⁵But I don’t think I’m in any way less important than those “super-apostles.” ⁶I may not be a trained speaker. But I do have knowledge. I’ve made that very clear to you in every way.

⁷When I preached God’s good news to you free of charge, I put myself down in order to lift you up. Was that a sin? ⁸Did I rob other churches when I received help from them so that I could serve you? ⁹When I was with you and needed something, I didn’t cause you any expense. The believers who came from Macedonia gave me what I needed. I haven’t caused you any expense at all. And I won’t ever do it.

¹⁰I’m sure that the truth of Christ is in me. And I’m just as sure that nobody in Achaia will keep me from bragging. ¹¹Why? Because I don’t love you? No! God knows I do! ¹²And I will keep on doing what I’m doing. That will stop those who claim they have things to brag about. They think they have a chance to be considered equal with us.

¹³People like that are false apostles. They work hard to trick others. They only pretend to be apostles of Christ.

¹⁴That comes as no surprise. Even Satan himself pretends to be an angel of light. ¹⁵So it doesn’t surprise us that those who serve Satan pretend to be serving God. They will finally get exactly what they should.

Paul Brags About His Sufferings

¹⁶I will say it again. Don’t let anyone think I’m a fool. But if you do, receive me just as you would receive a fool. Then I can do a little bragging.

¹⁷When I brag about myself like this, I’m not talking the way the Lord would. I’m talking like a fool. ¹⁸Many are bragging the way the people of the world do. So I will brag like that too.

¹⁹You are so wise! You gladly put up with fools! ²⁰In fact, you even put up with anyone who makes you a slave or uses you. You put up with those who take advantage of you. You put up with those who claim to be better than you. You put up with those who slap you in the face.

²¹I’m ashamed to have to say that I was too weak for that!

What anyone else dares to brag about, I also dare to brag about. I’m speaking like a fool! ²²Are they Hebrews? So am I. Do they belong to the people of Israel? So do I. Are they Abraham’s children? So am I. ²³Are they serving Christ? I am serving him even more. I’m out of my mind to talk like this!

I have worked much harder. I have been in prison more often. I have suffered terrible beatings. Again and again I almost died. ²⁴Five times the Jews gave me 39 strokes with a whip. ²⁵Three times I was beaten with sticks. Once they tried to kill me by throwing stones at me. Three times I was shipwrecked. I spent a night and a day in the open sea.

²⁶I have had to keep on the move. I have been in danger from rivers. I have been in danger from robbers. I have been in danger from people from my own country. I have been in danger from those who aren’t Jews. I have been in danger in the city, in the country, and at sea. I have been in danger from people who pretended they were believers.

²⁷I have worked very hard. Often I have gone without sleep. I have been hungry and thirsty. Often I have gone without food. I have been cold and naked.

²⁸Besides everything else, every day I am concerned about all the churches. It is a very heavy load. ²⁹If anyone is weak, I feel weak. If anyone is led into sin, I burn on the inside.

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