2 Corinthians 11–13

Paul Defends His Apostleship

11I wish that you would put up with me in something a little foolish^a—but indeed you are putting up with me. ²For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy, because I promised you in marriage to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ. ³But I am afraid lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds may be led astray from the sincerity and the purity of devotion to Christ. ⁴For if the one who comes proclaims another Jesus whom we have not proclaimed, or you receive a different spirit which you did not receive, or a different gospel which you did not accept, you put up with it well enough! ⁵For I consider myself in no way to be inferior to the preeminent apostles.^{b 6}But even if I am unskilled in speech, yet I am not in knowledge; certainly in everything we have made this clear to you in every way. ⁷Or did I commit a sin by^* humbling myself in order that you may be exalted, because I proclaimed the gospel of God to you without payment? ⁸I robbed other churches by^* accepting support from them for the ministry to you. ⁹And when I^* was present with you and was in need, I did not burden anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied my need, and in everything I kept myself from being a burden to you, and will keep myself from being a burden. ¹⁰As the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine^c will not be stopped in the regions of Achaia. ¹¹Why^d? Because I do not love you? God knows I do! ¹²But what I am doing, I will also do, in order that I may remove the opportunity of those who want an opportunity, that they may be found just as also we are in what they are boasting 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. ¹⁵Therefore it is not a great thing if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds.

Paul Boasts in His Sufferings

¹⁶Again I say, do not let anyone think I am foolish. But indeed, if you do, accept me even as foolish, in order that I also may boast a little. ¹⁷What I am saying in this project of boasting, I am not saying as the Lord would say, but as in foolishness. ¹⁸Since many are boasting according to human standards, I also will boast. ¹⁹For because you^* are wise, you put up with foolish people gladly! ²⁰For you put up with it if someone enslaves you, if someone devours you, if someone takes advantage of you, if someone is presumptious toward you, if someone strikes you in the face. ²¹I say this to my shame, namely, that we have been weak.

But in whatever anyone dares to boast—I am speaking in foolishness—I also dare to boast. ²²Are they Hebrews? I am also! Are they Israelites? I am also! Are they descendants of Abraham? I am also! ²³Are they servants of Christ?—I am speaking as though I were beside myself—I am more so, with far greater labors, with far more imprisonments, with beatings to a much greater degree, in danger of death many times. ²⁴Five times I received at the hands of the Jews forty lashes less one. ²⁵Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I received a stoning. Three times I was shipwrecked. A day and a night I have spent in the deep water. ²⁶I have been on journeys many times, in dangers from rivers, in dangers from robbers, in dangers from my own people, in dangers from the Gentiles, in dangers in the city, in dangers in the wilderness, in dangers at sea, in dangers because of false brothers, ²⁷with toil and hardship, often in sleepless nights, with hunger and thirst, often going hungry, in cold and poorly clothed. ²⁸Apart from these external things, there is the pressure on me every day of the anxiety about all the churches. ²⁹Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is caused to sin, and I do not burn with indignation? ³⁰If it is necessary to boast, I will boast about the things related to my weakness^e. ³¹The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is blessed forever^f, knows that I am not lying. ³²In Damascus, the governor under King Aretas was guarding the city of the Damascenes in order to take me into custody, ³³and I was lowered through a window through the wall in a rope-basket, and I escaped his hands.

A Vision of Paradise

12It is necessary to boast; it is not profitable, but I will proceed to visions and revelations of the Lord. ²I know a man in Christ fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or outside the body I do not know, God knows—such a man was caught up to the third heaven, ³and I know this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows—⁴that he was caught up to paradise and heard words not to be spoken, which it is not permitted for a person to speak. ⁵On behalf of such a person I will boast, but on behalf of myself I will not boast, except in my weaknesses. ⁶For if I want to boast, I will not be foolish, because I will be telling the truth, but I am refraining, so that no one can credit to me more than what he sees in me or hears anything from me, ⁷even because of the extraordinary degree of the revelations. Therefore, so that I would not exalt myself, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan, in order that it would torment me so that I would not exalt myself. ⁸Three times I appealed to the Lord about this, that it would depart from me. ⁹And he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, because the^a power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore rather I will boast most gladly in my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may reside in me. ¹⁰Therefore I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in calamities, in persecutions and difficulties for the sake of Christ, for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.

Paul’s Concern for the Christians at Corinth

¹¹I have become a fool! You compelled me, for I ought to have been commended by you, for I am in no way inferior to the preeminent apostles,^b even if I am nothing. ¹²Indeed, the signs of an apostle have been done among you with all patient endurance, both signs and wonders and deeds of power. ¹³For in what respect are you made worse off^c more than the rest of the churches, except that I myself was not a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong! ¹⁴Behold, this third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be a burden to you. For I am not seeking your possessions, but you. For children are not obligated to save up for their parents, but parents for their children. ¹⁵But I will spend and be expended most gladly for your lives. If I love you much more, am I to be loved less? ¹⁶But let it be. I have not been a burden to you, but because I^* was crafty, I took you by cunning. ¹⁷I have not taken advantage of you through anyone whom I sent to you^d, have I?^{* 18}I urged Titus to go, and I sent the brother with him. Titus did not take advantage of you, did he?^* Did we not conduct ourselves in the same spirit?^* Did we not walk in the same footsteps?^{* 19}Have you been thinking all this time that we are defending ourselves to you? We are speaking in Christ before God, and all these things, dear friends, are for your edification. ²⁰For I am afraid lest somehow when I^* arrive, I will not find you as I want, and I may be found by you as you do not want. I am afraid^* lest somehow there will be strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, slander, gossip, pride, disorder. ²¹I am afraid lest when I^* come again my God will humiliate me in your presence^e, and I will grieve over many of those who sinned previously and have not repented because of their impurity and sexual immorality and licentiousness that they have practiced.

Final Warnings to the Church at Corinth

13This is the third time I am coming to you. By the testimony^a of two or three witnesses every word^b will be established. ²I have already said when I was present the second time, and although I^* am absent now I also say in advance to those who sinned previously and to all the rest, that if I come again I will not spare anyone, ³since you are demanding proof that Christ, who is not weak toward you, but is powerful among you, is speaking in me. ⁴For indeed, he was crucified because of weakness, but he lives because of the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we will live together with him because of the power of God toward you.

⁵Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith. Examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize regarding yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you, unless you are unqualified? ⁶And I hope that you will recognize that we are not unqualified! ⁷Now we pray to God that you not do wrong in any way, not that we are seen as approved, but that you do what is good, even though we are seen as though unqualified. ⁸For we are not able to do anything against the truth, but rather only for the truth. ⁹For we rejoice whenever we are weak, but you are strong, and we pray for this: your maturity. ¹⁰Because of this, I am writing these things although I^* am absent, in order that when I^* am present I may not have to act severely according to the authority that the Lord has given me for building up and not for tearing down.

Final Greetings and Benediction

¹¹Finally, brothers, rejoice, be restored, be encouraged, be in agreement^c, be at peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you. ¹²Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints greet you. ¹³The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.