2 Corinthians 11

1If only you would bear with me in a little folly, but indeed you do bear with me.

2For I am jealous for you with God's jealousy, for I have betrothed you to one husband to present you as a pure virgin to Christ.

3But I fear that somehow, just as the serpent deceived Eve through his craftiness, your minds might be corrupted from the sincerity and purity toward Christ.

4For if the one who comes proclaims another Jesus whom we did not proclaim, or you receive a different spirit—which you did not receive—or a different gospel, which you did not accept, you bear with that excellently.

5For I consider myself in no way behind the superlative apostles.

6But even if I am unlearned in speech, yet not in knowledge; rather, in every way we have made it plain to you in all things.

7Or did I sin by humbling myself so you might be exalted, because I preached God's gospel to you without charge?

8I robbed other churches, accepting their wages to minister to you.

9And when I was with you and in need, I burdened no one; for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied my lack, and in everything I kept myself burden-free to you, and I will keep.

10The truth of Christ is in me, that this boasting will not be stopped for me in the regions of Achaia.

11Why? Because I don't love you? God knows.

12But what I am doing, I will also do, to deprive those desiring an opportunity of that opportunity, so that in whatever they boast they may be found just as we.

13For such are false apostles, deceitful workers disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.

14And no wonder, for Satan himself disguises himself as an angel of light.

15Therefore it is no great surprise if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds.

16Again I say, let no one suppose me to be foolish. But even if not, receive me as foolish, so that I too may boast a little.

17What I say, I do not say according to the Lord, but as in folly, in this confidence of boasting.

18Since many boast according to the flesh, I too will boast.

19For being wise, you gladly endure fools.

20For you tolerate it if someone enslaves you, if someone eats you up, if someone captures you, if someone exalts himself, if someone strikes you in the face.

21I speak to our shame, as though we have been weak; but in whatever anyone dares—in folly I say—I dare also.

22Are they Hebrews? I am too. Are they Israelites? I am too. Are they Abraham's seed? I am too.

23Are they servants of Christ? Speaking as a fool, I surpass them—in labors more abundantly, in prisons more abundantly, in beatings beyond measure, in deaths often.

24Five times I received from the Jews forty lashes less one.

25Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, and a night and day in the deep I have spent.

26often in journeys, in dangers from rivers, in dangers from robbers, in dangers from my people, in dangers from Gentiles, in dangers in the city, in dangers in the wilderness, in dangers in the sea, in dangers among false brothers.

27in toil and hardship, frequent sleepless nights, hunger and thirst, frequent fastings, cold and nakedness.

28Besides the outside things, the daily pressure upon me, the care for all the churches.

29Who is weak, and am I not weak? Who stumbles, and do I not burn?

30If I must boast, I will boast of the things of my weakness.

31God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is blessed forever, knows that I do not lie.

32In Damascus the governor of Aretas the king guarded the city of the Damascenes to seize me.

33And through a window in a basket I was lowered by the wall, and I escaped his hands.