Paul Defends His Apostleship

1 I wish that you would abear with me in a little bfoolishness; but 1indeed you are bearing with me.

2 For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I abetrothed you to one husband, so that to Christ I might bpresent you as a pure virgin.

3 But I am afraid that, as the aserpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.

4 For if 1one comes and preaches aanother Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a bdifferent spirit which you have not received, or a cdifferent gospel which you have not accepted, you dbear this ebeautifully.

5 For I consider myself anot in the least inferior to the 1most eminent apostles.

6 But even if I am aunskilled in speech, yet I am not so in bknowledge; in fact, in every way we have cmade this evident to you in all things.

7 Or adid I commit a sin in humbling myself so that you might be exalted, because I preached the bgospel of God to you cwithout charge?

8 I robbed other churches by ataking wages from them to serve you;

9 and when I was present with you and was in need, I was anot a burden to anyone; for when bthe brethren came from cMacedonia they fully supplied my need, and in everything I kept myself from abeing a burden to you, 1and will continue to do so.

10 aAs the truth of Christ is in me, bthis boasting of mine will not be stopped in the regions of cAchaia.

11 Why? aBecause I do not love you? bGod knows I do!

12 But what I am doing I will continue to do, aso that I may cut off opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be 1regarded just as we are in the matter about which they are boasting.

13 For such men are afalse apostles, bdeceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.

14 No wonder, for even aSatan disguises himself as an bangel of light.

15 Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, awhose end will be according to their deeds.