2 Corinthians 11:16–33

Paul’s Sufferings for Christ

¹⁶I repeat: No one should consider me a fool. But if you do, at least accept me as a fool, so I too may boast a little. ¹⁷What I say in this matter ^lof boasting, I don’t speak as the Lord would, but foolishly. ¹⁸Since many boast in an unspiritual way, ^mI will also boast. ¹⁹For you, being so wise, gladly put up with fools! ⁿ²⁰In fact, you put up with it if someone enslaves you, if someone devours ^oyou, if someone captures you, if someone dominates you, or if someone hits ^pyou in the face. ²¹I say this to our shame: We have been weak.

But in whatever anyone dares to boast—I am talking foolishly—I also dare:

²²Are they Hebrews? ^qSo am I.

Are they Israelites? So am I.

Are they the seed of Abraham? ^rSo am I.

²³Are they servants of Christ?

I’m talking like a madman—I’m a better one:

with far more labors,

many more imprisonments,

far worse beatings, near death ^smany times.

²⁴Five times I received 39 lashes from Jews. ^t

²⁵Three times I was beaten with rods by the Romans. ^u

Once I was stoned by my enemies. ^vw

Three times I was shipwrecked. ^x

I have spent a night and a day

in the open sea.

²⁶On frequent journeys, I faced

dangers from rivers,

dangers from robbers, ^y

dangers from my own people, ^z

dangers from the Gentiles,

dangers in the city,

dangers in the open country,

dangers on the sea,

and dangers among false brothers;

²⁷labor and hardship,

many sleepless nights, hunger and thirst,

often without food, cold, and lacking clothing. ^a

²⁸Not to mention ^bother things, there is the daily pressure on me: my care for all the churches. ²⁹Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, ^cand I do not burn with indignation? ³⁰If boasting is necessary, I will boast about my weaknesses. ³¹The God and Father ^dof the Lord Jesus, who is praised forever, knows I am not lying. ³²In Damascus, ^ethe governor under King Aretas ^fguarded the city of the Damascenes in order to arrest me, ³³so I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall and escaped his hands. ^g