2 Corinthians 11

Concern for Their Faithfulness

Oh, that you would bear with me in a little ^afolly—and indeed you do bear with me. 2 For I am ^ajealous for you with godly jealousy. For ^bI have betrothed you to one husband, ^cthat I may present you ^das a chaste virgin to Christ. 3 But I fear, lest somehow, as ^athe serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds ^bmay be corrupted from the ¹simplicity that is in Christ. 4 For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a ^adifferent gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it!

Paul and False Apostles

5 For I consider that ^aI am not at all inferior to the most eminent apostles. 6 Even though ^aI am untrained in speech, yet I am not ^bin knowledge. But ^cwe have ¹been thoroughly manifested among you in all things.
7 Did I commit sin in ¹humbling myself that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you ^afree of charge? 8 I robbed other churches, taking wages from them to minister to you. 9 And when I was present with you, and in need, ^aI was a burden to no one, for what I lacked ^bthe brethren who came from Macedonia supplied. And in everything I kept myself from being burdensome to you, and so I will keep myself. 10 ^aAs the truth of Christ is in me, ^bno one shall stop me from this boasting in the regions of Achaia. 11 Why? ^aBecause I do not love you? God knows!
12 But what I do, I will also continue to do, ^athat I may cut off the opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the things of which they boast. 13 For such ^aare false apostles, ^bdeceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into ^aan angel of light. 15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, ^awhose end will be according to their works.

Reluctant Boasting

16 I say again, let no one think me a fool. If otherwise, at least receive me as a fool, that I also may boast a little. 17 What I speak, ^aI speak not according to the Lord, but as it were, foolishly, in this confidence of boasting. 18 Seeing that many boast according to the flesh, I also will boast. 19 For you put up with fools gladly, ^asince you yourselves are wise! 20 For you put up with it ^aif one brings you into bondage, if one devours you, if one takes from you, if one exalts himself, if one strikes you on the face. 21 To our shame ^aI say that we were too weak for that! But ^bin whatever anyone is bold—I speak foolishly—I am bold also.

Suffering for Christ

22 Are they ^aHebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I. 23 Are they ministers of Christ?—I speak as a fool—I am more: ^ain labors more abundant, ^bin stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, ^cin deaths often. 24 From the Jews five times I received ^aforty ^bstripes minus one. 25 Three times I was ^abeaten with rods; ^bonce I was stoned; three times I ^cwas shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; 26 in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, ^ain perils of my own countrymen, ^bin perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; 27 in weariness and toil, ^ain sleeplessness often, ^bin hunger and thirst, in ^cfastings often, in cold and nakedness— 28 besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: ^amy deep concern for all the churches. 29 ^aWho is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation?
30 If I must boast, ^aI will boast in the things which concern my ¹infirmity. 31 ^aThe God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, ^bwho is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying. 32 ^aIn Damascus the governor, under Aretas the king, was guarding the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desiring to arrest me; 33 but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall, and escaped from his hands.

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