2 Corinthians 11

1 I could wish that you would put up with a little of my foolishness, but indeed you already are.

Would to God you could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me.

2 For I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy, because I betrothed you to one man to present you to Christ as a pure virgin.

For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

3 But I am afraid that somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve with his cunning, so your minds may be corrupted from the integrity that is in Christ.

But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

4 For if someone comes and preaches another ‘Jesus’ whom we did not preach, or you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you easily put up with it.

For if he that comes preaches another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if you receive another spirit, which you have not received, or another gospel, which you have not accepted, you might well bear with him.

5 Now I consider that I am not at all inferior to the very best apostles.

For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very most chief apostles.

6 Though I may not be a trained speaker, I do have knowledge—but we have been fully manifested to you in all things.

But though I be rude in speech, yet not in knowledge; but we have been thoroughly made manifest among you in all things.

7 Or did I commit a sin in humbling self so that you might be exalted, in that I proclaimed God's Gospel to you free of charge?

Have I committed an offense in abasing myself that you might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely?

8 I ‘robbed’ other congregations, receiving support from them so as to serve you,

I robbed other churches, taking wages of them, to do you service.

9 and when I was with you and in need, I did not burden anyone; because the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied my need. Yes, I kept myself from being a burden to you in anything, and will keep on.

And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man: for that which was lacking to me the brothers which came from Macedonia supplied: and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome to you, and so will I keep myself.

10 The truth of Christ is in me: this boasting will not be silenced in me in the regions of Achaia.

As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia.

11 Why? Because I do not love you? God knows!

Why? because I love you not? God knows.

12 Further, I will keep on doing what I do in order to cut off the opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be considered equal with us in the things of which they boast.

But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we.

13 Such men are really false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into ‘apostles’ of Christ.

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

14 And no wonder, because Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.

And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

15 So it is no great thing if his servants also masquerade as ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.

Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

16 Again I say, let no one think me a fool. But should anyone do so, at least receive me as a fool, that I also may boast a little bit.

I say again, Let no man think me a fool; if otherwise, yet as a fool receive me, that I may boast myself a little.

17 What I am going to say I do not say according to the Lord, but as though foolishly, in this confident boasting.

That which I speak, I speak it not after the Lord, but as it were foolishly, in this confidence of boasting.

18 Since many are boasting according to the flesh, I will too

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

19 (for you put up with fools gladly, being so wise yourselves!).

For you suffer fools gladly, seeing you yourselves are wise.

20 In fact, you even put up with someone who enslaves you, who ‘devours’ you, who takes advantage, who exalts himself, who beats on your face!

For you suffer, if a man bring you into bondage, if a man devour you, if a man take of you, if a man exalt himself, if a man smite you on the face.

21 Is it disrespectful to say that we were ‘weak’? In whatever anyone is bold (I speak foolishly), I am bold also.

I speak as concerning reproach, as though we had been weak. However, when ever any is bold, (I speak foolishly, ) I am bold also.

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

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'm being irrational) I am more: in labors more abundantly, in beatings beyond count, in prison more frequently, in ‘deaths’ often—

Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft.

24 five times from the Jews I received the ‘forty lashes minus one’;

Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.

25 three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked (I spent twenty-four hours in the open sea)—

Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;

26 in frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, in danger from robbers, in danger from my countrymen, in danger from Gentiles, in danger in cities, in danger in wildernesses, in danger in the sea, in danger among false brothers;

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 toil and hardship, in many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, in frequent fastings, in cold and nakedness—

In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.

28 quite apart from the other things, my daily disturbances, my concern for all the congregations.

Beside those things that are without, that which comes on me daily, the care of all the churches.

29 Who is weak, and I do not feel it? Who is caused to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation?

Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not?

30 Well, if I must boast, I will boast of the things that concern my weakness.

If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern my infirmities.

31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying. (aiōn g165)

The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for ever more, knows that I lie not. (aiōn g165)

32 In Damascus the governor under King Aretas was guarding the city of the Damascenes, wanting to arrest me;

In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me:

33 but I was lowered in a basket through a window in the wall and escaped from his hands.

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