King James Version

1 I wish you would bear with me a little in my foolishness; but indeed, bear with me. 2 For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy, for I promised you in marriage to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ. 3 But I fear that somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts may be corrupted from the simplicity and purity that is toward Christ. 4 For if the one coming preaches another Jesus whom we did not preach, or if you receive a different spirit which you did not receive, or a different gospel which you did not accept, you do well to endure it. 5 For I consider that I am not lacking in anything compared to the surpassing apostles. 6 But even if [someone is] a layman in speech, yet not in knowledge, but in everything have we made clear to you in all things. 7 Or have I made myself humble for your sake so that you might be exalted, since I proclaimed to you the gospel of God freely? 8 I robbed other churches, receiving wages for your ministry. 9 And being present with you and lacking nothing, I did not burden anyone; for my lack was supplied by the brothers who came from Macedonia. And in every way, I kept myself free of charge to you and I will keep myself. 10 The truth of Christ is in me, that this boasting will not be stopped for me in the regions of Achaia. 11 Why? Because I do not love you? God knows. 12 What I do and will do, in order to cut off the occasion of those who desire an occasion, so that in what they boast, they may be found just as we are. 13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. 14 And no marvel, for even Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. 15 It is not surprising, then, if even his servants transform themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works. 16 Again I say, let no one think of me as foolish— but if so, receive me as foolish, so that I may boast a little. 17 What I say, I do not say according to the Lord, but as in folly, in this state of boasting. 18 Since many boast according to the flesh, I will boast also. 19 For you gladly tolerate the foolish, being wise. 20 For you bear with it if someone enslaves you, if someone devours you, if someone takes from you, if someone exalts himself over you, if someone strikes you in the face. 21 I speak according to dishonor, as we have become weak. In whatever anyone dares, I speak in foolishness, I dare also. 22 They are Hebrews? And I am. They are Israelites? And I am. They are the seed of Abraham? And I am. 23 Are they servants of Christ? I speak as a madman; I am more: in labors more abundant, in prisons more frequent, in stripes above measure, in deaths often; 24 I received forty stripes, save one, from the Jews five times. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep. 26 frequent journeys, dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my own people, dangers from nations, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers at sea, dangers from false brothers, 27 with toil and hardship, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness; 28 Besides those things that are without, the care of all the churches comes upon me daily. 29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation? 30 If I must boast, I will boast of the things concerning my weakness. 31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus knows, he who is blessed forever, that I do not lie. 32 In Damascus, the ethnarch Aretas of the king was guarding the city of the Damascenes to seize me. 33 And through a window in the wall, I was let down by the ropes and escaped from his hands.