am saying, I am not saying according to the Lord, but as in foolishness, in this situation of boasting.

Since many boast according to the flesh, I too will boast. \*

For gladly you bear with the foolish, being wise.

For you bear with {it} if anyone enslaves you, if anyone devours {you}, if anyone takes advantage {of you}, if anyone exalts {himself}, if anyone hits you in the face.

According to dishonor I speak, namely that we ourselves have been weak! However, in whatever {way} anyone might be bold—I am speaking in foolishness—I too am bold. \*

Are they Hebrews? I {am} also. Are they Israelites? I {am} also. Are they offspring of Abraham? I {am} also.

Are they servants of Christ? (I speak {as} being insane.) I {am} more so: more abundantly in hard work, more abundantly in imprisonments, in beatings beyond measure, often in {danger of} deaths. \*

Five times I received from Jews 40 {lashes} minus one.

Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. I have spent a night and a day in the deep;

often on journeys, in dangers from rivers, in dangers from robbers, in dangers from {my own} countrymen, in dangers from Gentiles, in dangers in the city, in dangers in the wilderness, in dangers at sea, in dangers from false brothers; \*

in hard work and hardship, often in sleeplessness, in hunger and thirst, often in fasting, in cold and nakedness;

apart from the other things, {there is} the care for me every day, the concern of all the churches.

Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is caused to stumble, and I am not inflamed? \*

If it is necessary to boast, I will boast {about} the things of my weakness.

The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, the one being blessed to eternity, knows that I am not lying! \*

In Damascus, the ethnarch under Aretas the king was guarding the city of Damascenes to arrest me.

But I was lowered in a basket through a window through the wall, and I escaped from his hands. \*