2 Corinthians 11
1 Would to God ye could bear with me a little in [my] folly: and indeed bear with me.
I could wish that you would put up with a little of my foolishness, but indeed you already are.
2 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.
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.
3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
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.
4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or [if] ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with [him].
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.
5 For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.
Now I consider that I am not at all inferior to the very best apostles.
6 But though [I be] rude in speech, yet not in knowledge; but we have been throughly made manifest among you in all things.
Though I may not be a trained speaker, I do have knowledge—but we have been fully manifested to you in all things.
7 Have I committed an offence in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely?
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?
8 I robbed other churches, taking wages [of them], to do you service.
I ‘robbed’ other congregations, receiving support from them so as to serve you,
9 And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man: for that which was lacking to me the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied: and in all [things] I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and [so] will I keep [myself].
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.
10 As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia.
The truth of Christ is in me: this boasting will not be silenced in me in the regions of Achaia.
11 Wherefore? because I love you not? God knoweth.
Why? Because I do not love you? God knows!
12 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.
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.
13 For such [are] false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
Such men are really false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into ‘apostles’ of Christ.
14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
And no wonder, because Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.
15 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.
So it is no great thing if his servants also masquerade as ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.
16 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.
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.
17 That which I speak, I speak [it] not after the Lord, but as it were foolishly, in this confidence of boasting.
What I am going to say I do not say according to the Lord, but as though foolishly, in this confident boasting.
18 Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also.
Since many are boasting according to the flesh, I will too
19 For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye [yourselves] are wise.
(for you put up with fools gladly, being so wise yourselves!).
20 For ye 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.
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!
21 I speak as concerning reproach, as though we had been weak. Howbeit whereinsoever any is bold, (I speak foolishly, ) I am bold also.
Is it disrespectful to say that we were ‘weak’? In whatever anyone is bold (I speak foolishly), I am bold also.
22 Are they Hebrews? so [am] I. Are they Israelites? so [am] I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so [am] I.
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 a fool) I [am] more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft.
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—
24 Of the Jews five times received I forty [stripes] save one.
five times from the Jews I received the ‘forty lashes minus one’;
25 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;
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)—
26 [In] journeyings often, [in] perils of waters, [in] perils of robbers, [in] perils by [mine 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 brethren;
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;
27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
in toil and hardship, in many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, in frequent fastings, in cold and nakedness—
28 Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.
quite apart from the other things, my daily disturbances, my concern for all the congregations.
29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not?
Who is weak, and I do not feel it? Who is caused to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation?
30 If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities.
Well, if I must boast, I will boast of the things that concern my weakness.
31 The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not. (aiōn g165)
The God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying. (aiōn g165)
32 In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me:
In Damascus the governor under King Aretas was guarding the city of the Damascenes, wanting to arrest me;
33 And through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall, and escaped his hands.
but I was lowered in a basket through a window in the wall and escaped from his hands.
