2 Corinthians 11

1 Would to God you could bear with some little of my folly: but do 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 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.

For I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy. For I promised you in marriage to one husband, that I might present you as a pure virgin to Christ.

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 am afraid that somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve in his craftiness, so your minds might be corrupted from the simplicity that is in 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.

For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we didn’t preach, or if you receive a different spirit which you didn’t receive, or a different “good news” which you didn’t accept, you put up with that well enough.

5 For I suppose that I have done nothing less than the great apostles.

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

6 For although I be rude in speech, yet not in knowledge; but in all things we have been made manifest to you.

But though I am unskilled in speech, yet I am not unskilled in knowledge. No, in every way we have been revealed to you in all things.

7 Or did I commit a fault, humbling myself, that you might be exalted? Because I preached unto you the gospel of God freely?

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

8 I have taken from other churches, receiving wages of them for your ministry.

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

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.

When I was present with you and was in need, I wasn’t 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 glorying shall not be broken off in me in the regions of Achaia.

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

11 Wherefore? Because I love you not? God knoweth it.

Why? Because I don’t love you? God knows.

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.

But what I do, that I will continue to do, that I may cut off opportunity from those who desire an opportunity, that in which they boast, they may be recognised just like us.

13 For such false apostles are deceitful workmen, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.

For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as Christ’s apostles.

14 And no wonder: for Satan himself transformeth himself into an angel of light.

And no wonder, for even Satan masquerades 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 thing therefore if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness, whose 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 foolish. But if so, yet receive me as foolish, that I also may boast a little.

17 That which I speak, I speak not according to God, but as it were in foolishness, in this matter of glorying.

That which I speak, I don’t speak according to the Lord, but as in foolishness, in this confidence of boasting.

18 Seeing that many glory according to the flesh, I will glory also.

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

19 For you gladly suffer the foolish; whereas yourselves are wise.

For you bear with the foolish gladly, being wise.

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.

For you bear with a man if he brings you into bondage, if he devours you, if he takes you captive, if he exalts himself, or if he strikes you on the face.

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.

To my shame, I speak as though we had been weak. Yet in whatever way anyone is bold (I speak in foolishness), I am bold also.

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 Israelites? So am I. Are they the offspring 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 servants of Christ? (I speak as one beside himself.) I am more so: in labours more abundantly, in prisons more abundantly, in stripes above measure, and in deaths often.

24 Of the Jews five times did I receive forty stripes, save one.

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

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 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 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.

I have been in travels often, perils of rivers, perils of robbers, perils from my countrymen, perils from the Gentiles, perils in the city, perils in the wilderness, perils in the sea, perils amongst false brothers;

27 In labour and painfulness, in much watchings, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.

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

28 Besides those things which are without: my daily instance, the solicitude for all the churches.

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

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, and I don’t burn with indignation?

30 If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things that concern my infirmity.

If I must boast, I will boast of the things that concern 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 Christ, he who is blessed forever more, knows that I don’t lie. (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 King Aretas guarded the Damascenes’ city, desiring to arrest me.

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

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