2 Corinthians 11:5–29

⁵I do not think I am in the least inferior to those “super-apostles.”^{an 6}I may indeed be untrained as a speaker,^o but I do have knowledge.^p We have made this perfectly clear to you in every way. ⁷Was it a sin^q for me to lower myself in order to elevate you by preaching the gospel of God^r to you free of charge?^{s 8}I robbed other churches by receiving support from them^t so as to serve you. ⁹And when I was with you and needed something, I was not a burden to anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied what I needed.^u I have kept myself from being a burden to you^v in any way, and will continue to do so. ¹⁰As surely as the truth of Christ is in me,^w nobody in the regions of Achaia^x will stop this boasting^y of mine. ¹¹Why? Because I do not love you? God knows^z I do!^a

¹²And I will keep on doing what I am doing in order to cut the ground from under those who want an opportunity to be considered equal with us in the things they boast about. ¹³For such people are false apostles,^b deceitful^c workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ.^{d 14}And no wonder, for Satan^e himself masquerades as an angel of light. ¹⁵It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.^f

Paul Boasts About His Sufferings

¹⁶I repeat: Let no one take me for a fool.^g But if you do, then tolerate me just as you would a fool, so that I may do a little boasting. ¹⁷In this self-confident boasting I am not talking as the Lord would,^h but as a fool.^{i 18}Since many are boasting in the way the world does,^j I too will boast.^{k 19}You gladly put up with^l fools since you are so wise!^{m 20}In fact, you even put up withⁿ anyone who enslaves you^o or exploits you or takes advantage of you or puts on airs or slaps you in the face. ²¹To my shame I admit that we were too weak^p for that!

Whatever anyone else dares to boast about—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast about.^{q 22}Are they Hebrews? So am I.^r Are they Israelites? So am I.^s Are they Abraham’s descendants? So am I.^{t 23}Are they servants of Christ?^u (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder,^v been in prison more frequently,^w been flogged more severely,^x and been exposed to death again and again.^{y 24}Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes^z minus one. ²⁵Three times I was beaten with rods,^a once I was pelted with stones,^b three times I was shipwrecked,^c I spent a night and a day in the open sea, ²⁶I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews,^d in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city,^e in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers.^{f 27}I have labored and toiled^g and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food;^h I have been cold and naked. ²⁸Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.^{i 29}Who is weak, and I do not feel weak?^j Who is led into sin,^k and I do not inwardly burn?