2 Corinthians 11:5–29

⁵Indeed, I consider that ^wI am not in the least inferior to these super-apostles. ^6xEven if I am unskilled in speaking, ^yI am not so in knowledge; indeed, in every way ^zwe have made this plain to you in all things.

⁷Or ^adid I commit a sin in humbling myself so that you might be exalted, because ^bI preached God’s gospel 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 ^cin need, ^dI did not burden anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia ^esupplied my need. So I refrained and will refrain ^ffrom burdening you in any way. ^10gAs the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine ^hwill not be silenced in the regions of Achaia. ¹¹And why? ⁱBecause I do not love you? ^jGod knows I do!

¹²And what I am doing I will continue to do, ^kin order to undermine the claim of those who would like to claim that in their boasted mission they work on the same terms as we do. ¹³For such men are ^lfalse apostles, ^mdeceitful workmen, ⁿdisguising themselves as apostles of Christ. ¹⁴And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as ^oan angel of light. ¹⁵So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as ^pservants of righteousness. ^qTheir end will correspond to their deeds.

Paul’s Sufferings as an Apostle

¹⁶I repeat, ^rlet no one think me foolish. But even if you do, accept me as a fool, so that I too may boast a little. ¹⁷What I am saying ^swith this boastful confidence, ^tI say not as the Lord would¹ but as a fool. ¹⁸Since ^umany boast according to the flesh, I too will boast. ¹⁹For you gladly bear with fools, ^vbeing wise yourselves! ²⁰For you bear it if someone ^wmakes slaves of you, or ^xdevours you, or takes advantage of you, or puts on airs, or ^ystrikes you in the face. ²¹To my shame, I must say, ^zwe were too weak for that!

But whatever anyone else dares to boast of—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast of that. ²²Are they Hebrews? ^aSo am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they offspring of Abraham? So am I. ²³Are they ^bservants of Christ? ^cI am a better one—I am talking like a madman—with far greater labors, ^dfar more imprisonments, ^ewith countless beatings, and ^foften near death. ²⁴Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the ^gforty lashes less one. ²⁵Three times I was ^hbeaten with rods. ⁱOnce I was stoned. Three times I ^jwas shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; ²⁶on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, ^kdanger from my own people, ^ldanger from Gentiles, ^mdanger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; ²⁷ⁿin toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, ^oin hunger and thirst, often without food,² in cold and exposure. ²⁸And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for ^pall the churches. ^29qWho is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to fall, and I am not indignant?