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 recognised 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 labours 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 amongst false brothers; 27 in labour 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 BUT I could desire that you could tolerate me a little that I may speak foolishly.2 Nevertheless tolerate me, for I am zealous towards you with the zeal of Aloha; for I have betrothed you to one man, a pure virgin, whom I would bring unto the Meshiha.3 But I fear lest, as the serpent deceived 'Hava by his guile, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is toward the Meshiha.4 For if he who hath come to you shall preach to you another Jeshu, whom we have not preached, or you receive another Spirit which you have not received or another gospel which you have not accepted, you would have been well persuaded.5 For I consider that I am nothing inferior to those apostles who are most excellent.6 For if I am rude in my speech, I yet am not in my knowledge; but in every thing we are manifest among you.7 Or, offending have I offended in humbling myself that you may be exalted, and have gratuitously preached to you the gospel of Aloha?8 And other churches have I despoiled, receiving of them expenses, for your service.9 And being come among you, I burdened no man of you; for my want the brethren who came from Makedunia supplied: and in every thing have I kept myself, and will keep, that I may not be burdensome to you.10 The truth of the Meshiha is in me, that this boasting shall not be abolished respecting me in the regions of Akaia.11 Why? because I love you not? Aloha himself knoweth!12 But I do this, and also will do it, to cut off the occasion of them who seek an occasion, that in the thing in which they boast they may be found as we are.13 For these are apostles of falsehood and workers of deceits, assimilating themselves to the apostles of the Meshiha.14 Nor in this may we wonder, if Satana himself be transformed into an angel of light.15 Nor is it a great thing if his ministers also are transformed into ministers of righteousness;-whose end will be according to their works.16 BUT I say again, Let no man think of me as a fool; or if otherwise, let him receive me as a fool, that I also may boast a little.17 The thing which I (now) speak, I do not speak in our Lord, but as in foolishness in this place of boasting.18 Because many boast in the flesh, I also will boast.19 For you are content to listen to the feebleminded, you yourselves being wise.20 For you are ruled by one who subjugates you, and by one who devours you, and by one who takes away from you, and by one who exalts himself over you, and by one who smites you on your faces!21 As in abasement I speak; as though we were weak through defectiveness of mind, I speak. In whatever any man dareth, I also dare.22 If they are Ebroyee, so am I; if they are Isroloyee, so am I; if they are the seed of Abraham, so am I;23 if they are ministers of the Meshiha,-I speak with defectiveness of mind,-I exceed then! In labours I exceed them, in stripes I exceed them, in chains I exceed them, in deaths many times.24 From the Jihudoyee, five times, forty (stripes) wanting one have I devoured;25 three times with staves have I been beaten, once was I stoned, three times have I been in shipwreck, a day and a night without a ship have I been in the sea.26 In journeys many, in danger of rivers, in danger of robbers, in danger from my own race, in danger from the Gentiles; I have been in danger in cities, I have been in danger in the waste, in danger by sea, in danger from false brethren;27 in labour and weariness, in much watching, in hunger and thirst, in much fasting, in cold and in nakedness;28 besides the aboundings and the gathering which are upon me daily even my care which is for all the churches.29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is offended, and I burn not?30 If I must boast in my infirmities, I will boast.31 Aloha, the Father of our Lord Jeshu Meshiha, the Blessed for ever and ever, knoweth that I lie not.32 In Darmsuk the great force of Aretos the king kept the city of the Darmsukoyee to apprehend me.33 And from a window in a basket they sent me from the wall, and I was delivered from his hands.