2 Corinthians 11
1 I wish you would put up with a little of my foolishness! But in fact, you do put up with me.
2 For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy, because I promised you in marriage to one husband, to present you to Christ as a pure virgin.
3 But I fear that, just as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts may be corrupted and turned away from sincere and pure devotion to Christ.
4 For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus, whom we did not proclaim, or if you receive a different spirit, which you did not receive, or a different gospel, which you did not accept, you put up with it very well.
5 For I consider myself in no way inferior to those super-apostles.
6 And even if I am untrained in speaking, I am not in knowledge; in every way and in all things we have made this clear to you.
7 Or did I commit a sin by humbling myself so that you might be lifted up, because I preached the gospel of God to you free of charge?
8 I plundered other churches by accepting support to serve you.
9 And when I was with you and was in need, I was not a burden to anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied what I lacked. In every way I kept myself from being a burden to you, and I will continue to do so.
10 The truth of Christ is in me: this boast of mine will not be silenced in the regions of Achaia.
11 Why? Because I do not love you? God knows.
12 But what I am doing, I will continue to do, so that I may cut off the opportunity of those who want an opportunity, so that in what they boast about they may be found to be like us.
13 For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.
14 And no wonder, for Satan himself disguises himself as an angel of light.
15 So it is no great thing if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness; their end will be in keeping with their deeds.
16 I say again: let no one think I am a fool. But if you do, then welcome me even as a fool, so that I too may boast a little.
17 What I am saying, I am not saying as the Lord would, but as if in foolishness, in this confidence of boasting.
18 Since many boast according to the flesh, I too will boast.
19 For you gladly put up with fools, since you are wise.
20 You put up with it if someone enslaves you, if someone devours you, if someone takes advantage of you, if someone exalts himself, if someone slaps you in the face.
21 I say this to my shame, as though we had been weak. But whatever someone dares to do—I speak foolishly—I dare to do as well.
22 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 speak like a madman: I am more so. I have worked far harder, been in prison far more often, been beaten beyond measure, and faced death many times.
24 Five times I received from the Jews forty lashes minus one.
25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked; I spent a night and a day in the open sea.
26 I have often been on journeys, in danger from rivers, in danger from robbers, in danger from my own people, in danger from the Gentiles, in danger in the city, in danger in the wilderness, in danger at sea, in danger among false brothers.
27 In labor and hardship, in many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and without clothing.
28 Besides all the other things, there is the daily pressure on me: my concern for all the churches.
29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not burn with indignation?
30 If I must boast, I will boast about the things that show my weakness.
31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying.
32 In Damascus, the governor under King Aretas was guarding the city of the Damascenes in order to arrest me.
33 But I was lowered in a basket through a window in the wall, and I escaped his hands.
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