The Second Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians

⭑ Literal Standard Version :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 11 -

O that you were bearing with me a little of the folly, but you also bear with me:

for I am zealous for you with zeal of God, for I betrothed you to one Husband, a pure virgin, to present to Christ,

and I fear, lest, as the serpent deceived Eve in his subtlety, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that [is] in the Christ;

for if, indeed, he who is coming preaches another Jesus whom we did not preach, or you receive another spirit which you did not receive, or other good news which you did not accept—well were you bearing [it],

for I reckon that I have been nothing behind the very chiefest apostles,

and even if a commoner in speech—yet not in knowledge, but in everything we were made evident in all things to you.

Did I do sin—humbling myself that you might be exalted, because I freely proclaimed the good news of God to you?

I robbed other assemblies, having taken wages, for your ministry;

and being present with you, and having been in want, I was chargeable to no one, for the brothers supplied my lack—having come from Macedonia—and I kept myself burdenless to you in everything, and will keep.

The truth of Christ is in me, because this boasting will not be stopped in regard to me in the regions of Achaia;

for what reason? Because I do not love you? God has known!

And what I do, I also will do, that I may cut off the occasion of those wishing an occasion, that in that which they boast they may be found according as we also;

for those such [are] false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ,

and no wonder—for even Satan transforms himself into a messenger of light;

[it is] no great thing, then, if his servants also transform themselves as servants of righteousness—whose end will be according to their works.

Paul’s Suffering and Service

(Colossians 1:24–29)

Again I say, may no one think me to be a fool; and if otherwise, receive me even as a fool, that I also may boast a little.

That which I speak, I do not speak according to the LORD, but as in foolishness, in this the confidence of boasting;

since many boast according to the flesh, I also will boast:

for you gladly bear with the fools—being wise,

for you bear, if anyone is bringing you under bondage, if anyone devours, if anyone takes away, if anyone exalts himself, if anyone strikes you on the face;

I speak in reference to dishonor, how that we were weak, and in whatever anyone is bold—in foolishness I say [it]—I also am bold.

Are they Hebrews? I also! Are they Israelites? I also! Are they seed of Abraham? I also!

Are they servants of Christ? As [if] beside myself I speak—I [am] more; in labors more abundantly, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths many times.

Five times I received from Jews forty [stripes] except one;

three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I have passed a night and a day in the deep;

journeys many times, perils of rivers, perils of robbers, perils from [my own] race, perils from nations, perils in city, perils in wilderness, perils in sea, perils among false brothers;

in laboriousness and painfulness, many times in watchings, in hunger and thirst, many times in fastings, in cold and nakedness;

apart from the things without—the crowding on me that is daily—the care of all the assemblies.

Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is stumbled, and I am not burned?

If it is necessary to boast, I will boast of the things of my weakness;

the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ—who is blessed for all ages—has known that I do not lie!

In Damascus the governor [under] Aretas the king was watching the city of the Damascenes, wishing to seize me,

and I was let down through a window in a rope basket, through the wall, and fled out of his hands.

I wish that you would bear with me in a little foolishness, but indeed you do bear with me.

For I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy. For I promised you in marriage to one husband, that I might present you as a pure virgin to Christ.

But I am afraid that somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve in his craftiness, so your minds might be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we didn’t preach, or if you receive a different spirit which you didn’t receive, or a different “good news” which you didn’t accept, you put up with that well enough.

For I reckon that I am not at all behind the very best apostles.

But though I am unskilled in speech, yet I am not unskilled in knowledge. No, in every way we have been revealed to you in all things.

Or did I commit a sin in humbling myself that you might be exalted, because I preached to you God’s Good News free of charge?

I robbed other assemblies, taking wages from them that I might serve you.

When I was present with you and was in need, I wasn’t a burden on anyone, for the brothers, when they came from Macedonia, supplied the measure of my need. In everything I kept myself from being burdensome to you, and I will continue to do so.

As the truth of Christ is in me, no one will stop me from this boasting in the regions of Achaia.

Why? Because I don’t love you? God knows.

But what I do, that I will continue to do, that I may cut off opportunity from those who desire an opportunity, that in which they boast, they may be recognized just like us.

For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as Christ’s apostles.

And no wonder, for even Satan masquerades as an angel of light.

It is no great thing therefore if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.

Paul’s Suffering and Service

(Colossians 1:24–29)

I say again, let no one think me foolish. But if so, yet receive me as foolish, that I also may boast a little.

That which I speak, I don’t speak according to the Lord, but as in foolishness, in this confidence of boasting.

Seeing that many boast after the flesh, I will also boast.

For you bear with the foolish gladly, being wise.

For you bear with a man if he brings you into bondage, if he devours you, if he takes you captive, if he exalts himself, or if he strikes you on the face.

To my shame, I speak as though we had been weak. Yet in whatever way anyone is bold (I speak in foolishness), I am bold also.

Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the offspring(a) of Abraham? So am I.

Are they servants of Christ? (I speak as one beside himself.) I am more so: in labors more abundantly, in prisons more abundantly, in stripes above measure, and in deaths often.

Five times I received forty stripes minus one from the Jews.

Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I suffered shipwreck. I have been a night and a day in the deep.

I have been in travels often, perils of rivers, perils of robbers, perils from my countrymen, perils from the Gentiles, perils in the city, perils in the wilderness, perils in the sea, perils among false brothers;

in labor and travail, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, and in cold and nakedness.

Besides those things that are outside, there is that which presses on me daily: anxiety for all the assemblies.

Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is caused to stumble, and I don’t burn with indignation?

If I must boast, I will boast of the things that concern my weakness.

The God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, he who is blessed forever more, knows that I don’t lie.

In Damascus the governor under King Aretas guarded the Damascenes’ city, desiring to arrest me.

I was let down in a basket through a window by the wall, and escaped his hands.

Footnotes

(a)11:22 or, seed