2 Corinthians 11

Paul and His Opponents

1 I wish that you would be patient with me in a little foolishness, but indeed you are being patient with me!2 For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy, because I promised you in marriage to one husband,t to present you as a puret virgin to Christ.3 But I am afraid thatt just as the serpentt deceived Eve by his treachery,t your minds may be led astrayt from a sincere and puresss devotion to Christ.4 For if someone comes and proclaimst another Jesus different from the one we proclaimed,t or if you receive a different spirit than the one you received,t or a different gospel than the one you accepted,t you put up with it well enough!t5 For I consider myself not at all inferior to those “super-apostles.”ts6 And even if I am unskilleds in speaking, yet I am certainly not so in knowledge. Indeed, we have made this plain to you in everything in every way.7 Or did I commit a sin by humbling myselfs so that you could be exalted, because I proclaimedt the gospel of God to you free of charge?8 I robbed other churches by receiving support from them so that I could serve you!s9 Whent I was with you and was in need, I was not a burden to anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia fully supplied my needs.t It kept myself from being a burden to you in any way, and will continue to do so.10 As the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of minet will not be stoppedt in the regions of Achaia.11 Why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do!t12 And what I am doing I will continue to do, so that I may eliminate any opportunity for those who want a chance to be regarded as our equalst in the things they boast about.13 For such people are false apostles, deceitfult workers, disguising themselvest as apostles of Christ.14 And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himselft as an angel of light.

15 Therefore it is not surprising his servants also disguise themselvest as servants of righteousness, whose end will correspond to their actions.t

Paul’s Sufferings for Christ

16 I say again, let no one think that I am a fool.t But if you do, then at least accept me as a fool, so that I too may boast a little.17 What I am saying with this boastful confidencet I do not say the way the Lord would.t Instead it is, as it were, foolishness.18 Since manys are boasting according to human standards,t I too will boast.19 For since you are so wise, you put up witht fools gladly.20 For you put up witht it if someone makes slaves of you, if someone exploits you, if someone takes advantage of you, if someone behaves arrogantlyt toward you, if someone strikes you in the face.21 (To my disgracet I must say that we were too weak for that!)s But whatever anyone else dares to boast aboutt (I am speaking foolishly), I also dare to boast about the same thing.t22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I.23 Are they servants of Christ? (I am talking like I am out of my mind!) I am even more so: with much greater labors, with far more imprisonments, with more severe beatings, facing death many times.24 Five times I received from the Jews forty lashes less one.t25 Three times I was beaten with a rod.s Once I received a stoning.s Three times I suffered shipwreck. A night and a day I spent adrift in the open sea.26 I have been on journeys many times, in dangers from rivers, in dangers from robbers,t in dangers from my own countrymen, in dangers from Gentiles, in dangers in the city, in dangers in the wilderness,t in dangers at sea, in dangers from false brothers,27 in hard work and toil,t through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, many times without food, in cold and without enough clothing.t28 Apart from other things,s there is the daily pressure on me of my anxious concernt for all the churches.29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is led into sin,t and I do not burn with indignation?30 If I must boast,t I will boast about the things that show my weakness.t31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is blessed forever, knows I am not lying.32 In Damascus, the governorts under King Aretas was guarding the city of Damascust in order to arrestt me,

33 but I was let down in a rope-baskett through a window in the city wall, and escaped his hands.

2 Corinthians 11

1 Would that ye could bear with me in a little foolishness: but indeed ye 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.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.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.5 For I reckon that I am not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.6 But though I be rude in speech, yet am I not in knowledge; nay, in every way have we made this manifest unto 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?8 I robbed other churches, taking wages of them that I might minister unto 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.10 As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this glorying in the regions of Achaia.11 Wherefore? because I love you not? God knoweth.12 But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them that desire an occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we.13 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, fashioning themselves into apostles of Christ.14 And no marvel; for even Satan fashioneth himself into 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.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.17 That which I speak, I speak not after the Lord, but as in foolishness, in this confidence of glorying.18 Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also.19 For ye bear with the foolish gladly, being wise yourselves.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.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.22 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 speak as one beside himself) I more; in labors more abundantly, in prisons more abundantly, in stripes above measure, in deaths oft.24 Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.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;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;27 in labor and travail, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.28 Besides those things that are without, there is that which presseth upon me daily, anxiety for all the churches.29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is caused to stumble, and I burn not?30 If I must needs glory, I will glory 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.32 In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king guarded the city of the Damascenes in order to take me:33 and through a window was I let down in a basket by the wall, and escaped his hands.