< 2 Corinthians 11 >

1 Would that ye would bear with me [in] a little folly; but indeed bear with me.
I earnestly wish ye could bear with me a little in [my] folly: and indeed bear with me.
2 For I am jealous as to you with a jealousy [which is] of God; for I have espoused you unto one man, to present [you] a chaste virgin to Christ.
For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present [you as] a chaste virgin to Christ.
3 But I fear lest by any means, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craft, [so] your thoughts should be corrupted from simplicity as to the Christ.
But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
4 For if indeed he that comes preaches another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or ye get a different Spirit, which ye have not got, or a different glad tidings, which ye have not received, ye might well bear with [it].
For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or [if] ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with [him].
5 For I reckon that in nothing I am behind those who are in surpassing degree apostles.
For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very greatest apostles.
6 But if [I am] a simple person in speech, yet not in knowledge, but in everything making [the truth] manifest in all things to you.
But though [I am] rude in speech, yet not in knowledge; but we have been thoroughly made manifest among you in all things.
7 Have I committed sin, abasing myself in order that ye might be exalted, because I gratuitously announced to you the glad tidings of God?
Have I committed an offense in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God without reward?
8 I spoiled other assemblies, receiving hire for ministry towards you.
I robbed other churches, taking wages [of them], to do you service.
9 And being present with you and lacking, I did not lazily burden any one, (for the brethren who came from Macedonia supplied what I lacked, ) and in everything I kept myself from being a burden to you, and will keep myself.
And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man: for that which was lacking to me the brethren who came from Macedonia supplied: and in all [things] I have kept myself from being burdensome to you, and [so] will I keep [myself].
10 [The] truth of Christ is in me that this boasting shall not be stopped as to me in the regions of Achaia.
As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia.
11 Why? because I do not love you? God knows.
Why? because I love you not? God knoweth.
12 But what I do, I will also do, that I may cut off the opportunity of those wishing [for] an opportunity, that wherein they boast they may be found even as we.
But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them who desire occasion; that in what they glory, they may be found even as we.
13 For such [are] false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ.
For such [are] false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
14 And [it is] not wonderful, for Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.
And no wonder; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
15 It is no great thing therefore if his ministers also transform themselves as ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
Therefore [it is] no great thing if his ministers also are transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
16 Again I say, Let not any one think me to be a fool; but if otherwise, receive me then even as a fool, that I also may boast myself some little.
I say again, Let no man think me a fool; if otherwise, yet as a fool receive me, that I may boast myself a little.
17 What I speak I do not speak according to [the] Lord, but as in folly, in this confidence of boasting.
That which I speak, I speak [it] not according to the Lord, but as it were foolishly, in this confidence of boasting.
18 Since many boast according to flesh, I also will boast.
Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also.
19 For ye bear fools readily, being wise.
For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye [yourselves] are wise.
20 For ye bear if any one bring you into bondage, if any one devour [you], if any one get [your money], if any one exalt himself, if any one beat you on the face.
For ye suffer, if a man bringeth you into bondage, if a man devoureth [you], if a man taketh [from you], if a man exalteth himself, if a man smiteth you on the face.
21 I speak as to dishonour, as though we had been weak; but wherein any one is daring, (I speak in folly, ) I also am daring.
I speak as concerning reproach, as though we had been weak. But in whatever respect any is bold, (I speak foolishly) I am bold also.
22 Are they Hebrews? I also. Are they Israelites? I also. Are they seed of Abraham? I also.
Are they Hebrews? so [am] I. Are they Israelites? so [am] I. Are they the offspring of Abraham? so [am] I.
23 Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as being beside myself) I above measure [so]; in labours exceedingly abundant, in stripes to excess, in prisons exceedingly abundant, in deaths oft.
Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I [am] more; in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths often.
24 From the Jews five times have I received forty [stripes], save one.
From the Jews five times I received forty [stripes] save one.
25 Thrice have I been scourged, once I have been stoned, three times I have suffered shipwreck, a night and day I passed in the deep:
Thrice was I beaten with rods, once I was stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;
26 in journeyings often, in perils of rivers, in perils of robbers, in perils from [my own] race, in perils from [the] nations, in perils in [the] city, in perils in [the] desert, in perils on [the] sea, in perils among false brethren;
[In] journeyings often, [in] perils of waters, [in] perils of robbers, [in] perils by [my own] countrymen, [in] perils by the heathen, [in] perils in the city, [in] perils in the wilderness, [in] perils in the sea, [in] perils among false brethren;
27 in labour and toil, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
28 Besides those things that are without, the crowd [of cares] pressing on me daily, the burden of all the assemblies.
Besides those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.
29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is stumbled, and I burn not?
Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is made to fall into sin, and I burn not?
30 If it is needful to boast, I will boast in the things which concern my infirmity.
If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern my infirmities.
31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus knows — he who is blessed for ever — that I do not lie. (aiōn g165)
The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not. (aiōn g165)
32 In Damascus the ethnarch of Aretas the king kept the city of the Damascenes shut up, wishing to take me;
In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me:
33 and through a window in a basket I was let down by the wall, and escaped his hands.
And through a window in a basket I was let down by the wall, and escaped his hands.

< 2 Corinthians 11 >