1 I wish you would bear with me a little in the foolishness; but even you do bear with me.
2 I am zealous for you of God with a zeal; I espoused for you to one husband, a virgin pure to present to the Anointed;
3 I fear but, lest as the serpent Eve deceived by the craft of himself, so should be corrupted the minds of you from the simplicity of that into the Anointed.
4 If indeed for the one coming another Jesus proclaims whom not we proclaimed, or spirit another you receive which not you received, or glad tidings other which not you embraced, well you might bear.
5 I reckon for nothing to have been behind those in the highest degree apostles.
6 If but even a simple person in the word, yet not in the knowledge; but in every thing having been manifested in all things among you.
7 Or sin did I commit, myself humbling, so that you might be exalted? because freely the of the God glad tidings I announced to you?
8 Other congregations I robbed, having taken wages for the of you service; and being present with you and having been in want, not did I lazily burden any one;
9 (the for want of me supplied before the brethren having come from Macedonia;) and in every thing unburdensome to you myself I kept, and I will keep.
10 It is a truth of Anointed in me, that the boasting this not shall be stopped concerning me in the regions of the Achaia.
11 Why? because not I love you? The God knows.
12 What but I do, even I will do, so that I may cut off the opportunity of those wishing an opportunity, so that in what they boast, they may be found as even we.
13 The for such ones false apostles workers deceitful, transforming themselves into apostles of Anointed.
14 And not it is wonderful; himself for the adversary is transformed into a messenger of light;
15 not great therefore, if also the servants of him are transformed as servants of righteousness; of whom the end shall be according to the works of him.
16 Again i say, not any one me should think unwise to be; if but otherwise, even as unwise do you receive me, so that even I a little somewhat may boast.
17 What I speak, not I speak according to Lord, but as in foolishness, in this the confidence of the boasting.
18 Since many boast according to the flesh, also I will boast.
19 Willingly for you bear with the unwise, wise ones being;
20 you bear for, if any one you enslaves, if any one eats you up, if any one takes you, if any one raises himself up, if any one you on face beats.
21 According to dishonor I speak, as that we were weak; in what but any one may be bold, (in foolishness I speak,) bold also I.
22 Hebrews are they? also I; Israelites are they? also I; seed of Abraham are they? also I;
23 servants of Anointed are they? (being a very fool I speak,) above I; in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often;
24 (by Jews five times forty except one I received,
25 thrice I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, thrice I was shipwrecked, a night and day in the deep I have passed;)
26 in journeys often; in dangers of rivers, in dangers of robbers, in dangers from kindred, in dangers from Gentiles, in dangers in city, in dangers in desert, in dangers at sea, in dangers among false brethren;
27 in labor and toil, in watchings often in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
28 Besides the outward things, the crowding of me that every day, the care of all of the congregations.
29 Who is weak, and not I am weak? who is made to stumble, and not I burn?
30 If to boast is necessary, the things of the weakness of me I will boast.
31 The God and Father of the Lord of us Jesus Anointed knows, he being blessed for the ages, that not I utter falsehood;
32 in Damascus the ethnarch Aretas of the king guarded the Damascenes city, to seize me wishing;
33 and through an opening in a rope basket I was lowered through the wall, and escaped the hands of him.
1 I hope you can put up with me in a little foolishness: but indeed you do put up with me.
2 For I am zealous over you with a godly fervor ardorzeal! For I promised you to one husband, that I might present you as a pure virgin to Christ.
3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve in his craftiness, your minds will be lead away from the simplicity and the purity cleanness that is toward Christ.
4 If someone comes and preaches another Jesus, whom we did not preach, or if you receive a different spirit, which you did not receive, or a different good news, which you did not accept, you do well to put up with him.
5 For I do not consider myself inferior to the super apostles.
6 Though I am unskilled in speech, yet I am not in knowledge. We have in every way made this evident to you in all things.
7 Or did I commit a sin in abasing myself that you might be exalted, because I preached to you the good news of God without charge?
8 I robbed other congregations, taking pay from them that I might minister to you.
9 When I was present with you and was in want, I was not a burden on any man. For the brothers, when they came from Macedonia, supplied the measure of my want; and in everything I kept myself from being burdensome to you, and so I will continue to do the same.
10 As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me from doing this boasting in the regions of Achaia.
11 Why? Is it because I do not love you? God knows I do!
12 But what I do, I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them that desire an occasion; that in whatever matter they boast, they may be found equal with me.
13 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, fashioning themselves into apostles of Christ.
14 And no wonder for even Satan fashions himself into an angel of light.
15 It is no great thing therefore if his ministers also fashion themselves as ministers of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works.
16 I say again, let no man think me foolish. If you do, yet receive me as foolish that I also may boast a little.
17 That which I speak, I speak not after the Lord, but in foolishness, in this confidence of boasting.
18 Seeing that many boast according to the flesh, I will boast also.
19 You being wise tolerate the foolish.
20 You suffer, if a man brings you into bondage, if a man devours you, if a man takes advantage of you, if a man exalts himself, if a man strikes you on the face.
21 I speak concerning reproach, as though we had been weak. If any are bold, I speak foolishly for I am also bold.
22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I!
23 Are they ministers of Christ? I speak as a fool. I am more in labors more abundant, beaten beyond number, in prisons more frequent, in deaths often.
24 Of the Jews five times I received forty stripes less one.
25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, I suffered shipwreck three times, a night and a day I have spent in the deep.
26 In journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by my own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brothers;
27 In weariness and painfulness, in watching often, in hunger and thirst, in fasting often, in cold and nakedness.
28 Beside those things that are from the outside, that which comes upon me daily, the care of all the congregations.
29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is offended, and I do not burn with indignation?
30 If I need to boast, I will boast about the things that concern my infirmities.
31 The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed forever knows I do not lie.
32 The governor under King Aretas put guards around the city of Damascus to catch me.
33 So I was let down in a basket through an opening in the wall and escaped from him.