2 Corinthians 11

1 Would that ye would bear with me [in] a little folly; but indeed bear with me.

I wish that you would bear with me in a little foolishness, but indeed you do bear with me.

2 For I am jealous as to you with a jealousy [which is] of God; for I have espoused you unto one man, to present [you] a chaste virgin to Christ.

For I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy. For I married you to one husband, that I might present you as a pure virgin to Messiah.

3 But I fear lest by any means, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craft, [so] your thoughts should be corrupted from simplicity as to the Christ.

But I am afraid that somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve in his craftiness, so your minds might be corrupted from the sincerity and purity that is in the Messiah.

4 For if indeed he that comes preaches another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or ye get a different Spirit, which ye have not got, or a different glad tidings, which ye have not received, ye might well bear with [it].

For if he who comes preaches another Jesus, whom we did not preach, or if you receive a different spirit, which you did not receive, or a different gospel, which you did not accept, you put up with that well enough.

5 For I reckon that in nothing I am behind those who are in surpassing degree apostles.

For I reckon that I am not at all behind the very best apostles.

6 But if [I am] a simple person in speech, yet not in knowledge, but in everything making [the truth] manifest in all things to you.

Even though I am unskilled in speech, I am not unskilled in knowledge. But in every way we have made this known to you in all things.

7 Have I committed sin, abasing myself in order that ye might be exalted, because I gratuitously announced to you the glad tidings of God?

Or did I commit a sin in humbling myself that you might be exalted, because I preached to you God's gospel free of charge?

8 I spoiled other assemblies, receiving hire for ministry towards you.

I robbed other churches, taking wages from them that I might serve you.

9 And being present with you and lacking, I did not lazily burden any one, (for the brethren who came from Macedonia supplied what I lacked, ) and in everything I kept myself from being a burden to you, and will keep myself.

When I was present with you and was in need, I was not a burden on anyone, for the brothers, when they came from Macedonia, supplied the measure of my need. In everything I kept myself from being burdensome to you, and I will continue to do so.

10 [The] truth of Christ is in me that this boasting shall not be stopped as to me in the regions of Achaia.

As the truth of Messiah is in me, no one will stop me from this boasting in the regions of Achaia.

11 Why? because I do not love you? God knows.

Why? Because I do not love you? God knows.

12 But what I do, I will also do, that I may cut off the opportunity of those wishing [for] an opportunity, that wherein they boast they may be found even as we.

But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them that desire an occasion, that in which they boast, they may be found even as we.

13 For such [are] false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ.

For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as Messiah's apostles.

14 And [it is] not wonderful, for Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.

And no wonder, for even Satan masquerades as an angel of light.

15 It is no great thing therefore if his ministers also transform themselves as ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

It is no great thing therefore if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.

16 Again I say, Let not any one think me to be a fool; but if otherwise, receive me then even as a fool, that I also may boast myself some little.

I say again, let no one think me foolish. But if so, yet receive me as foolish, that I also may boast a little.

17 What I speak I do not speak according to [the] Lord, but as in folly, in this confidence of boasting.

That which I speak, I do not speak according to the Lord, but as in foolishness, in this confidence of boasting.

18 Since many boast according to flesh, I also will boast.

Seeing that many boast after the flesh, I will also boast.

19 For ye bear fools readily, being wise.

For you bear with the foolish gladly, being wise.

20 For ye bear if any one bring you into bondage, if any one devour [you], if any one get [your money], if any one exalt himself, if any one beat you on the face.

For you put up with it if someone makes slaves of you, if someone exploits you, if someone takes advantage of you, if someone exalts himself, if someone strikes you on the face.

21 I speak as to dishonour, as though we had been weak; but wherein any one is daring, (I speak in folly, ) I also am daring.

I speak by way of disparagement, as though we had been weak. Yet however any is bold (I speak in foolishness), I am bold also.

22 Are they Hebrews? I also. Are they Israelites? I also. Are they seed of Abraham? I also.

Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I.

23 Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as being beside myself) I above measure [so]; in labours exceedingly abundant, in stripes to excess, in prisons exceedingly abundant, in deaths oft.

Are they servants of Messiah? (I speak as one beside himself) I am more so; in labors more abundantly, in prisons more abundantly, in stripes above measure, in deaths often.

24 From the Jews five times have I received forty [stripes], save one.

Five times from the Jews I received forty stripes minus one.

25 Thrice have I been scourged, once I have been stoned, three times I have suffered shipwreck, a night and day I passed in the deep:

Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I suffered shipwreck. I have been a night and a day in the deep.

26 in journeyings often, in perils of rivers, in perils of robbers, in perils from [my own] race, in perils from [the] nations, in perils in [the] city, in perils in [the] desert, in perils on [the] sea, in perils among false brethren;

I have been in travels often, perils of rivers, perils of robbers, perils from my countrymen, perils from those who are not Jews, perils in the city, perils in the wilderness, perils in the sea, perils among false brothers;

27 in labour and toil, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.

in labor and travail, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, and in cold and nakedness.

28 Besides those things that are without, the crowd [of cares] pressing on me daily, the burden of all the assemblies.

Besides those things that are outside, there is that which presses on me daily, anxiety for all the churches.

29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is stumbled, and I burn not?

Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is caused to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation?

30 If it is needful to boast, I will boast in the things which concern my infirmity.

If I must boast, I will boast of the things that concern my weakness.

31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus knows — he who is blessed for ever — that I do not lie. (aiōn g165)

The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, he who is blessed forevermore, knows that I do not lie. (aiōn g165)

32 In Damascus the ethnarch of Aretas the king kept the city of the Damascenes shut up, wishing to take me;

In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king guarded the city of the Damascenes, desiring to arrest me.

33 and through a window in a basket I was let down by the wall, and escaped his hands.

Through a window I was let down in a basket by the wall, and escaped his hands.