2 Corinthians 11

1I wish you would put up with a little foolishness from me. Yes, do put up with me!

2For I feel a godly jealousy for you, since I promised you in marriage to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ.

3But I am afraid that, just as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your minds may be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.

4For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough.

5Indeed, I consider that I am not in the least inferior to these “super-apostles.”

6Even if I am untrained as a speaker, I am not untrained in knowledge. Indeed, in every way we have made this plain to you in all things.

7Or did I commit a sin by humbling myself so that you could be exalted, because I proclaimed the gospel of God to you free of charge?

8I robbed other churches by accepting support from them in order to serve you.

9And 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 needed. In every way I have kept myself from being a burden to you, and I will continue to do so.

10As surely as the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine will not be silenced in the regions of Achaia.

11Why? Because I do not love you? God knows!

12And what I am doing I will continue to do, in order to cut off the opportunity of those who want an opportunity to be regarded as our equals in the things they boast about.

13For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.

14And no wonder, for Satan himself disguises himself as an angel of light.

15So it is no great thing if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will match their deeds.

16I say again, let no one think I am a fool. But if you do, then accept me even as a fool, so that I too may boast a little.

17What I am saying in this confident boasting, I am not saying as the Lord would, but as a fool.

18Since many boast in a worldly way, I too will boast.

19For you gladly put up with fools, since you are so wise!

20For you put up with it if someone enslaves you, if someone devours you, if someone takes advantage of you, if someone puts on airs, if someone slaps you in the face.

21To my shame I must say that we were too weak for that! But whatever anyone else dares to boast about—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast about.

22Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I.

23Are they servants of Christ? I am talking like a madman—I am more so. I have worked far harder, been in prison far more often, been beaten far more severely, and been near death again and again.

24Five times I received from the Jews forty lashes minus one.

25Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have spent in the open sea.

26I have been on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, in danger from robbers, in danger from my own people, in danger from Gentiles, in danger in the city, in danger in the wilderness, in danger at sea, in danger among false brothers;

27in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often going without food, in cold and without enough clothing.

28And apart from these other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my concern for all the churches.

29Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation?

30If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.

31The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying.

32In Damascus, the governor under King Aretas was guarding the city of the Damascenes in order to seize me,

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