2 Corinthians 11:16–33

^16aAgain 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.

¹⁷What I am saying, I am not saying ^1aaccording to the Lord, but as ^bin foolishness, in this confidence of boasting.

¹⁸Since ^amany boast ^baccording to the flesh, I will boast also.

¹⁹For you, ^abeing so wise, are bearing the foolish gladly.

²⁰For you bear it if anyone ^aenslaves you, anyone ^bdevours you, anyone ^ctakes advantage of you, anyone ^dexalts himself, anyone ^ehits you in the face.

²¹To my ^ashame I must say that we have been ^bweak by comparison.

But in whatever respect anyone else ^cis daring—I ^dspeak in foolishness—I am just as daring myself.

²²Are they ^aHebrews? ^bSo am I. Are they ^cIsraelites? ^dSo am I. Are they Abraham’s ^eseed? ^fSo am I.

²³Are they ^aministers of Christ?—I speak as if insane—I more so; in ^1bfar more labors, in ^2cfar more imprisonments, in ^dbeatings without number, in frequent ^edanger of death.

²⁴Five times I received from the Jews ^aforty lashes less one.

²⁵Three times I was ^abeaten with rods, once I was ^bstoned, three times I was shipwrecked—a night and a day I have spent in the deep.

²⁶I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my ^acountrymen, dangers from the ^bGentiles, dangers in the ^ccity, dangers in the desolate places, dangers on the sea, dangers among ^dfalse brothers.

²⁷I have been in ^alabor and hardship, in many sleepless nights, in ^bstarvation and thirst, often ^chungry, in cold and ^1dwithout enough clothing.

²⁸Apart from such ¹external things, there is the daily pressure on me of concern for ^aall the churches.

²⁹Who is ^aweak without my being weak? Who is made to stumble ¹without my burning concern?

³⁰If I have to boast, I will boast of what pertains to my ^aweakness.

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

³²In ^aDamascus the ethnarch under Aretas the king was ^bguarding the city of the Damascenes in order to seize me,

³³and I was let down in a basket ^athrough a window ¹in the wall, and so escaped his hands.