2 Corinthians 11

1 Would that ye could bear with me in a little foolishness: nay 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 over you with a godly jealousy: for I espoused you to one husband, that I might present you [as] a pure 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 Messiah.

3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve in his craftiness, your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity and the purity that is toward Christ.

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

4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we did not preach, or [if] ye receive a different spirit, which ye did not receive, or a different gospel, which ye did not accept, ye do well to bear with [him].

For if he who comes preaches another Yeshua whom we didn’t proclaim, 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 reckon that I am not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.

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

6 But though [I be] rude in speech, yet [am I] not in knowledge; nay, in everything we have made [it] manifest among all men to you-ward.

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 sin in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I preached to you the gospel of God for nought?

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 robbed other churches, taking wages [of them] that I might minister unto you;

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

9 and when I was present with you and was in want, I was not a burden on any man; for the brethren, when they came from Macedonia, supplied the measure of my want; and in everything I kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and [so] will I 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 As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this glorying 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 Wherefore? because I love you not? God knoweth.

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

12 But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire an 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 recognized just like us.

13 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, fashioning themselves into apostles of Christ.

For such men are false emissaries, deceitful workers, masquerading as Messiah’s emissaries.

14 And no marvel; for even Satan fashioneth 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 fashion 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 I say again, Let no man think me foolish; but if [ye do], yet as foolish receive me, 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 after the Lord, but as in foolishness, in this confidence 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 after the flesh, I will glory also.

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

19 For ye bear with the foolish gladly, being wise [yourselves].

For you bear with the foolish gladly, being wise.

20 For ye bear with a man, if he bringeth you into bondage, if he devoureth you, if he taketh you [captive], if he exalteth himself, if he smiteth 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 by way of disparagement, as though we had been weak. Yet whereinsoever any is bold (I speak in foolishness), I am bold 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 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 the offspring of Abraham? So am I.

23 Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as one beside himself) I more; in labours more abundantly, in prisons more abundantly, in stripes above measure, 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, and in deaths often.

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

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

25 Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day have I been 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] countrymen, [in] perils from the Gentiles, [in] perils in the city, [in] perils in the wilderness, [in] perils in 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 the Gentiles, perils in the city, perils in the wilderness, perils in the sea, perils among false brothers;

27 [in] labour and travail, 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 Beside those things that are without, there is that which presseth upon me daily, anxiety 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 made to stumble, and I burn not?

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 weakness.

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

31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, he who is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not. (aiōn g165)

The God and Father of the Lord Yeshua the Messiah, he who is blessed forever more, knows that I don’t lie. (aiōn g165)

32 In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king guarded the city of the Damascenes, in order to take me:

In Damascus the governor under King Aretas guarded the Damascenes’ city, desiring to arrest me.

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

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