2 Corinthians 11

1 I could wish ye would bear with me as to some little foolishness, —Nay! do even 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 jealousy, of God; for I myself betrothed you unto one husband, to present, a chaste virgin, unto the 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, by any means, as, the serpent, completely deceived Eve, in his craftiness, your minds should be corrupted from the singleness [and the chasteness] which are [due] unto the 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, indeed, he that cometh, is proclaiming, another Jesus, whom we have not proclaimed, or, a different Spirit, ye are receiving, which ye had not received, or a different glad-message, which ye have never welcomed, ye are, well, bearing.

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 reckon not to have come a whit behind the exceeding overmuch apostles;

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

6 And, even if uncultured in my discourse, certainly not in my knowledge, —but, in every way, having made [it] manifest, in all things, unto 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, a sin, did I commit—abasing, myself, that, ye, might be exalted, —in that, free of charge, God’s glad-message, I announced unto you?

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 Other assemblies, I despoiled, receiving supplies that I might minister, unto you;

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

9 And, being present with you, and having come short, I was not burdensome to anyone, —for, my deficiency, the brethren, coming from Macedonia, helped to make up; —and, in everything, without burden unto you, I kept, myself—and will keep!

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 Truth of Christ is in me, that, this boasting, shall not be silenced unto 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!

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

12 But, what I am doing, I also will do, —that I may cut off the occasion of them who are wishing an occasion, that, wherein they are boasting themselves, they may be found even as also, 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 as these, are false apostles, deceitful workers, transfiguring themselves into apostles of Christ.

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

14 And no marvel! for, Satan himself, doth transfigure himself into a messenger of light!

And no wonder, for even Satan masquerades as an angel of light.

15 No great thing, therefore, if, his ministers also, are transfiguring 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 Again, I say—let no one deem me to be, foolish; but, otherwise, at least, as foolish, give me welcome, that, I also, some little, may boast myself.

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 What I am saying, not according to the Lord, am I saying, but as in foolishness, —in this my boastful confidence!

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

18 Since, many, are boasting after the flesh, I also, will boast;

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

19 For, gladly, do ye bear with the foolish, being [yourselves], discreet, —

For you bear with the foolish gladly, being wise.

20 For ye bear with it—if anyone enslaveth you, if any devoureth, if anyone taketh, if anyone lifteth himself up, if anyone, on the face, doth smite you!

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 By way of disparagement, am I speaking, —as though, we, had been weak! whereas, in whatsoever anyone dareth, in foolishness I speak, I also, dare: —

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 Hebrews, are they? I also, Israelites, are they? I also, seed of Abraham, are they? I also,

Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the offspring of Abraham? So am I.

23 Ministers of Christ, are they? As one deranged I am talking, I, above measure!—in toils, superabundantly, in prisons, superabundantly, in stripes, to excess, in deaths, oft, —

Are they servants of Christ? (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 From Jews, five times, forty-save-one, have I received,

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

25 Thrice, have I been beaten with rods, once, have I been stoned, thrice, have I been shipwrecked, a day and night, in the deep, have I spent;

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 oft, in perils of rivers, in perils of robbers, in perils from my own race, in perils from Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the desert, in perils by 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 toil and hardship, in watchings, oft, in hunger and thirst, in fasting, oft, in cold and nakedness: —

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

28 Apart from the things without, my daily care, —my anxiety for all the assemblies; —

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 caused to stumble, and, I, am not burning?

Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is caused to stumble, and I don’t burn with indignation?

30 If, to boast, is needful, in the things that concern my weakness, will I boast.

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

31 The God and Father of our Lord Jesus, knoweth—He who is blessed unto the ages—that I am not speaking falsely: (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 In Damascus, the governor under Aretas the king, was guarding the city of Damascenes, to apprehend 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 by the wall, and escaped his hands.

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