1 I wish that you would bear with me in a little foolishness, but indeed you do bear with me. 2 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. 3 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. 4 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. 5 For I reckon that I am not at all behind the very best apostles. 6 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.

7 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? 8 I robbed other assemblies, taking wages from them that I might serve you. 9 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. 10 As the truth of Christ is in me, no one will stop me from this boasting in the regions of Achaia. 11 Why? Because I don’t love you? God knows.

12 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. 13 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as Christ’s apostles. 14 And no wonder, for even Satan masquerades as an angel of light. 15 It is no great thing therefore if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.

16 I say again, let no one think me foolish. But if so, yet receive me as foolish, that I also may boast a little. 17 That which I speak, I don’t speak according to the Lord, but as in foolishness, in this confidence of boasting. 18 Seeing that many boast after the flesh, I will also boast. 19 For you bear with the foolish gladly, being wise. 20 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. 21 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. 22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the offspring of Abraham? So am I. 23 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. 24 Five times I received forty stripes minus one from the Jews. 25 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. 26 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; 27 in labor and travail, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, and in cold and nakedness.

28 Besides those things that are outside, there is that which presses on me daily: anxiety for all the assemblies. 29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is caused to stumble, and I don’t burn with indignation?

30 If I must boast, I will boast of the things that concern my weakness. 31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, he who is blessed forever more, knows that I don’t lie. 32 In Damascus the governor under King Aretas guarded the Damascenes’ city, desiring to arrest me. 33 I was let down in a basket through a window by the wall, and escaped his hands.

1 I wish ye could bear with me a little in [my] folly and indeed bear with me.

2 For I am jealous over you with the jealousy of God, for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present [you as] a chaste virgin to the Christ.

3 But I fear that as the serpent deceived Eve through his craftiness, so your senses should be corrupted in some way, and ye should fall from the simplicity that is in the Christ.

4 Therefore if anyone comes preaching another Jesus whom we have not preached or [if] ye receive another spirit from that which ye have received or another gospel from that which ye have accepted, ye bear well with [it].

5 I reckon that I have not been inferior in any way to those grandiose apostles.

6 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 an offence in humbling myself that ye might be exalted because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely?

8 I deprived the other churches, taking wages [of them], to do you service.

9 And when I was present with you and had need, I was not a burden to any [of you], for that which was lacking to me was supplied by the brethren which came from Macedonia; and in all [things] I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and [so] will I keep [myself].

10 It is the truth of Christ in me that this glory shall not be sealed up unto me in the regions of Achaia.

11 Why? because I do not love you? God knows.

12 But what I do, I will continue to do that I may take away the occasion from those who desire it to be found like unto us in that in which they glory.

13 For these false apostles are deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ.

14 And it is no marvel, for Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.

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

16 I say again, Let no one think me a fool if otherwise, receive me as a fool, that I may yet glory a little.

17 That which I speak, I speak [it] not according to the Lord, but as it were foolishly, in this confidence of glory.

18 Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also.

19 For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye [yourselves] are wise.

20 For ye suffer it if anyone brings you into bondage, if anyone devours [you], if anyone takes [of you], if anyone exalts himself, if anyone smites you on the face.

21 I speak as concerning the reproach, as though we had been weak. Howbeit in that in which another is bold, (I speak foolishly), I am bold also.

22 Are they Hebrews? 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, in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths often.

24 Of the Jews five times I received forty [stripes] less one.

25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned; three times I suffered shipwreck, night and day I have been in the deep;

26 [in] journeyings often, [in] perils of waters, [in] perils of robbers, [in] perils by those of my nation, [in] 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 labour and travail, in many watches, in hunger and thirst, in many fasts, in cold and nakedness.

28 Beside those things that are without, my daily combat is the welfare of all the churches.

29 Who is sick, and I am not sick? who stumbles, and I burn not?

30 If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern my weakness.

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

32 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.: