2 Corinthians 11
1 Would to God you could bear with some little of my folly: but do bear with me.
Would that you could put up with a little "folly" from me! Nay, do bear with me.
2 For I am jealous of you with the jealousy of God. For I have espoused you to one husband that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
I have a divine jealousy on your behalf; for I betrothed you to one only husband, even to Christ, that I might present you to him, a chaste virgin.
3 But I fear lest, as the serpent seduced Eve by his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted, and fall from the simplicity that is in Christ.
But I fear lest, just as the serpent beguiled Eve in his craftiness, so your minds should be seduced from your single-mindedness and purity toward Christ.
4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Christ, whom we have not preached; or if you receive another Spirit, whom you have not received; or another gospel which you have not received; you might well bear with him.
If indeed some one is coming to preach another Jesus, whom I did not preach, or you are receiving a Spirit other than you once received, or another gospel which you did not accept before, you would do well to bear with me.
5 For I suppose that I have done nothing less than the great apostles.
For I reckon that I am in no respect behind your superapostolic apostles.
6 For although I be rude in speech, yet not in knowledge; but in all things we have been made manifest to you.
Yes, though I be unskilled in speech, at least I am not in knowledge; indeed I made this perfectly plain to you in all things and among all men.
7 Or did I commit a fault, humbling myself, that you might be exalted? Because I preached unto you the gospel of God freely?
Is it a sin, forsooth, that I humbled myself that you might be exalted, in preaching the gospel to you free of cost?
8 I have taken from other churches, receiving wages of them for your ministry.
Other churches I spoiled, and took their wages to do you service.
9 And, when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man: for that which was wanting to me, the brethren supplied who came from Macedonia; and in all things I have kept myself from being burthensome to you, and so I will keep myself.
Even when I lacked the actual necessities of life while I was with you, I was a burden to no one; for whatever I lacked, the brothers from Macedonia supplied, when they came. So I kept myself from being a burden to you in any way, and will continue to do so.
10 The truth of Christ is in me, that this glorying shall not be broken off in me in the regions of Achaia.
As the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine shall not be stopped within the boundaries of Greece!
11 Wherefore? Because I love you not? God knoweth it.
And why? Because I love you not? God knows I do.
12 But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off the occasion from them that desire occasion, that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we.
I am doing and will continue to do this in order to cut away the ground from under those who wish some cause for slander; and that the ground of their boasting may appear as does mine.
13 For such false apostles are deceitful workmen, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
For such fellows are sham apostles of Christ.
14 And no wonder: for Satan himself transformeth himself into an angel of light.
No wonder! for Satan himself disguises himself as an angel of light.
15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers be transformed as the ministers of justice, whose end shall be according to their works.
It is no great marvel, then, if his ministers also disguise themselves as ministers of righteousness. Their end will be according to their works.
16 I say again, (let no man think me to be foolish, otherwise take me as one foolish, that I also may glory a little.)
I say again, let no one think me a fool. Or, if you must, at least bear with me as a fool, that I, too, may do a little boasting.
17 That which I speak, I speak not according to God, but as it were in foolishness, in this matter of glorying.
What I am about to say I am not speaking by the Lord’s command, but as it were in pure folly, in this boldness of boasting.
18 Seeing that many glory according to the flesh, I will glory also.
Since so many are making worldly boasts, I shall boast, too!
19 For you gladly suffer the foolish; whereas yourselves are wise.
Although you are wise, you put up with fools willingly enough!
20 For you suffer if a man bring you into bondage, if a man devour you, if a man take from you, if a man be lifted up, if a man strike you on the face.
You put up with it, though they make slaves of you, live on you, seize your property, lord it over you, even strike you in the face, in the way of degradation!
21 I speak according to dishonour, as if we had been weak in this part. Wherein if any man dare (I speak foolishly), I dare also.
I say that I was weak, and yet for whatever reason any one is bold (I speak in mere folly) I too am bold.
22 They are Hebrews: so am I. They are Israelites: so am I. They are the seed of Abraham: so am I.
Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they descendants of Israel? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I.
23 They are the ministers of Christ (I speak as one less wise). I am more; in many more labours, in prisons more frequently, in stripes above measure, in deaths often.
Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as though I were beside myself), such, far, more, am I; in labors more abundant, in imprisonments also more abundant, in floggings beyond measure, in deaths often.
24 Of the Jews five times did I receive forty stripes, save one.
Five times at the hands of the Jews, I have received one short of forty lashes.
25 Thrice was I beaten with rods, once I was stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I was in the depth of the sea.
Three times I have been scourged by the Romans; once I have been stoned; three times have I been shipwrecked; a night and a day have I been adrift in the open sea.
26 In journeying often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils from my own nation, in perils from the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils from false brethren.
My journeys have been many; in perils of rivers, in perils of bandits; in perils from my countrymen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness; in perils on the sea, in perils among false brothers;
27 In labour and painfulness, in much watchings, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
in toil and weariness, often in sleepless watching, in hunger and thirst, often without anything to eat; in cold and in nakedness.
28 Besides those things which are without: my daily instance, the solicitude for all the churches.
Not to mention other things, there is the crowding pressure of each day upon me, the care of all the churches.
29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is scandalized, and I am not on fire?
Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is caused to stumble, but I burn with indignation?
30 If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things that concern my infirmity.
If boast I must, it shall be concerning my weakness.
31 The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed for ever, knoweth that I lie not. (aiōn g165)
The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, he who is blessed forever, knows that I am telling the truth. (aiōn g165)
32 At Damascus, the governor of the nation under Aretas the king, guarded the city of the Damascenes, to apprehend me.
In Damascus, the governor under Aretas the King, kept guard over the city of the Damascus, to arrest me;
33 And through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall, and so escaped his hands.
but through an opening in the wall I was let down in a basket, and so escaped and out of his hands.
