2 Corinthians Chapter 11 (NASB)
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I wish that you would bear with me in a little foolishness; but indeed you are bearing with me.
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For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, so that to Christ I might present you [as] a pure virgin.
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But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity [of devotion] to Christ.
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For if one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted, you bear [this] beautifully.
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For I consider myself not in the least inferior to the most eminent apostles.
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But even if I am unskilled in speech, yet I am not [so] in knowledge; in fact, in every way we have made [this] evident to you in all things.
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Or did I commit a sin in humbling myself so that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you without charge?
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I robbed other churches by taking wages [from] [them] to serve you;
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and when I was present with you and was in need, I was not a burden to anyone; for when the brethren came from Macedonia they fully supplied my need, and in everything I kept myself from being a burden to you, and will continue to do so.
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As the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine will not be stopped in the regions of Achaia.
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Why? Because I do not love you? God knows [I do]!
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But what I am doing I will continue to do, so that I may cut off opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the matter about which they are boasting.
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For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.
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No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.
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Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds.
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Again I say, let no one think me foolish; but if [you do], receive me even as foolish, so that I also may boast a little.
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What I am saying, I am not saying as the Lord would, but as in foolishness, in this confidence of boasting.
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Since many boast according to the flesh, I will boast also.
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For you, being [so] wise, tolerate the foolish gladly.
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For you tolerate it if anyone enslaves you, anyone devours you, anyone takes advantage of you, anyone exalts himself, anyone hits you in the face.
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To [my] shame I [must] say that we have been weak [by comparison]. But in whatever respect anyone [else] is bold-- I speak in foolishness-- I am just as bold myself.
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Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I.
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Are they servants of Christ?-- I speak as if insane-- I more so; in far more labors, in far more imprisonments, beaten times without number, often in danger of death.
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Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine [lashes].
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Three 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 deep.
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[I have been] on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from [my] countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren;
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[I have been] in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure.
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Apart from [such] external things, there is the daily pressure on me [of] concern for all the churches.
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Who is weak without my being weak? Who is led into sin without my intense concern?
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If I have to boast, I will boast of what pertains to my weakness.
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The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, He who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying.
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In Damascus the ethnarch under Aretas the king was guarding the city of the Damascenes in order to seize me,
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and I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall, and [so] escaped his hands.
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