2 Corinthians

I would that you were bearing with me a little in foolishness; but indeed bear with me.

For I am jealous [over] you with godly jealousy. For I have espoused you to one Man, to present [you as] a pure virgin to Christ.

But I fear lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve in his craftiness, so your thoughts should be corrupted from the simplicity due to Christ.

For if, indeed, the [one] coming proclaims another Jesus, whom we have not proclaimed, or [if] you receive another spirit, which you did not receive, or another gospel, which you never accepted, you might well endure [these].

For I judge [myself] to have come behind the highest apostles [in] nothing.

But even if [I am] unskilled in speech, yet not in knowledge; but in every way [I] have been clearly revealed to you in all things.

Or did I commit sin in humbling myself that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you without charge?

I stripped other churches, taking wages for the serving of you.

And being present with you, and in need, I was not a burden to anyone. For the brothers from Macedonia made up completely my need. And in every way I have kept myself from being burdensome [to you], and I will keep myself.

The truth of Christ is in me that this boasting shall not be silenced in me in the regions of Achaia.

Why? Because I do not love you? God knows.

But what I do, that I will do, so that I may cut off occasion from those who desire occasion; so that in the thing in which they boast, they may be found even as we.

For such ones [are] false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.

Did not even Satan marvelously transform himself into an angel of light?

Therefore [it is] no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves as ministers of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works.

Again I say, Let no one think me foolish. If otherwise, yet receive me as foolish, so that I may also boast a little.

What I speak, I do not speak according to the Lord, but as in foolishness, in this boldness of boasting.

Since many glory according to the flesh, I also will boast.

For you gladly bear with fools, being wise.

For you endure if anyone enslaves you, if anyone devours, if anyone takes [from you], if anyone exalts himself, if anyone strikes you in the face.

I speak according to dishonor, as though we have been weak. But in whatever anyone dares (I speak foolishly), I also dare.

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

Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as beside myself,) I [am] more! [I have been] in labors more abundantly, in stripes above measure, in prisons more, in deaths many times.

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

I have been in travels often; in dangers from waters; in dangers from robbers; in dangers from [my] race; in dangers from [the] heathen; in dangers in [the] city; in dangers in [the] wilderness; in dangers on [the] sea; in dangers among false brothers.

[I have been] in hardship and toil; often in watchings; in hunger and thirst; often in fastings; in cold and nakedness;

besides the things outside conspiring against me daily, the care of all the churches.

Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is caused to stumble, and I do not burn?

If it is right to boast, I will boast, I will boast [of] the things of my weakness.

The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed forever, knows that I do not lie.

In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king guarded the city of [the] Damascenes, desiring to lay hold of me. And I was let down in a basket through a window through the wall, and escaped their hands.